Wild Child 2023 Chardonnay (North Coast, CA)
Four more days of Advent! Day 20’s offering is a 2023 Chardonnay from the Wild Child label of In Good Taste. This is the second Chardonnay on this list, the first being from the La Pluma label on Day 11. I enjoyed the La Pluma Chard, it was soft-bodied and pleasantly fruity with a touch of oak and a long finish with vanilla undertones.
So how does the Wild Child Chardonnay stack up? Like the La Pluma, the Wild Child version seems to have a hint of oak with a gentle nose, though less tropical and more green apple, lemon and pear aromas.
However the palate is a different story altogether, while the La Pluma is soft bodied and at times a little restrained with the flavor, I would describe the Wild Child as “succulent”. The palate is not only fruity but it is also deep, the flavors of apple, pear and citrus is underlaid with a creamy texture reminiscent of sweet butter or a chiffon, giving it a voluptuously rounded mouthfeel, doubtless from the light touch of oak. The acidity is medium, just enough to liven up the fruit and giving it a “juicy” quality. The finish is not overly long but it doesn’t have to be, the flavors hold their own fine enough as it is.
Of the two Chardonnays featured, while I said earlier that La Pluma’s Chardonnay is the sort of chard I enjoy – fruity, soft-bodied with a touch of vanilla, I find myself enjoying the Wild Child a little more right now. The flavor is more pronounced and succulent, and the creamy texture makes for a smooth experience. It has the lively fruit characteristics of an unoaked chardonnay and the rounded mouthfeel of an oaked one, without going to either extreme…in short, a nicely balanced Chard.
Ed's Wineglass Adventures 