2009 Raymond Reserve Chardonnay | Fill Er Up

 

Two weekends ago Chris and I went to the Newport wine festival. First, let me tell you, the only thing good about one of your best friends getting pregnant after you have all bought tickets to the festival is that suddenly no one has to worry about who is going to be the designated driver. Pregnant woman are always good for that.

Second, this festival should have been more appropriately named the Newport Wine and Hard Alcohol festival, gin, rum, tequila, vodka, limencello....whatever. I tried my hardest to stick to the wine, but the table with Bailey's Irish Creme did call to me a few times. 

One of my favorite wines at the festival was the Raymond Chardonnay. I had never had it before, and was so taken by it that at the end of the festival this was the only wine I wanted to drink. So, having made friends with Phillip the wine rep, I sauntered back up to the table (maybe swayed would be a better word, in my mind I was sauntering, but I'd been drinking heartily for a few hours now, so swayed would probably be a more descriptive word) and simply asked if I could have a full glass - it was funny, his name was Phillip and I asked for a Fill Up...get it. Whatever.

So, fast forward a few days, Chris is at BJ's wholesale club of all places and they sell this wine for $10 a bottle, a full $10 less than wine.com. What what.

Of course we bought it, chilled it and drank it as soon as it was cold. Here is the skinny on the wine. Its good, very good. It has aromas of honeysuckle and orange, but then on the end its like lemon cream...its so good. Just grab a ten spot and go out and get this wine and give it a try.

As a note. I think Wine Spectator gave this wine 89 points.

The Particulars

Winery: Raymond
Varietal: Chardonnay

AVA: Napa Valley, California

Vintage: 2009
Alcohol: 13.5
Price:  $10 (BJ's)

Rating = BUY IT