Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Napa Valley Chardonnay 2004 Wine Review (NW)

Aromatic and creamy nose
Lively fruit palate with good acidity
Not as creamy or buttery on the finish

I enjoyed this wine, but I don't think I quite figured it out. It seemed to be very rich and creamy on the nose, but was followed by a more acidic palate. This is actually a good thing, in most cases. Finding a marriage of big, flavorful characteristics and good acidity is a real accomplishment for a wine maker. In this wine, though, these qualities were all there but didn't seem to really meld and work together in this $29 wine.

All this to say, the American Chardonnay is not out of vogue. In fact, even big creamy and buttery flavors are still worth achieving when there is balance in the wine overall. If you want further reading on this subject, John Brecher and Dorothy Gaiter have written a terrific article in The Wall Street Journal, Weekend Journal section, dated February 17, 2006. Raise a glass!