Hogue Chardonnay '06

Country: USA
Region: Washington

Thoughts: I hit up Hogue's pinot grigio back during the in-laws' visit and came away impressed. So when a bottle of chardonnay turned up during my wife's recent visit to the store, I was ready to give this one a go, too. It didn't disappoint; it wasn't as spectacular as the pinot, but certainly not something I'd turn down if offered. As you can tell from the list at the right, chard is far and away the most frequented wine 'round these parts. So, while I'm no sommelier, I have a decent feel for them; this one was considerably different. In the nose, there were the certain characteristics that you expect from all chards, but this one had a little zestiness to it, almost like what I'd get from a sauvigon blanc, a hint of pine needles. Something outdoorsy like that. It carried over to the taste, too, much to its benefit. As we've mentioned time and again, the over-oaked and buttery chards are so tiresome; finding one that isn't is almost a bonus. And this wasn't; like the bouquet, that telltale chard taste hung around on the tongue but wasn't a bother. It was complemented well with a mellowy taste though, unfortunately, no other flavors that jumped out. A solid wine, but not a breakthrough.

Do-over? For the deal that Hogue's wines are, certainly

Final Grade: B