In Chardonnays, we tend to prefer the lighter, crisper style of French Burgundies over the bigger bodied, creamier, and less acidic New World versions.  Still, every once in a while we’ll be taken by surprise by a bottle from the non-European regions that will defy our usual preference.  This was certainly the case with the Taz Santa Barbara Chardonnay 2006.   

So, ok, the Taz had some typical California characteristics that usually aren’t our bag: it was rich and had the creamy texture of peach juice, and it also had tropical fruit flavors that one would expect from a warm climate.  Regardless, there was so much acidity packed into our bottle that we became convinced that we were getting the best of both the Old and New Worlds: rich, luscious fruit flavors and full body, on the one hand, and mouthwatering, fresh puckeriness on the other.

We included the Taz in our tasting last weekend (which we described in more detail in Tuesday’s posting), and it turned out that this wine’s greatest strength quality-wise – acidity – was also the very thing that disappointed us most.  In planning our tasting, we were intending that a Chardonnay from Southern California would act as sacrificial lamb in helping us demonstrate why we prefer the French version of the varietal.  As it turned out, it seemed everyone — including me — preferred the Taz over our chosen Burgundy. 

One thing to suggest: let the Taz sit out for about an hour before drinking.  As we found out last Sunday, it opens up widely with exposure to air revealing tantalizing banana, pineapple, and pear aromas.  We were a teeny bit less enthusiastic by the lemon drops we tasted in the finish, but it hardly detracted from our overall view of the wine: fantastic.