What Kind of Wine Is Decoy Chardonnay?
An appealing wine of great value, Decoy Chardonnay has a captivating acidity that keeps it balanced against a frame of rich tastes of brioche bread, butterscotch, and vanilla spice. Hence, if you are a Chardonnay fan, you should seriously consider investing in this one.
Chardonnay Can Take Many Forms
For many, the Chardonnay varietal is the benchmark of a winemaker’s skill. It could be considered a canvas for a host of winemaking techniques. The wine may be vibrant with primary fruit flavors or, it may have complex earthy aromas. Chardonnay wines come in many wine styles. In California and the New World, the Chardonnay style depends on the winemaker. Some Chardonnay examples undergo barrel-fermentation and end up oaked, while others are based on pure fruit flavors.
An Easy-To-Grow Variety
Chardonnay can be grown quite easily in a variety of climates. It is early budding, which means that it can suffer in areas with spring frosts. It exhibits flavors of green fruit and citrus in cool and moderate climates. In warm regions such as California, ripe tropical fruits are more common. There, Chardonnay loses acidity quickly towards the end of the ripening process, and therefore, the harvest timing is crucial.
Decoy Chardonnay Review
- Winery — Decoy
- Country/Region — United States, California, North Coast, Sonoma County
- Type — Californian Chardonnay
- Aroma — Honeysuckle, Orange Blossom, Strawberry, Lychee, Apple, Pear, Grapefruit
- Grapes — Chardonnay
- Taste — Butter, Honey, Grapefruit, Passion Fruit, Pineapple, Oak, Cassis, Butterscotch
- Alcohol Content — 13.5%
- Sugar — Dry
- Pairing — Halibut, Red Snapper, Seafood, Pasta Carbonara, Aged Gouda, Manchego
Decoy Chardonnay is an excellent everyday or special occasion white wine. You deserve something great sometimes, and the Decoy Chardonnay is the perfect way to treat yourself. If you find this delightful and creamy Californian Chardonnay on the shelf, don’t miss the chance of enjoying it!
Tasting Notes
Decoy Chardonnay is easy to drink. Only a small sip is enough to tingle the taste buds and keep you calling out for more. First, the wine opens to green fruits and citruses, followed by the aromas of tropical fruits. The palate is rich and loaded with fruity sensations of pineapples and secondary tastes of wood, cream, and brioche. The acidity is fine and crisp, while the finish is long.
Appearance
The beautiful color of medium lemon-green with a yellow hue characterizes Decoy Chardonnay. As you let the wine settle a bit inside the glass, the translucent core opens into a wonderful golden tone near the rim. Moreover, the tears of the wine are medium and a bit watery, without detracting from the refined appearance. A splendid introduction!
The beautiful color of medium lemon-green with a yellow hue characterizes Decoy Chardonnay. As you let the wine settle a bit inside the glass, the translucent core opens into a wonderful golden tone near the rim. Moreover, the tears of the wine are medium and a bit watery, without detracting from the refined appearance. A splendid introduction!
Aroma
As soon as you uncork the wine, bright aromas of green apple, pear, and grapefruit emerge, exciting the nose. After a few swirls, fragrances of honeysuckle, orange blossom, lychees, and strawberries appear, contributing a bit of complexity and elegance. That said, some faint notes of vanilla spice, tobacco, and caramel are discernible, too. In every case, Decoy Chardonnay has a fine nose, representative of the sunny climate of Napa Valley.
Taste
Crispy and creamy at the same time, this Chardonnay is delicious and savory. As the wine flows into the mouth, flavors of brioche bread, butterscotch, and cinnamon spice blended with the taste of dried apricots, passion fruit, and pineapple. The orchard fruit continues, as citrus notes add freshness. Lastly, hints of caramelized oak provide a rich and smoky touch.
Finish
The wine ends with an extended aftertaste of cherries, cream, butter, and tobacco. In fact, the finish is super smooth. But the best thing about Decoy Chardonnay’s conclusion is that it is balanced. A great ending, indeed!
Rating
Decoy Chardonnay is a fine wine that is packed with enough complexity and freshness to satisfy anyone. This excellent bottling is great for dinner or the occasional lunch. That said, feel free to serve it during your Sunday barbecue as its smoky touches make it a perfect match with grilled meat.
Decoy Chardonnay Food Pairing
Chardonnay is delicious with fish such as halibut and red snapper. It is also good with shellfish, like fried calamari and grilled shrimp. If you are not into fish, don’t worry, as Decoy Chardonnay goes nicely with oven-baked chicken and pasta carbonara. Additionally, a simple summer salad or some hearty lasagne would accompany this wine well, too.
And, if you are uncorking it on a special occasion, serving this Chardonnay with a cheese platter of Manchego, aged Gouda, and creamy goat cheese, along with a selection of fine nuts, it is enough to impress your guests and create some lasting memories.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who Makes Decoy Chardonnay?
Founded in 1985, Decoy has a reputation for producing affordable yet exceptional wines from well-tended vineyards in Sonoma County. The winemaker at Decoy is Dana Epperson, an expert at working and managing multiple grape varieties in different regions.
Decoy produces wines from Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay. In 2021, the winery launched Decoy Premium Seltzer, while in 2020, Decoy revealed Decoy Limited, a category of limited-production wines made from world-class quality fruit sourced from some of California’s most prestigious wine regions.
How Is Decoy Chardonnay Made?
Generally, Chardonnay can be either very straightforward or creamy and complex. In the case of Decoy Chardonnay, the wine falls in the second category, as it is creamy and fruit-forward, with many secondary aromas and flavors. The harvesting process follows a particular order. After picking, the grapes are destemmed, crushed, and pressed to release their juice. Then, that juice is clarified to maintain pure fruit character and placed inside stainless steel vessels for cool fermentation.
At this point, most Chardonnay grapes undergo malolactic conversion to increase their texture, becoming rich and buttery. When the fermentation is over, the final wine is filtered from sediments and ages in French oak for a long period to attain a smoky and woody character. After maturation, it is finally bottled, ready for sale.
Where Is Decoy Chardonnay Made?
This Chardonnay is made in the famous Sonoma County of California, one of America’s most important wine regions. Even though Napa Valley is more renowned, Sonoma is considered a fantastic wine-growing area along the West Coast, too. Moreover, some of the best-known appellations within Sonoma are Alexander Valley, Russian River Valley, Pine Mountain-Coverdale Peak, and Rockpile.
Sonoma produces silky, well-structured wines, such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel in red and Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc in white wines. The Mediterranean climate characterizes the region, and the rich, fertile soils constitute a perfect place to farm for high yields and juicy ripeness. As a final note, there are over 400 wineries in Sonoma County, from small family-wineries to large ones. And if you ever visit Sonoma, don’t forget to opt for the wine passport, which grants access to free tastings at some of the county’s greatest wineries.
How to Serve Decoy Chardonnay?
This wine is best served well-chilled at 43 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit (6 to 8 degrees Celsius). After you chill it, pour it into standard-sized glasses. The large surface of the glass provides the essential aeration since as the air comes into contact with the wine’s surface; it helps this Chardonnay’s flavors elevate.
Also, ensure that Decoy Chardonnay remains cool by placing 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 can mask the flavors in wines.
How Much Does Decoy Chardonnay Cost?
Decoy Chardonnay is not expensive. In fact, it is considered a “value for money” wine. That means it makes a perfect gift or a classy wine to open on special moments. Decoy Chardonnay price ranges from $15 to $40 per 1.5ml bottle, depending on the vintage and vendor. Hence, if you are going to visit your boss or your in-laws, this wine would make a great gift choice.
How Long Does Decoy Chardonnay Last?
Even though the wine presents secondary aromas of smoke, wood, and sweet baking spices, Decoy Chardonnay cannot really benefit from long-term storage. On the contrary, it is intended to be consumed while it is young. That said, this does not mean that if you place it for some time in a cool cellar, its flavors will deteriorate.
If you manage to mature it successfully, flavors of hazelnut, almond, and marmalade will develop. In the end, Decoy Chardonnay is meant to be consumed within a couple of years from the date of bottling. So, try to not overlook this, as you might risk tasting a glass of wine without aromatic intensity and flavor concentration.
How Many Calories Does Decoy Chardonnay Have?
Decoy Chardonnay is a great dietary choice, as it has a low caloric density. Decoy Chardonnay calories amount to a total of 100 calories per serving, equating to about 20 calories in 1 fluid ounce of the beverage. The calorie breakdown is 0 grams of fats, 0 grams of sodium, 2 grams of total carbohydrate, grams of protein, and 0 grams of total sugars.
Therefore, the calories are very friendly to consumers aiming to lose weight. What’s more, Decoy Chardonnay alcohol content is 13.5 per 750ml bottle, which is the typical alcohol concentration for a Californian oaky white.
Conclusion
Decoy Chardonnay is an excellent everyday or special occasion white wine. You deserve something great sometimes, and the Decoy Chardonnay is the perfect way to treat yourself. If you find this delightful and creamy Californian Chardonnay on the shelf, don’t miss the chance of enjoying it!
