Our Operatives are huge fans of the wines of Dan Fitzgerald, to whom they have given numerous Wine Spies Wine Intrigue Awards over the years. Dan was named our Winemaker of the Year in 2016 and those that have sampled his wines know why… Dan’s wines are superb. Today’s 2016 Cyprus Chardonnay is a budget-friendly steal.

This Chardonnay has a lovely hue of pale straw with the lightest chartreuse tinge. There’s lots to love about the nose on this wine: there’s bright apple, lemon-lime citrus, limestone minerality, a honeysuckle floral quality, and subtle peach. The palate is wonderful with pear, apple, persimmon, fresh-baked baguette, and marmalade. This wine is as close to perfectly balanced as possible. The acidity is crisp and bright, while still offering an incredibly lush and round mouthfeel that glides effortlessly across the palate. This excellent Chardonnay deserves a quality meal. Stop by your local fishmonger and pick up some fresh Dungeness crab. Dip it in melted butter and you’re good to go!

One of our most popular wines of this year was made by Dan Fitzgerald. As you may recall, Dan came to fame while working for Pinot and Chardonnay powerhouses Robert Sinskey Vineyards and Williams-Selyem Winery. Now he’s leading the winemaking team at Brack Mountain Wine Company, under the L’Oliveto, Daniel and Cyprus labels.

Note: If you were a fan of the extremely popular L’Oliveto Chardonnay that we featured earlier this year (sorry if you missed out when you found us to be sold out!), you will surely adore today’s delicious Cyprus Wines 2016 Russian River Valley Sonoma County Barrel Fermented Chardonnay.