This posting takes a second look at an unoaked chardonnary that was the subject of a previous posting and compares it to another that we had not previously tried. The two wines in question are a:
Lioco 2006 "Sonoma County" Chardonnay ($18) and a Joel Gott 2006 "Monterey" Chardonnay ($18)
(The Joel Gott website lists the 2006 "Monterey" as having a recommended retail price of $15 a bottle so you may be able to find it for less than I did here in Seattle. In contrast, the Lioco website lists it's "Sonoma County" blend at $20. What the "right" price for any given bottle of wine? Who knows.)
We first tried the Lioco "Sonoma County" last September and found it to be a little disjointed in that its various flavors didn't seem to blend together too well. After several more months in the bottle, this wine has definitely improved in that respect. It is now much more coherent.
What separates these two offerings -- rather distinctly -- is not so much the flavors of the fruit, but rather the fact that the Lioco offering has undergone malolactic fermentation (MLF) while the Joel Gott chardonnay has not. For those who need a refresher, MLF, which occurs after the basic fermentation process, converts tart malic acid into soft lactic acid.
As a result, the Lioco chardonnay has a buttery quality to it -- both on the palate and in the finish -- while the Joel Gott chardonnay does not.
Over the course of two meals, we preferred the Joel Gott offering as the better "food wine." It had a nice balance of citrus and other flavors on the palate and the finish was clean and crisp.
While the Lioco was also pleasantly flavored, the buttery aspect was a little cloying and, as a result of somewhat greater viscosity, a little too lingering.
Both of these wines are listed as 14.2% alcohol by volume.
I rate the very nicely balanced Joel Gott as Recommended and the Lioco as Worth Considering if you like buttery chardonnay.
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