What Kind of Wine Is Corbett Canyon Chardonnay?
Corbett Canyon Chardonnay is a dry white wine from Santa Barbara County, California, and smells of green fruits and spearmint. In the mouth, tastes of pineapple and oak are present. Slight residual sugar also gives a fruit-cocktail element to a Chardonnay that needs chilling to enjoy. If it warms, it starts getting sticky on the palate. The acidity is vivid and drives to a lingering finish.
Chardonnay is a white grape variety native to Burgundy, France. It is the most popular grape variety in the world, along with Riesling. After specialized winemaking techniques, it can have a diverse flavor profile depending on the region and if oak is used during the aging process. The oak gives off flavors of butter, vanilla spice, and extra-ripe pineapple.
As a signature Old World variety, Chardonnay grows best in Chablis, France. Chablis has a cool climate, giving Chardonnay wine a distinctly lean feel. These Chardonnays are light-to-medium-bodied, often exhibiting notes of green apple, pear, melon, and apricot. On the other hand, Chardonnay grown in warm climates, such as the New World region of Napa Valley in California or Australia, tend to release juicy tropical fruit flavors, like mango, banana, peach, or guava.
Corbett Canyon Chardonnay Review
- Winery — Corbett Canyon Vineyards
- Country/Region — United States, California, Central Coast, San Luis Obispo
- Type — Californian Chardonnay
- Aroma — Elderflower, Apple, Pear, Spearmint, Green Tea, Lemon Zest, Lime, Smoke
- Grapes — Chardonnay
- Taste — Pineapple, Mango, Peach, Butter, Almond, Charred Wood, Clove, Vanilla Spice
- Alcohol Content — 13%
- Sugar — Dry
- Pairing — Salmon, Seafood, Grilled Vegetables, Soft Cheeses
Corbett Canyon Chardonnay is superb for everyday wine enjoyment. It does not miss anything in comparison to more premium choices. It is refreshing, creamy, and delicious. In fact, it manages to combine in a characteristic way fresh fruit aromas and flavors and hints of oak. So, I am most definitely recommending it.
Tasting Notes
Corbett Canyon Chardonnay is medium-bodied with a round tasting profile. The nose shows an abundance of fruity characteristics of crisp green fruits and mint, while on the palate, touches of oak dominate along with flavors of exotic and stone fruits. The overall sweetness offsets the vivid acidity, as the smooth finish gives off a nutty and spicy aftertaste.
Appearance
Corbett Canyon Chardonnay wine has a delightful complexion, beginning with a medium straw color. With a few swirls, however, it opens into a translucent core. Just a moment later, an equally medium hue develops, expanding near the rime, complementing the appearance. On top of that, the legs of the wine are long and watery. What a nice looking white, Corbett Canyon Chardonnay is!
Aroma
The nose is fresh with crisp green fruits and spearmint notes. Apple and pear aromas mingle with mint and green tea notes, while scents of lemon zest and lime accompany close behind. Simultaneously, a light fragrance of elderflower combines with a smoke overtone, creating a unique blend of primary and secondary aromatic complexity. Corbett Canyon Chardonnay’s aromatic profile, therefore, is superb.
Taste
In the mouth, Corbett Canyon Chardonnay becomes riper with pineapple and mango flavors. Hints of oak also unearth as the wine stays a bit in the mouth, emitting a distinctive toastiness in the form of charred wood and clove. Also, an indication of residual sugar is counterbalanced by the zippy acidity, which refreshes. Consequently, Corbett Canyon Chardonnay has a rich, luscious even palate that is both delicious and complex.
Finish
Tastes of roasted almonds and vanilla spice leave a sweet aftertaste as Corbett Canyon Chardonnay concludes with a medium but lingering finish. In fact, the finish is also creamy with a buttery texture and one-hundred percent delicious. It is like a swan song to a bold Chardonnay that is not afraid to experiment with a bit more sweetness and lusciousness. So, a well-appreciated ending, indeed.
Rating
Corbett Canyon Chardonnay does not try to hide behind overcomplexity. It is primarily straightforward with delicate fruit aromas, mellow pineapple flavors, and oak hints. It is what it is: a juicy Californian Chardonnay that aims to satisfy every wine critic by offering a complete package of savoriness, freshness, and structure. And that is why I love it. Just like a harmony, Corbett Canyon Chardonnay is simply divine—for being such a great value-for-money option.
Corbett Canyon Chardonnay Food Pairing
Corbett Canyon Chardonnay accompanies nicely fatty fish, seafood, and soft cheeses. My favorite combination is fried salmon with grilled veggies on the side. Likewise, an assortment of fried calamari or even a vinegar marinated grilled octopus is a solid partner to a glass of Corbett Canyon Chardonnay.
Like most Chardonnays, Corbett Canyon Chardonnay complements soft cheeses. Brie and Camembert are excellent food pairing options and elevate the buttery and creamy flavors of the wine. As a final note, Corbett Canyon Chardonnay is also delightful to enjoy on its own poolside. It has enough fizziness and bright fruit aromas and flavors to refresh on a warm summer day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who Makes Corbett Canyon Chardonnay?
Corbett Canyon Chardonnay is a product of Corbett Canyon Vineyards, located in Ripon, California. Corbett Canyon Vineyards is a label of the Wine Group, which is the third-largest wine company in the United States in terms of sales volume. The Wine Group produces inexpensive wines, making them available to a wide audience. And among their labels is Corbett Canyon Vineyards, sold in both boxes and re-sealable decanters.
Corbett Canyon Vineyards originally belonged to Glenmore Distilleries. In 1988, however, it was acquired by the Wine Group. Established in 1979 as Lawrence Winery, in 1983, it changed its brand name to Corbett Canyon. Furthermore, the Wine Group has changed the way Americans enjoy wine by pioneering the wine-on-tap category. It became the fastest growing wine package of the 1990s. The Wine Group is also a leader in developing and marketing new grape varietals and blends.
How Is Corbett Canyon Chardonnay Made?
Chardonnay wines give fresh fruit aromas and flavors. For this reason, the grapes need careful handling to avoid oxidation and acidification. After harvest, the grapes are destemmed and crushed. Crushing breaks the skins of the grapes and liberates a quantity of juice. But damaging the seeds should be avoided. Otherwise, they release bitter oils and tannin, and the final wine becomes astringent and bitter.
After crushing, pressing follows. Pressing separates the liquid and the solid constituents of grapes. Seeds should remain undamaged once again. Then, that juice is clarified to preserve primary fruit flavor and goes into stainless steel vessels to undergo cool fermentation. In this way, the final wine manages to conserve its natural acidity and obtain a crisp balance. At this point, Corbett Canyon Chardonnay undergoes malolactic conversation to increase its body and soften its mouthfeel. When that is over, it is filtered from sediments and bottled.
Where Is Corbett Canyon Chardonnay Made?
The Chardonnay grapes cultivated in the Los Alamos Vineyards in the Edna Valley, just outside San Luis Obispo, California. California is the center of the American wine industry. It has ultra-modern wineries and gives widely acclaimed wines. The Mediterranean climate has combinations of warm and cool influences from the Atlantic, enabling the production of a vast range of inexpensive and premium wine styles, with concentrated flavors and moderate acidity.
San Luis Obispo is located in the southern part of the Central Coast. The east-west mountains encourage the flow of cool ocean breezes onto the mainland. In this way, the intense heat of the region is tempered. A challenge in California, however, is the lack of rain during the ripening season. Water shortages are a concern, and drip irrigation is practiced. The scarcity of autumn rain allows growers to leave the grapes hanging long into the season and thus attain very ripe grapes with concentrated flavors and high sugar levels.
How to Serve Corbett Canyon Chardonnay?
Corbett Canyon Chardonnay requires chilling at forty-five to fifty degrees Fahrenheit (seven to ten degrees Celsius) before serving. If the wine becomes too cold, the flavor intensity diminishes, leaving behind a thin beverage. Likewise, if it gets too warm, its crispiness will be missing. Having chilled Corbett Canyon Chardonnay, feel free to pour in standard-sized wine glasses. The large surface of the glass provides the wine with essential aeration. As the air comes into contact with the wine surface, the delicate aromas and plush flavors elevate.
White wines, further, have to be kept chilled during service to maintain freshness. So, keep Corbett Canyon Chardonnay cool, place it in an ice bucket or wine cooler. The bucket should be filled three-quarters full with equal quantities of ice and water so that iced water surrounds the bottle. The water is then able to transfer the heat from the bottle to melt the ice. Air acts as an insulator, and the bottle chills. Remember, however, that over-chilling masks the flavors in the wines.
How Much Does Corbett Canyon Chardonnay Cost?
Corbett Canyon Chardonnay has an average retail price. Corbett Canyon Chardonnay price ranges from $10 to $15 per 750ml bottle, depending on the vintage and the retailer. So, consumers can obtain the wine without significant cost-considerations. And that is fantastic. Sometimes you need a savory white wine at an approachable and competitive price. And Corbett Canyon Chardonnay does that. Buy it, then, on the first chance!
How Long Does Corbett Canyon Chardonnay Last?
Corbett Canyon Chardonnay can benefit from bottle aging. After maturation, aromas and flavors of almond, hazelnut, dried apricot, and marmalade should have developed, adding body and weight to the wine. Now, to mature it successfully, the wine should be sealed with a cork and stored in an environment with room temperatures that do not fluctuate (fifty to sixty degrees Fahrenheit or ten to fifteen Celsius) and a portion of humidity.
Direct sunlight or artificial light should be kept at bay, as they may cause irreversible damage. Intense exposure to light rearranges the chemical compounds found in wine, like oxygen and temperature, and causes wine faults. That means that the wine ages prematurely, and its aromas, flavors, and even color change for the worse. The resulting wine is known as light-struck. Odors also must be avoided, as they might find their way inside the bottle. If they do, they usually instill unwelcome aromas and flavors, like intense animal sweat or vinegar. That said, do not let the wine mature over a period of two years.
How Many Calories Does Corbett Canyon Chardonnay Have?
Corbett Canyon Chardonnay has low caloric-density and, therefore, it is a suitable dietary choice. There are approximately 22 calories in 1 fluid ounce of the beverage, equating to 120 calories per serving. The calorie breakdown is 0 grams of fats, 10 grams of sodium, 4 grams of total carbohydrates, 0 grams of protein, and 1 gram of total sugars. Corbett Canyon Chardonnay calories are generally low. That said, wine fans might need to pass this one if they monitor their sodium intake. Otherwise, this bottling makes a splendid daily beverage option. Corbett Canyon Chardonnay alcohol content sits at 13% per 750ml bottle, a regular alcoholic concentration for a Californian Chardonnay.
Conclusion
Corbett Canyon Chardonnay is superb for everyday wine enjoyment. It does not miss anything in comparison to more premium choices. It is refreshing, creamy, and delicious. In fact, it manages to combine in a characteristic way fresh fruit aromas and flavors and hints of oak. So, I am most definitely recommending it.
