Sterling Vineyards Vintner’s Collection Chardonnay 2012 Wine Review

Sterling Vineyards Vintner’s Collection Chardonnay 2012

Central Coast, California, United States

Community Score:86/100

Community Reviews: 11

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Price: $15.95

Drink: 2013-2017

Bottle size: 750 ml

Alcohol: 13.5%

Sweetness: Dry

Wine Type: White Wine

Winery: Sterling

Agent: Mark Anthony Wine & Spirits

Natalie's Score: 89/100

Buttery, rich and full-bodied with lovely notes of green apple, white peach and toffee. Try this with roast chicken tonight.

Chardonnay food pairings: poached salmon with hollandaise sauce; sweet glazed ham with spring vegetables;.

This Sterling Vineyards Vintner’s Collection Chardonnay 2012 was reviewed on August 3, 2014 by Natalie MacLean

More Vintages: 2014 2011 2018 2013 2017

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Pricing & Stock Information

LCBO
669242
$15.95
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BCLDB
643874
$13.64
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SAQ
11073969
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AGLC
643874

ANBL
164
$15.99
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Reviews and Ratings

Dianne Fisher - Sommelier, ISG rated this wine as 90/100 with the following review:

I paired this Chardonnay with a dish of angel hair pasta with lobster - a lovely combination! This wine has a very good balance of fruit and oak and its a reasonable price.
www.uncorkedsommelier.com

Deborah Podurgiel WSET IV Candidate - Certified Sommelier rated this wine as 90/100 with the following review:

Summer Barbie parties are great, but how does one manage to have stellar wines without busting the budget? Well, you can rely on word of mouth from friends, or your very helpful and knowledgeable local wine store associate.

Ultimately, the answer is -- well, you've got to try them yourself. I know that sounds sacrificial, and in a way it is -- both from a cost and taste point of view.

Such was the case with this wine. I went to a wine store counting on a particular wine, and when it wasn't exactly what I had in mind (balance was off) the store wine manager suggested the Sterling Vintner's Collection Chardonnay.

Dead on -- it was exactly what I was looking for. A Chard (indeed, people still love Chardonnay) with perfect acidity, butter and toast (light American oak) excellent and plentiful apple flavours, popcorn and judicious (if not, constrained) use of oak.

Butter, toast, mineral, citrus and cooked apple and, yes, much to my surprise -- fig and light caramel on the palate. Lots of dimension and complexity to this wine.

In fact, it went with my smoked trout appie (buttery and structured)as well as a lobster boil up with a lemon butter, white wine (same wine)and fresh pureed Mexican garlic (a flavour somewhat between a shallot and mild garlic) sauce -- while the Sterling Chard cut through the richness, it also complemented the richness of the (Maritime) lobster.

Absolutely excellent!

Valérie Dufour - Accredited Sommelier rated this wine as 88/100 with the following review:

Discreet green apple nose.
Very nice mouth. Nice acidity well-balance with the fruit. Pretty elegant in that price range.
Perfect match for the turkey roast at Thanksgiving.

Jennifer Havers - WSET Level 3 rated this wine as 88/100 with the following review:

Light and crisp, aromas of apple and citrus and a bit of oak. Beautiful acidity complements the citrus on the palate and is fresh, but with a hint of that Chardonnay butteryness. would be great with turkey or roast chicken.

Matt Steeves - Certified Sommelier rated this wine as 88/100 with the following review:

Sterling Vineyards Vintner's Collection Chardonnay is a great example of a value priced California Chardonnay. An inviting bouquet of stone fruit, orchard fruit, pineapple, and sweet baking spices repeats on the palate with a long refreshing finish. Enjoy with grilled chicken & seafood, poached salmon, or glazed ham. 88 points. Matt Steeves - www.quercusvino.ca

Monique Sosa - Accredited Sommelier rated this wine as 87/100 with the following review:

Cool lively chard from Sterling. Key notes include: fresh apple, pear, a hint of green pineapple, white grapefruit and mineral 'steeliness'. High acidity, medium body and medium-long refreshing white citrus finish. A fine pairing option could be grilled Greek chicken kebabs with Greek salad.

Craig Kuziemsky rated this wine as 86/100 with the following review:

Pineapple aroma gives way to citrus and vanilla flavors. A well balanced and easy drinking wine with a nice finish.

Kristin Perrin rated this wine as 77/100 with the following review:

Slightly vegetal nose mixed in with pear and apple
Sweet peas and mild pear apple palate
Medium acidity with a medium finish.

Community Reviewer reviewed this wine as follows:

Classic in both style and structure, the 2007 Chardonnay offers the quintessential balance that defines a well-made Chardonnay. With bright enticing aromas of tropical fruit, green apple and white flowers, the wine opens up into well-rounded flavors of melon, peach, and fig cupped by vanilla and spice. From beginning to end, the wine tantalizes the palate with the perfect poise of refreshing acidity and mouth-filling creaminess.

Source: NB Liquor Stores

Community Reviewer reviewed this wine as follows:

De style et structure classiques, le Chardonnay 2007 offre l’équilibre essentiel qui définit un Chardonnay bien fait. Avec des arômes invitants de fruits tropicaux, de pommes vertes et de fleurs blanches, le vin s’ouvre en des saveurs bien rondes

Source: NB Magasin d'Alcool

A perfectly balanced Chardonnay, the wine offers bright fruit and supple, juicy palate.

The vineyards are in some of California’s premiere Chardonnay regions, including Monterey, Edna Valley and Santa Barbara.

Partial malolactic fermentation and lees stirring balanced the bright fruit with a round, creamy texture.

The long growing season of 2012 produced complex fruit with great flavors.

Thoroughly enjoyable, our 2010 Chardonnay opens with an inviting nose of
bright tropical, citrus and stone-fruit aromas, lightly graced by hints of baking
spice and vanilla. The palate is well balanced with good weight and a juicy
viscosity that oozes fruit. Oak spices nimbly flit through the ripe fruit, offering
texture and depth to the rich flavors. A crescendo of citrus and a touch of
minerality lift the finish, creating a satisfying finale to a well-played wine. Enjoy with seafood, poultry or summer pasta dishes.

We selected our grapes from cool regions along the Central Coast, including
Monterey County, Edna Valley (in San Luis Obispo County) and Santa Barbara.
These regions, which are renowned for their Chardonnay, maintain a temperate
maritime climate. Here, warm days are graced by Pacific breezes and nights are
tempered by a cool fog, allowing a long growing season and the development of
concentrated fruit flavors—an ideal environment for this varietal. Monterey
produced grapes with a tropical, stone-fruit and citrus character, while Edna
Valley encouraged juicy peach and orange blossom notes. The cooler Santa
Barbara vineyards gave us mouthwatering lemon, grapefruit and pineapple
characteristics.

To make a well-balanced wine that shows both brilliant flavors and structured
complexity, we used two fermenting techniques, placing 65 percent of the wine
in stainless steel to retain its bright fruit characteristics, and 35 percent in barrel
for weight and oak complexity. We achieved a round creaminess with partial
malolactic fermentation and regular stirring of the lees during aging. Together,
these components created a harmonious balance of aromas and flavors.

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Sterling Vineyards Vintner’s Collection Chardonnay 2012 Wine Review

Natalie's Score: 89/100

Pricing & Stock Information