I was preparing Tuna Tagliata with fennel and orange for dinner, and needed a wine to accompany the meal. I choose the 2010 Sieur d’Arques Vanel Chardonnay for the occasion, and it turned out to be a good choice. This Chardonnay had aromas of apples, pears, a hint of tropical fruit, with a slight aroma of oak. On the palate this wine had flavors of golden delicious apples, pears, a hint of pineapple, with oak, followed by a buttery finish. The Vanel Chardonnay was medium-bodied, with good structure, and a medium finish. While I am not a big fan of oaked Chardonnay’s (I like the true characteristics of Chardonnay to come forward and not be masked by wood), this Chardonnay was fresh, easy to drink, and accompanied the food very well. This is not a high-end Chardonnay from France, but for the price of approximately $15 per bottle, this was a good, quaffable wine.

Jon