Planeta Chardonnay

Planeta Chardonnay 2006 is quite possibly the best Chardonnay I’ve ever tasted and for QPR, probably the best white wine out there in the €20 price range. The Sicilian powerhouse “Planeta” has done it again, creating a fabulous wine that, together with their Syrah, must be two of the best mid priced wines certainly in Italy and even the entire wine world.

If you haven’t tried the Planeta range then you are really missing a treat, excluding the rather insipid cheapy that sells by the stack out here in Italy, “La Segreta Rosso“, a bland IGT wine made up of the local Nero d’Avola grape with some Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Franc thrown in. Sadly the Nero d’Avola is not really working out in this attempted blend. However, excluding, this wine every other Planeta offering is fabulous and gives you excellent QPR.

They are also readily available with Planeta producing a whopping 2,000,000+ bottles a year. This is one of the few wines I’ve talked about that you could possibly find in your local stores, unless you’re in Florida, then just give up.

Planeta’s Merlot and Syrah are outstanding wines, the producer has cleverly bought up some of the best positions in Sicily and their outstanding attention to detail has won them many plaudits. Planeta really understand that drinking wine is a complete experience, these are some of the best wines on the nose I’ve ever sampled with Sicily attacking my nasal passage so thoroughly that my minds eye explodes with a montage of orange groves, olive oil and even a touch of the Marlon Brandos! For me Planeta is Sicilian wine at its finest.

My preference for reds over whites leads me to recommend the 2005 Syrah just ahead of the 2006 Chardonnay, it is the slightly better wine. However, for me to give 92 points to a white wine is probably the equivalent in standards of a 95 point red, so, its goooood, it’s real good and you should buy this wine. For summer 2008, the Planeta Chardonnay 2006 is going to be perfect for a salad/bbq with friends.

Planeta Chardonnay 2006 – BUY – €18

Golden yellow in the glass, exceptionally strong colour for a white. The nose is giving sweet aromas of apples, caramel and honey, a really polished nose. The palate is outstanding, really creamy with hints of citrus fruits, very little oak. Classical finish, so polished that you’ll be dazzled by this wine. I really recommend this Chardonnay very highly possibly the best Chardonnay currently produced in Italy. – 92 Points

Where can I buy this wine?

Europeans – R2M – €18

Americans – Planet of Wine – $30

Brits – WineDirect – £17

Wow you Brits really get stuffed on Italian wine don’t you? Check out my company for this wine, we deliver to the UK too and when in stock, is cheaper than that.

Question of the Day

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