Miolo Chardonnay

Miolo Chardonnay is a Massachusetts white wine made from Chardonnay, a grape that can taste very different depending on the cellar. The bottle doesn't say whether this one was fermented in oak or steel, so use the style as a guide to what to expect. Cool-climate New England Chardonnay is usually moderate in alcohol and bright in acidity. Expect orchard fruit such as green apple and pear, possibly some citrus, and a medium body. If oak or lees contact was used, you may also find a rounder texture with hints of vanilla, toast or butter. Chardonnay has no meaningful tannin, so the structure comes from acidity and body, and the finish is typically clean and moderately long. At the table, this style suits foods that are rich but not heavily spiced. Good matches include roast chicken, pan-seared scallops, lobster or crab with drawn butter, New England clam chowder, and baked haddock or cod. Soft cheeses such as brie, and cream-based pasta dishes, also work well. If the wine turns out to be leaner and unoaked, it will go well with oysters, goat cheese salads and lemon-dressed fish. If it is fuller and oaked, lean toward butter sauces, corn, mushrooms and roasted poultry. Serve it chilled but not ice-cold, at about 8 to 12°C (46 to 54°F). Pull it from the refrigerator 15 to 20 minutes before pouring so the aromas can open up. Decanting isn't needed for a wine like this. A glass with a medium-wide bowl, often sold as a white wine or Chardonnay glass, lets the fruit and any oak show without letting the aromas escape too fast. Most Chardonnays at this level are made to be enjoyed within a few years of release, so treat it as a bottle to drink now and not to cellar. Once opened, re-cork it and keep it in the refrigerator for a few days.