Vallevo Chardonnay Unoaked IGT 23

I'll get right to the point -- once again, I was totally blown away at the level of quality this coop offers for such a low price.  When we tasted the new vintage of the Chardonnay with the local importer, we fell in love with the wine all over again -- this is honest, superbly made wine available at an unbeatable price.

In the glass, the first thing you'll notice is the wonderfully vibrant citrusy aromas virtually leaping from the glass. The fresh and lifted palate has ample richness yet retains a pleasing amount of acidity that keeps the wine lively. There's a nice touch of minerals and salinity on the palate that lingers in the long finish of melon and citrus fruit. To protect the vibrant freshness of this wine, it's aged entirely in stainless steel -- no oak here!

Serve this with all your white-flesh fish preparations, shellfish, chicken, and pork. For a real treat, serve this with one of the favorite dishes of the Abruzzo region: herb and tomato baked fish -- cod, halibut or even salmon would be wonderful.