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CALIFORNIA CHARDONNAY

SPECIAL SELECT CHARDONNAY 2019 BY CARTLIDGE & BROWNE

bottle of Special Select Chardonnay 2019 by Cartlidge & Browne showing primarily the label and the stem and lower portion of a wine glass with white wine.

Special Select Chardonnay 2019 by Cartlidge & Browne represents some of California’s best value Chardonnay. Robert Parker notes, “it offers sensational quality at bargain basement prices.” Indeed, owners Tony Cartlidge and Glen Browne were inspired by the great wines of Napa, but knew that there had to be exceptional fruit that needed to be found in appellations outside of the Valley.

Tony noticed that many of the great vineyards exist at the same climates as Napa Valley, just not in the Valley itself. He realized that by finding these hidden gem vineyards, he could create a wines of Napa Valley calibre, without the Napa Valley price tag. And so, he did.

Beginning in 1980, Tony Cartlidge and Glen Browne drove across California in search of such vineyards, and brought the fruit back to a garage that they had leased in Napa Valley to produce the wines. Very quickly, they realised that they had been right all along – the appellations surrounding the fabled Napa Valley can produce outstanding fruit at a fraction of the price. 

“The question that begs to be answered is why so many producers ignore what Cartlidge & Browne does better than just about anyone else in the state – produce fruit forward, pure, varietally correct, delicious wines… no other California winery so consistently delivers this quality at such humble prices.”

Robert parker

The results led to some of Parker’s greatest praise: “The question that begs to be answered is why so many producers ignore what Cartlidge & Browne does better than just about anyone else in the state – produce fruit forward, pure, varietally correct, delicious wines… no other California winery so consistently delivers this quality at such humble prices.”

Sourced from family owned vineyards in Clarksburg and Lodi, this crisp Chardonnay will happily accompany mild, buttery or creamy dishes, meaty fish (halibut, cod) and shellfish (lobster, shrimp, crab, scallops) or subtly flavoured, simply seasoned chicken and pork dishes would also suit it very well.

At under $25 a bottle this is an exciting label that is not to be missed! Drinking now.

WHAT THE CRITICS SAY

Gold Medal
San Diego International Wine & Spirits Competition 2021

SPECIAL SELECT CHARDONNAY 2019 BY CARTLIDGE & BROWNE: CHARACTERISTICS

BODY /  STYLE / OAK / Medium-bodied / Smooth and silky, Floral, Fruity / Oaked

SWEETNESS / Extra Dry

CELLARING / Drink now or cellar

BEST PAIRINGS / Rich Fish, Soft Cheese, Suckling Pig, White Meat

TASTING NOTE / Fermented in stainless steel tanks and aged on yeast lees for an additional 6 weeks to improve mouthfeel and complexity. Only partial malolactic fermentation was done to maintain natural acidity. Flavours of pear, melon and light citrus with aromatics of straw, lemon and oak tones of sweet caramel and hazelnut.

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