What a day today was. Had a few friends over for Easter Dinner and also a chance to share a toast to Jess Jackson the founder of Kendall Jackson.We decided it would be fun to share a few of his different chardonnays as that is what really set him on the road to wine success. Unfortunately some of the chards cost more than the wines I normally post about, so please forgive me for straying.
Of course we started with the wine that put him at the top of the wine world. The Kendall-Jackson Vintners Reserve Chardonnay. This wine normally retails around $14 to $18 and is a great chard at that price point.
What I like most about it is the fact you can pick up some pineapple flavors along with mango and a touch of honey and citrus. I can taste why it is one of the top selling chardonnays made. After downing a couple bottles
of this we moved on to his Grand Reserve.
The Grand Reserve is always a high scoring wine and is a much smoother and tasty chardonnay that sells for around $20. This wine has more tropical fruits and citrus flavors to it with the finish having a pronounced vanilla and cinnamon taste.
I still haven;t figured out how or where one of my mates found a bottle of the Highland Estates. I know this one sells for about $30 but the stores I haunt never seem to have it (oh well). This wine has a great finish with a nice mineral taste to it.
I broke out a bottle of Matanzas Creek Chard which I've kept around for a special occasion. I really like this wine as it has great tastes of pear, apples and currants with a great mineral finish. This wine retails around $26 but is well worth it. If I wasn't such a wine slob I would probably drink this one more often.
We finished the night with a nice buzz and a glass of Avant Chard. This is a new chard to the KJ lineup and well worth the $12 to $15 it costs. This chard has less oak to it and the fruit flavors are delectable. Very layered flavors of apple, pear and a zest of lemon with a nice mineral finish.
Jess Jackson, we thank you for great chardonnays. Cheers and may your glass always be full. RIP.
The Wine Slob
Wine Tasting With Friends