2007 Wente Nth Degree Chardonnay

A Taste Of Napa From Livermore?

I had a discussion with a friend recently about whether our local Livermore Valley chardonnays ever offer the same kind of buttery, oaky oomph that the Napa Valley got famous for. Some might consider that fame to instead be notoriety, but as I firmly believe: to each their own. She loves the big buttery oak. My personal favorite from Livermore is Steven Kent’s Merrillee, but it’s a distinctly acidic, citrusy chard. Not her speed.

This one might be a bit closer, but, I think, still misses the mark. One of Wente’s premier series of wines (along with the Small Lot wines), Nth Degree offers some of the Livermore Valley’s better wines.

The Nth Degree Chardonnay is a bold, golden yellow color that looks great in the glass. On the nose are some really fresh pear and apple notes. The palate definitely featured a butteryness, but it was of a nutty, rather than oaky nature. It’s light in the mouth, and features a nice light citrus acidity.

In other words, although it kind of looks like a Napa chardonnay, and is buttery, it’s just not the same. Which, frankly, works for me. There’s a hint of what made Napa famous, but this is a great example of a Livermore white wine.

Verdict: B+

Related Reviews:

  1. 2007 Wente Small Lot Duetto
  2. 2006 Steven Kent Merrillie Chardonnay
  3. 2007 La Crema Sonoma Coast Chardonnay
  4. 2008 Concannon Chardonnay
  5. 2007 Wente Small Lot GSM
  • http://twitter.com/drXeNo Ward Kadel

    Hi Steve! Great writeup. I've found that while I don't like the majority of Wente wines, their Nth Degree line has been very good. Actually, their standard Wente Chard, for which their famous, is usually in-between the two styles that you mention above.
    I'm totally in line with you, BTW. I dig a more citrusy, racy Chard, but also some with some barrel fermentation and sur lie action to add some complexity and roundness. Cheers

  • http://notesfromthecellar.com Steve Paulo

    Thanks Ward. I agree with you regarding Wente's “travelling” line of wines and their Nth Degree, but I even like the Small Lot line even more. Stay tuned as next week I cover both another, different take on Livermore chardonnay (this time from Concannon) and another of Wente's Small Lot wines, which I really think are their crown jewels.