An attractive pale gold color, the Château St. Jean Chardonnay 2007 ($15) has a dry nose of vanilla, butter, yellow plum and pear. The palette exhibits a great balance of honey, peaches and cream, with a hint of bitter citrus peel. Robert Parker’s review talks about mango and pineapple flavours, but I’m not getting those. I like the mix of tart acidity and silky richness. It has a very long finish with a rounded mid-palette, which makes it easy to sip. Serve with pork tenderloin or baked brie. A classic Sonoma at an affordable price.

For those of you in Ontario, look for this one in the Oct. 10 Vintages release.

Quaffability Rating: 90