Someone must have brought this wine to my wine-and-cheese birthday party a few months back, because I don't remember buying it. I did put it in the fridge, however, and it came out this weekend when I threw a very small BBQ. I'm glad it did, because it's a very good wine and one that I'd definitely want to have again.

This Chardonnay comes from the Central Coast and does not fulfill the stereotype of California Chardonnays as being very heavy and oaky. It's crisp, with a nice balance of sweet to tart, and bare hints of fruit and butter. It's easy to drink, but complex and layered enough to stand up to food. I had it with a marinated tri-tip and it went quite well with it. The leftovers kept well in the refrigerator for a few days.

In all, a very good wine, specially for its $12 retail price. The only problem is that I don't know where to buy it.