W.O.W. French Chardonnay

Originally from France's Burgundy region, chardonnay's are generally rich, complex, with notes of fruit, earth and minerals. Those developed in the US, Aus, and Chile tend to be ripe, full-bodied, buttery, with higher levels of alcohol and notes of vanilla developed through oak aging. Current experimentation produces fresh, fruity chards with little to no oak. They are best complimented with chicken, seafood or asian dishes that include coconut milk. The grape is malleable, often reflecting the terroir and winemaker, able to adapt to different conditions.

At our once a month WOW tasting, we tried a variety of French chards between munching baguette, white cheese, hummus, craving lobster and spicy asian most furtively. This was by far the most sensory get-together yet. Much to my chagrin, many WOW'ers poured their excesses into the dump glass (chards are person-specific I think). Between pouring their excesses into my own and into the dump glass, we grew abundant. One WOW'er decided to try the amalgam of chard. Another gave a demonstration on the effectiveness of her bra, another talked shop, another the joys of parenting a teenager, another how her son likes to go to night mass because it runs faster ("at least he's going"), another proclaiming her non-mod-savvy skills in the difference between "queef" and "p*ssy-farting." It ended in jiving. People inviting one another to their housewarmings, their parties, their vacations. This is my book club.