Think all Chardonnay is the same?

Most of us drink our wine a bottle at a time. By that I mean, We have a bottle with dinner, or with friends or a glass to relax with a good book. We tend to categorize experiences in our minds. A glass of Chardonnay is simply that. It tastes pretty much like the one we remember having last week or month. Seldom do we have a chance to taste, let's say 5 Chardonnays with different flavor profiles. I, and my tasting group had that opportunity last night. One of our tasters had a bit of a revelation. Tony C. is a big fan of Washington State Cabs, and blends. A very knowledgeable guy. Tony noted that one of wines, the 2005 Kongsgaard was very unique in that it had the structure and complexity of a red. This type of discovery and analysis is far easier when comparing the wine to other examples. We ran the gambit of California Chards. We started with the Kongsgaard, Napa Chardonnay. The wine is extremely well made and could easily be mistaken for a French white Burgundy. Smoky Oak, delivering a beautiful creamy vanilla, Carmel fruit core of Apricot, honeydew, and white peach. Unfolding layers of subdued fruit on the mid palate to a long, finish with crisp acidity throughout. As I stated in a previous Blog, Kongsgaard is among my favorite Chards, so I am a bit prejudiced. We then moved on to a 2004 Talbott, Sleepy Hollow Vineyard from Monterey County. This wine has a big reputation, but I found it average at best. At 5 years old, it could have been a bit over the hill. The initial Funk on the nose blew off revealing a Green Apple, and pear profile with a restrained finish and moderate acidity. Next up was the Hanzell, from Russian River in Sonoma. This wine was much like the Kongsgaard. Showing a definite tendency toward crisp flavors and restrained oak, it was refreshing and light. More buttery than the Kongsgaard, with softer fruit flavors, it had one foot in California and the other in Burgundy. We then moved toward the Pacific with the 2006 Sonoma-Cutrer, Sonoma Coast. This wine was the flavor profile most people associate with the Cali Chards. The balance of Oak, fruit, ( White peach, apple, pineapple, mango) Malatic buttery mouthfeel and good acidity, was like an old familiar friend. The final two wines, the Schug 2006 Sonoma Coast and the 2007 Alma Rosa Santa Barbara County Chard, were the most surprising. The Schug had an nose of candied sweet fruit with only a trace of Oak. Honeycomb and tropical fruit were unmistakable in this very creamy, approachable wine. This was a real surprise for me...I have never had a Chardonnay with this type of delicious flavor.....Find this one, you will be glad you did. Finally, the Alma Rosa. Santa Barbara, with its unique geology, warm temperate climate, and Ocean influences shape this wine into a totally different experience than it's Northern cousins. Almost sweet on the nose, you pick up almost Sauvignon Blanc notes, pineapple, mango, and lemon. The fruit continues with soft layers creamy flavor and crisp acidity throughout the long finish. California truly has a Chard for every palate. Do yourself a favor and do your own mini tasting of the diversity of Chardonnay in the Golden State