Wine Wednesday: Holman Ranch Chardonnay

I’m often asked if I only drink Indiana wine.  Since I promote Indiana’s wine industry, I think it’s a a valid question. And the answer is “no”, I don’t just drink Indiana wines. Although I do love what my home state produces!!

Recently Holman Ranch provided me some wines for review. Periodically over the next few months I will review each bottle and tell you about the winery.  This is a winery I was not familiar with prior to receiving the wines. But I am blown away by the beauty of their Carmel Valley, California location! One look at their website and you will see beautiful vineyards, wedding facilities and even olive groves. I’m going to have to order some olive oil!

The first wine I want to review is their 2010 estate grown Chardonnay.  Everyone who reads this blog knows I love Chardonnay.  Some wine snobs roll their eyes are Chardonnay.  Saying it’s a basic wine, the wine only newbies drink, and so on.  I say bologna to all of that! Chardonnay can be a great wine, if made well.  And this one seems to fit that description.

I was very impressed with the information Holman Ranch.  Their media kit was well done.

Each wine had a nice piece of information about the wine, winery and vineyard.

But on to the wine.  Holman Ranch has 19 acres of vineyards, just under 2 acres are dedicate to Chardonnay grapes. The vineyards were planted in 2008.

The wine is a straw yellow in the glass.  When I smelled and tasted the wine I did get a hint of toasted oak, but no overwhelming. Many people who don’t like Chardonnay say it’s because winemakers turned their Chards into butter, oaken, heavy wines.  This wine is not like that. It has just enough oak to give it a toasted nose, but not so much that you feel like you are drinking wood chips!

The wine is quite acidic.  Acidity in wine is what makes your mouth water. The minute I tasted this I felt my mouth start to water! Wine acidity is great, if it’s balanced. I thought this was well-balanced and enjoyed my glass very much!

This wine is full of citrus and honey flavors. And at $28/bottle I think it would be a great wine to enjoy with friends and a good meal!

Holman Ranch provided me this bottle of wine for review.  Although my love of wine and my opinions are my own.  No one can pay me to like their wine!  

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