While we were in Durham, North Carolina at our law school reunion a couple of weekends ago, we made a point of dropping by several of our old haunts for old times’ sake: Ben and Jerry’s, Whole Foods, Duke Gardens, and Parker and Otis (which used to be Fowler’s Market during our law school days).   It was at the latter spot that we came across quite an impressive selection of wines, from which we plucked an amazing value: a $35 bottle of seven-year aged Mount Eden Chardonnay.  Interestingly, we had just recently tasted the ‘04 vintage of that same Chardonnay and were literally blown away by how delicious it was.  Nutty, zippy, crisp, citrusy without bitterness, and light… a super combination at $48.

So why was our 2001 thirteen dollars cheaper?  We still don’t know, but hey, we were certainly fine with it!

We popped open this bottle later the same evening, and we were even able to coax some of our law school buddies into trying some.  The wine earned a positive reaction from everyone.  

The thing that we love most about Mount Eden’s Chardonnays is their potential to age for an unusual amount of time — for example, we’ve heard that 10 to 20 years is possible for the current release.  It’s amazing what a difference a few years of aging made for the ‘01, using the ‘04 as a point of reference: the older version was more golden in color; the crisp acidity had mellowed considerably; the flavor of lemon was creamier; and the nutty aromas – which, by the way, smelled just like a bowl of Cheerios – were now accompanied by a hint of sweetness that reminded us of pink Trident, fresh from the wrapper, and most interestingly, by the scent of mushrooms.  The mushrooms reappeared again in full force a split second after swallowing the wine — you’ll miss out if you don’t look for it!

It’s amazing when you think about it: usually white wines bring to mind fruity, perfumed, and/or floral scents and flavors.  But this one turned out to be earthy more than anything else.  It was quite a bottle, and one we highly recommend!

Where to get it: As mentioned above, we bought our bottle at Parker and Otis, in downtown Durham, North Carolina.  Inquire about shipping.  You can also buy it online by visiting WineZap.com ($33) or through Mount Eden’s web site ($55).  As usual, we tell you this only for your convenience – as you would expect, we don’t see a single cent from sales of any wines we review!