Tasting - Wine Men of Gotham Chardonnay/Semilllon

Name: Wine Men of Gotham Chardonnay/Semilllon

Variety: 80% Chardonnay, 20% Semillon

Region: South Australia

Country: Australia

Year: 2008

Price: $5.95


Vintage Cellar Review:

Gotham’s 2008 Wine Men of Gotham Chardonnay Semillon is a blend of 80% Chardonnay and 20% Semillon. It gives a moderate intensity of melon, guava, apricot and butterscotch aromas. The medium bodied palate provides attractive acidity along with plenty of tropical fruit flavors and a medium-long finish.

My review:

For this wine tasting, I didn't take notes by hand, I used the voice memo app on my phone. Playing it back, my first response to this wine was the smell. It smelled very "grapey" and fruity, very crisp, just what I've come to expect of white wines. However, the second I drank it, I was caught off-guard. It didn't taste like what it smelled like to me, not anywhere close. The first sip didn't contain any of the mentioned fruit flavors - but what hit me was the acidity. On the first sip, the acidity immediately overwhelmed everything else. This stuff tasted potent and definitely warmed me up going down. It reminded me of something I'd drank before, but I couldn't quite place it. ("Something really cheap," said my friend.) Even on the second smell/sip combo, I felt surprised and a little misled. It was rather tart in comparison to the smell, which set me up for a fruity finish. My reaction may have been simply because I drank it solo, so if you're going to try this with food, I would suggest something flavorful enough to soak up the wine's acidity.