Oak vs. No Oak

2002 Chalk Hill Chardonnay, Sonoma
$29
vs.
2004 Four Vines Naked Chardonnay, Santa Barbara County
$10
Jen's Notes

We decided it was time to taste an unoaked and an oaked wine side by side. Shane chose the unoaked Four Vines, and it was up to me to choose the oaked one when I popped in to K&L for the Four Vines. As often happens, left up to my own devices, I chose something expensive. This ended up putting an interesting twist into the tasting.

1. Color

The color is the same in both wines (oaked Chardonnays are supposed to be darker than unoaked, but this was not the case here).

2. Aroma

Four Vines was tangy and clean, with pronounced scents of pear and green apple, which we detected very easily.

Chalk Hill was a little harder to figure out. The initial impression was one of size - this was definitely a big, rich and creamy wine. After a few more sniffs, I detected undertones of melon and nutmeg.

3. Palate

Like its aroma, on the palate Four Vines was fresh and clean, with citrus top notes and juicy pear/apple underneath. It was pretty complex, but the big attraction here is the concentration - like that welcome glass of fresh lemonade on a hot day. It boasted a long finish. Probably the best Chardonnay we've had at this price point.

Chalk Hill's creamy nutmeg aromas were echoed in the palate. It tasted mostly of spicy vanilla notes, and was certainly more about being big and rich than anything else. Although I recognized it as a particularly well made example of this style, I preferred the bright zest of the Four Vines (at 1/3 the price).

4. In sum...

There is a clear difference between the oaked and unoaked Chardonnays, and it is likely that you would develop a preference, if not immediately, then perhaps over time. Our concluding thoughts are best summed up by Shane's observation that the oak in the Chalk Hill masked the fruit flavors and left us feeling like someone took away our toys. Shane went on to note that this might be why he hasn't liked Chardonnay in the past.

I agreed - no matter how well made it was, I definitely preferred the cleaner, juicier style of the Four Vines. It would be much more versatile and food-friendly.