Last night, my wife and I wanted to set up an epic battle of good vs evil.
Doctor vs Dalek!!
Superman vs Bizarro!!!!!
French White Burgundy vs. California Chardonnay!!!!!!!!
Drama in its purest form. We chose two similarly priced Chardonnays: Ty Caton California Chardonnay (2013) and Maison Roche de Bellene Bourgogne Chardonnay Vieilles Vignes 2014 (a mouthful, right?). The wines went head-to-head in a battle royale just like the movie Battle Royale, but with 2 wines instead of a bunch of kids. Epic!
The first wine to taste was the Bourgogne. It was light in the glass with aromas of lemon, grass, and minerals. The taste was very crisp, nice acid with bright lemon and apples. Very refreshing, not a ton of complexity but would be a good wine on a hot day. My wife’s note: “Peanuts! It tastes like peanuts!!!”
Second we tried the Ty Caton, which was a little darker in the glass and had a very green apple aroma. The taste was fruit up front, with lots of apple and pear. The acid was a good balance to the fruit, and the body was a little heavier than the Bourgogne, with a little hint of oak. My wife’s note: “This ones better.”
The Verdict: I preferred the Bourgogne, but I’m going through a French wine kick right now. I loved the dry, crispness of it. My wife preferred the California Chardonnay, because it didn’t taste like “peanuts”.
Winemaker: Ty Caton
Wine: Chardonnay
Year: 2013
Region: California
Grape: Chardonnay
Price: $18
Rating: 7/10
Winemaker: Maison Roche de Bellene
Wine: Bourgogne Chardonnay Vielles Vignes
Year: 2014
Region: Burgundy, France
Grape: Chardonnay
Price: $22
Rating: 8/10