Joel Gott Unoaked Chardonnay

Joel Gott Unoaked Chardonnay is a California white fermented and aged in stainless steel rather than oak. That makes it a clean-fruit style where the grape and the acidity are the focus, with no vanilla, toast or buttery weight from barrel. In unoaked California Chardonnay, expect orchard and citrus fruit such as green apple, pear and lemon, sometimes with a touch of pineapple or melon from warmer sites. A light mineral or wet-stone edge is common in this tank-fermented approach. The body is usually medium, rounder than Sauvignon Blanc but leaner than a barrel-fermented bottle. The acidity is bright and the finish is clean and fairly short, with no tannin to speak of. Because there is no oak to carry richness, this wine is at its best when served cool but not ice-cold. Aim for roughly 45 to 50°F, which is about two hours in the refrigerator or 30 minutes in an ice bath. Colder than that mutes the fruit, and warmer lets the acidity feel loose. It does not need decanting. Pour it straight from the bottle into a standard white wine glass or a Chardonnay glass with a modest bowl. A tulip shape that narrows at the rim gathers the citrus and pear aromas without letting them fade. At the table, the acidity makes it a good match for foods that would overwhelm an oaked bottle. Try it with shellfish such as steamed mussels, shrimp scampi or raw oysters. It also works with seared scallops, roast chicken with lemon and herbs, and light pasta dishes built on olive oil or a cream sauce cut with lemon. Soft cheeses like fresh goat cheese, mozzarella and young Brie suit it well. It also holds up to salads with vinaigrette, which tends to flatten wines with less acidity. Heavily spiced dishes and rich red-meat sauces are better left to other bottles. This is a drink-now wine. Unoaked Chardonnay of this kind is made for freshness and does not gain from cellaring, so it is best opened within a year or two of purchase while the fruit is vivid. If you have leftover wine, recork it and refrigerate it, and it will hold its character for a few days.