Renowned for their sparkling wines, Gruet Winery also produces a small number of still wines. Although limited in numbers, the winery produces an estate Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah and a Chenin Blanc (just released for the first time). One of the few wineries from the other 46 states with distribution throughout the U.S., on the off chance you can’t find their wines, Gruet can ship to your front door.
The 2009 Gruet Chardonnay retails for $12.99 and is produced from grapes located in Engle, New Mexico at an elevation of 4300 feet! Made from grapes that come from the oldest vines in their vineyard, the wine was fermented in a combination of new, one, and two-year old French oak barrels. No malolactic fermentation, the wine should improve with short-term cellaring.
On the nose, lemon, lime and a hint of yeast. On the palate, oak, apple, pear and a touch of pineapple at the end. Good acidity with a medium finish. Not overly complex, but at this price point, what do you expect. A good, quality sipper, that I will revisit in the future.
