Wine Peeps is an independent wine blog dedicated to helping you get the most bang for your buck in wine. We do this through blind tastings of wine from around the world and calculations of 
A Wine for Tonight: 2012 Columbia Crest Grand Estates Unoaked Chardonnay
By Kori ~ February 19th, 2014.
Would you like a quick suggestion for a good wine to drink tonight (or this weekend) that won’t break your budget and is widely available? If so, you might want to check out the 2012 Columbia Crest Grand Estates Unoaked Chardonnay from Washington State.
Our selection criteria include:
- A very good Quality rating of >=3.5 stars (out of 5)
- A price tag of <=$20
- Must be widely available
Columbia Crest, located in Paterson, Washington, has been one of our favorite sources of value wines for many years. In 2011, Juan Munoz Oca took over as head winemaker from Ray Einberger. Einberger had been at the helm since 2002 when he took the reins from Doug Gore who had been the winemaker since Columbia Crest was founded in 1983. The Columbia Crest winemaking team has produced more 90+ scoring bottles of wine than any other winery in the world. For those of us who live in Washington State, it is nice to have such a consistent, affordable producer in our own backyard.
“Fermented only in stainless steel, the Grand Estates Unoaked Chardonnay is a light-bodied wine that reveals a pure expression of the varietal. The wine reveals aromas of lemon seed, green mangoes and orange blossoms. On the palate, layers of citrus fruit flavors combine with lively acidity, creating a refreshing style of Chardonnay.” –Juan Munoz Oca, Winemaker
2012 Columbia Crest Grand Estates Unoaked Chardonnay (Washington State): 100% Chardonnay. Pale, greenish straw yellow. Aromatic with citrus notes, especially lemon and lime, on both the nose and palate. Dry and light-bodied with tart acidity and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $12; Available elsewhere, $9 to $14
Filed under: A Wine for Tonight, American Wine, Chardonnay, Five-Bangs For Your Buck Wines, Washington State Wine, Wines Under $15, Wines Under $20, Wines Under $25
