Pure EVIL Chardonnay-Evil's Sexy Twin Sister!

PURE EVIL Chardonnay-EVIL'S Sexy Twin Sister!

 

Hot on the heels of Chris Ringland's remarkable "EVIL" Cabernet Sauvignon ("90" Points $132/Case) comes his equally sinister "PURE EVIL" Chardonnay with her own "90" point bragging rights and matching crazy price-point of $132/Case!

 

My allegiance to the world-class wines produced in the fair state of California cannot be questioned.  As a Wine Merchandiser/Buyer for Safeway stores back in the early 1980s' (when their wine program was the envy of the industry) I was fortunate to be given the opportunity of bringing many small, family owned Sonoma/Napa and Central State wineries to the public's attention through the companies "Boutique

Wine Program".    After my tour of duty with the Big Red "S" ended, I

continued to focus most of my enthusiasm and attention on the California wine community by managing a couple successful independent retail operations here in the heart of the Sonoma/Napa wine country before Linda, Becky and I opened Root's Cellar at the beginning of this decade.

 

O.K. Wine Boy...Why are you giving us this history lesson?

 

Retailers (like me) often take good-natured (I think) flak from the locals for promoting inexpensive varietal wines from foreign producers.  My response to these critics goes something like this; "I believe I would be failing my clientele by ignoring the many low-priced, quality imports from Australia, France, Italy and Spain...more importantly, I have always made a conscious effort to maintain a balance between the domestic-to-import, high-end to low-end products offered in our E-alerts.

 

(In my best John Cleese impersonation)...Right then!...I simply cannot pass on a "90 Point" Chardonnay that Parker calls "an awesome value"

and sells for $11/bottle...that would be stupid, and although I may be crazy, I am not stupid.

 

Meanwhile, in another dimension...

 

I recently spent some time with Giovanni Nencini, the winemaker for "DaVinci Winery" in Tuscany.  I tasted several of his current vintage Sangiovese based reds and they all fell into various categories of excellence.  What I took away from our meeting however was a comment Giovanni made concerning winemaking.  This is what he said (in a perfect Hollywood Italian accent):  "I respect all serious winemakers...yet I reserve my greatest admiration for enologists who are able to make good to very good wines in very large numbers consistently. Those are the world's best winemakers". 

 

I am not ignorant to the creative wine making practices (and products) a modern winemaker has at his or her disposal in the never-ending quest to produce a consistent flavor and texture profile regardless of the vintage; if that means that you can Buy a varietelly correct, delicious Chardonnay for $11 which will likely be consumed in the very near future (before you get out of the parking lot?)...so be it.  That is what Tuesday night wines are made for. 

 

On the other hand, small lot, vineyard-designate, oak aged, hand made varietals is another matter entirely...and the subject of another E-alert.

 

Mr. Ringland seems to have all his bases covered.  The guy (Becky visited him at his home a few months ago and had some marvelous stories to tell) makes wines (which receive rave reviews) in literally EVERY price category, from $11.00 -$1,000.00.  The PURE EVIL Chardonnay is a natural follow-up to last week's "EVIL" Cabernet.  Its fun to put a bottle of each on the table when you have friends or family over for dinner...I guarantee they will spark conversation.

 

Can be compared to wines "THREE TIMES ITS PRICE...IT IS AN AWESOME VALUE" -Parker

 

*2005 "PURE EVIL" Chardonnay..."90 Points"..."The 2005 Pure Evil Chardonnay spent some time in French oak.  It is light gold in color with an attractive perfume of butterscotch, spice box, baked apple and poached pear, more like the nose of wine THREE TIMES ITS PRICE.

Medium-bodied, it delivers intense, ripe, spicy flavors buttressed by good acidity and a long finish.  This is an awesome value in Chardonnay".

 

*Full Case of Chris Ringland's "Pure Evil" Chardonnay-$132.00