Tonnino Chardonnay

Tonnino Chardonnay is listed as a sparkling wine from Massachusetts in the United States, so it is a Chardonnay-based bubbly from a cool New England climate. The details supplied don't give a dosage level, production method, vintage or alcohol percentage. Everything below about the glass is therefore what sparkling Chardonnay from a cool region typically shows, not a measured profile of this bottle. Expect green apple, pear and citrus peel on the nose, possibly with a lemon-curd or white-flower note. Cool-climate fruit tends to bring brisk acidity and a fairly light to medium body. A sparkling wine has no meaningful tannin. If there is any oak or lees influence, it would show as a toasty, brioche-like edge rather than obvious vanilla, and the finish in this style is usually clean and citrusy. Serve it well chilled, around 42 to 47°F, which is a few hours in the refrigerator or about 30 minutes in an ice bucket filled with water and ice. Colder than that mutes the fruit, and warmer makes the bubbles feel coarse. Sparkling wine doesn't need decanting, since pouring it into a decanter would only release the carbonation. Pour it into a tulip-shaped white wine glass or a universal flute. A slightly wider tulip lets the Chardonnay character come through better than a narrow flute does, and the bubbles still stay lively. Open the bottle slowly, holding the cork and turning the bottle, so the wine doesn't foam. At the table, the acidity and lack of sweetness (if it is dry or brut, which you should confirm on the label) suit salty and fried foods. Good matches include oysters, clam chowder, fish and chips, buttered popcorn, soft cheeses such as brie or fresh chèvre, and roast chicken. It also works as an aperitif before dinner. Wines like this are almost always made to drink young, so plan to open it within a year or two of purchase rather than cellaring it. Once opened, a sparkling-wine stopper will keep the fizz acceptable for about a day in the refrigerator.