Nielson Chardonnay

Nielson Chardonnay is a Massachusetts-grown white from the United States. The label doesn't say whether it was fermented in oak or steel, so the style is best read from the region. New England is a cool, maritime-influenced growing area, and chardonnay from cool climates usually shows orchard fruit such as green apple and pear, with citrus and a little stone fruit rather than tropical ripeness. Expect a medium body and fresh, bright acidity. If this bottle saw oak, it would most likely show as light vanilla or toast on a clean, moderately long finish. Chardonnay is a white grape, so tannin should be negligible. At the table, a wine in this register suits foods that match its freshness. Roast chicken with lemon and herbs, pan-seared scallops, baked haddock or cod, and steamed clams or mussels all work. Creamy pasta, mild washed-rind and young cow's-milk cheeses, and sweet corn dishes also pair well, because the acidity cuts through butter and cream. If it turns out to have noticeable oak, lean toward richer partners such as lobster with drawn butter or mushroom risotto. Very spicy or heavily smoked dishes will probably overpower it. Serve it chilled but not icy, around 8 to 11°C (46 to 52°F). That is about two hours in a refrigerator, or thirty minutes in an ice bath. Fridge-cold temperatures mute the fruit, and warm service makes the wine feel flabby. It doesn't need decanting. Pour it straight from the bottle into a medium-sized white wine glass or a slightly wider chardonnay glass, which gives the aromas room without letting the wine warm too quickly. Unless the producer says otherwise, treat this as a drink-now bottle. Most American chardonnays in this style are made for release-year enjoyment and are at their freshest within a couple of years of the vintage, so drink it soon rather than cellaring it.