2005 Bortoluzzi Chardonnay, Venezia Giulia
From:
Italy
Price:
$18
Serve with:
Salmon, swordfish, lemon-caper sauces
Italian chardonnay is not the most exalted category of white wine, but this fine example shows how in the right hands this varietal can excel south of the Alps. It's a reasonable approximation of the style of white Burgundy -- full, ripe, toasty. There are nuances of lemon, nuts and vanilla and it finishes with clean acidity. Americans don't tend to look to Italy for chardonnay, but this beats most of the California wines around this price. (Also keep an eye out for Bortoluzzi's fine 2005 pinot grigio at the same price.)