Kudos to Columbia Valley producer Barnard & Griffin for making this delicious, inexpensive Chardonnay. I have written before about their rosé, which was also a winner.
Barnard & Griffin Chardonnay 2011
Even straight from the fridge, this wine smelled and tasted great. It’s a light-bodied Chardonnay with a subtle touch of oak. But only after it loses its chill does the real quality reveal itself, with flavors of banana and subtle fennel.
I also tasted the Fumé Blanc, which is simply a California term for Sauvignon Blanc, coined by Robert Mondavi. It too is very enjoyable–crisp, refreshing, and flavorful, with the citrus notes one expects in a Sauv Blanc.
Barnard & Griffin Fumé Blanc 2012
These wines are excellent value for the money (they hover around $12-$13), and inspired me to look for more Washington vintners. I would recommend these to anyone looking for a good white wine to bring to a holiday party.
Linnet Moss 
Just what I need to read about when I’ve a hangover…
Hair of the dog 🙂
The mere thought of that…urgh… I think that only works with alcoholics 😉
Sante Linnet 🙂
Thanks Sylvie 🙂
ya’ know, yoozyoo-uhllee when vizzidingding “the kids” in P, Oregon, i just buy local beers — but with gout episodes sometimes curtailing the beer-swilling, i really should peruse the wines. thanx 4 the reminder !
I thought wine was bad for gout too. Better try some Pellegrino water 🙂
Well then, I will have to see if our state run alcohol store stocks it. Being the ugly american, I love things ice cold, with added ice whenever possible. Not that I’ve ever added ice to wine, but maybe I should try that sometime. heh Thanks for the insight 😀
My advice is to stick to the fridge. No point in spending a lot of money on wine and then watering it down. But inexpensive whites are great for chilling down and enjoying on a hot summer day! We have an insulated sleeve that keeps the bottle cold.
I never realised fume Blanc was actually Sauvignon Blanc. There you go. Wine sounds tasty, yes indeedy.
Cheer, is your name Lisa? I didn’t know that!
Yup, thought it was time to name myself. Ha….wish I had a more interesting name….actually it’s Lisa-Maree but I don’t use that!! 😳
It’s sweet 🙂
Thank you, needed a list for holidays.
Thanks for stopping by, Elyse.
My pleasure.
Awesome post!
Many thanks!
lovely post, thanks for sharing 🙂
Thanks to you 🙂