Finding my NA Chardonnay

When I drank alcohol, my wine of choice was a fuller-bodied, creamy, oaky Chardonnay with some butter and vanilla, like Rombauer. Sadly, I’ve not found a de-alcoholized wine with those characteristics. Most drink to me more like a stainless-steel fermented Chardonnay or a combo of Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc.  

Those I’ve purchased repeatedly are Bolle Chardonnay and Leitz Eins Zwei Zero Chardonnay. Both are crisp, acidic, and fruity. To my palate, the Bolle tastes more tropical, and I taste apricot. In the Leitz, I taste more apple and lemon. Online reviews say the Leitz has a hint of buttery oak, and the Bolle is creamy. I don’t find those characteristics in either, but my definition of oaky and buttery is probably more pronounced than most. 

I recently re-tried the Wander + Found Limited Edition Chardonnay, and while I still taste citrus, I also noticed some peach, which I prefer. The other characteristic that I liked is that it was a bit less acidic, smoother, and the fruit was more balanced. I sense that Bolle is a higher quality, but, given the present price and the seemingly lower acidity of Wander + Found, I’d probably lean towards the Wander + Found. I loved the Leitz until I discovered Bolle, but after re-acquainting myself with the Leitz, it will fall off my list because of the characteristics I described above.

Don’t get me wrong… your potential buyer can’t go wrong with any of these; this is my personal feedback. Also, I want to give a shout-out to Joyus White Sparkling. It truly tasted like a dry, white champagne to me, and I’d buy that again for special occasions… and while I am not a rosé drinker, I would absolutely drink the French Bloom Le Rosé for summer and special occasions.  

 

Bobbi Dunne

Village of WestClay