Ferrari-Carano Chardonnay 2006

Alexander Valley, Napa, US$24, screwtop

The duty free selection at New York's JFK airport was extremely average; Jacob's Creek dominated and this was the only US offering. I really have no idea about North American wine, but a bit of research on the web shows that Ferrari-Carano are a family run company who have vineyards scattered across Napa. It's worth checking out their website to see the smiling proprietors looking oh so Californian.

This is pretty deep gold in colour and having a sniff the age is noticeable. There’s plenty going on with the nose; lot’s of tasty fruit – grapefruit, peach and apricot - but also a bit of late night toast smeared with honey. This is tasty stuff; the palate’s ripe and lush with tropical fruits, peaches, and plenty of melon; there’s also a nice lick of caramel on the finish. I was expecting buckets (or barrels) of oak, but was impressed with how balanced this was. The 13.5% alcohol was really well integrated. Ferrari-Carano Chardonnay 2006 is certainly a lovely wine; full bodied, complex but well balanced. I’m starting to get worried; the last three Californian wines I’ve tried have impressed me…

Visit winery website.