Flanagan 2009 Chardonnay

Not sure if I ever told you the story between me, Paul and Eric Flanagan. It all began at a wine tasting at Vintners Collective in Napa.  Paul was our chauffeur for a bachelorette party.  My friend Diane was getting married (she lives in the Bay area) and he was driving the 5 of us around and was a great sport about it. (Yes I have the best husband!)

The last stop of the day was Vintners Collective and we had a tasting out on their deck.  We tasted all reds because the crowd  I was with was a red crowd.  After the tasting we were all mingling with the other people on the deck and I started talking with Eric Flanagan.  Paul came over and Eric and Paul really hit it off.  We were invited to his winery in the Bennett Valley which we went to after out tasting a J Vineyards.  An email with the gate code found us climbing a mountain, opening two gates and reaching the top where we found Eric and his winery.

He has a really impressive place!  We actually did taste this 2009 Chardonnay prior to its release during this visit.  That was in 2010.  When the wine was released we purchased a couple of bottles and opened one a few weeks ago.

There were 170 cases of this wine produced.  The wine is barrel aged in for 15 months in 50% new French oak.  The grapes were harvested October 6, 2009 and clocked in at 23.9 brix, T/A of 5.0 and ph 3.96.

The Chardonnay was beautiful, elegant and romantic.  Layers of pear, honeysuckle, butter and oak filled the glass.  Just the aromas put a romantic feel on the evening.  The wine was very nicely balanced with nice expression of the fruit.  Apple and butterscotch were dominant with a nice citrus lime finish.

I think this was the last Flanagan Chardonnay. Might have to begin to test the reds.

Healing the Knee with a 2009 Flanagan Chardonnay

As you are reading this, I will be sitting in the waiting room of the Fishkill Ambulatory Surgery Center as my husband gets his torn meniscus repaired.  I thought it would be appropriate to post one of his new favorite wines today - 2009 Flanagan Chardonnay.  I know this should be in my Friday - The Other Wines in the House, but we can make an exception.

We met Eric Flanagan when we were in Sonoma last October.  We had a wonderful visit with him at his vineyard and waited 9 months for him to release this Chardonnay so we can enjoy it.

The nose was full of bright sunshine that gives way to a smile of honeysuckle, apricot and spice. The palate is soft, smooth and creamy with hints of pear, vanilla and a touch of butter. The wine balances minerality and is not heavily oaked. The finish is long and will remind you of dipping your lobster tail in drawn butter.

If you want to know the specs on the wine the grapes were harvested October 6, brix 23.9 T/A of 5.0 and pH of 3.96.

My patient better behave or I might have to tap into his remaining few bottles and enjoy them on the deck where he can't see me. Since I'll be the one taking the recycle bin out the next few weeks, he'll never know.

****Note: this blog was suppose to be released on July 5, the original date of the surgery.  At 8:15am we received a call that the Fishkill Ambulatory Surgery Center had no air conditioning so the surgery would have to be rescheduled.  Major upset of the week...so the surgery was rescheduled for today, Friday July 8.  Consider this part of "The other wines in the house." ****