TN: 17 County Line 'Chardonnay' [North Coast]

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17 County Line ‘Chardonnay’ [North Coast] 13% abv. Agglomerated cork. The current release’s label and AVA (which is Sonoma Coast now) have changed from what the above looks like. This is Radio Coteau’s ‘companion’ label; additionally, Eric Sussman sources the grapes from both Sonoma and Mendocino, thus the County Line name, and the North Coast AVA. Although these are modest wines - $20 to $30 depending on the source - my feel is that consumers associate North Coast with lower price points, which might explain why this now sports the Sonoma Coast AVA, a mishmosh shape that would delight a gerrymandering consultant. This chardonnay’s color is a lighter straw on a medium body. I get butterscotch, lime, and tart apples on the nose and palate. It’s NOT on the flabby vanilla oak bomb side of the spectrum, NOR on the zippy/stony/Chablis side either – this is well balanced between those flavor profiles. Enjoy this now. On my ledger, I’d grade it a B and would consider it a safe choice for most purposes. (I’m sipping it as I prep lamb fajitas on Taco Tuesday, but will have water with dinner)