20908 Roscoe Blvd • Canoga Park CA 91304 Hours: Mon - Sat • 9AM - 6PM

Phone: (818) 341-1234 • Fax: (818) 341-9232 Outside California: (800) 4-FINE-WINE

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Cheers! from the Duke of Bourbon

How many of us have cricks in our necks from turning up our noses at the mention of white wine? Or, more aptly phrased, how many of us will admit to it?

Even here at the Duke, we have a tendency to pay more attention to reds than to whites. Allow us to try to level out the score just a bit and present some sensational Chardonnays to you. Here are four that received good words from the critics and some special pricing from the Duke. Mix or match a 6-pack case (or more) from these selections and we will offer you a 10% discount from the already low prices.

We have two offerings from the Walter Hansel Winery. Hansel is located in the Russian River District of western Sonoma County. To quote Robert Parker, "If readers have not yet tasted the wines of Walter Hansel, they are missing some stunning wines."

Walter Hansel 2001 Chardonnay, Cahill Lane
Parker liked this one more than the last and rated it 95 on his scale. He offers these notes: "The spectacular 2001 Chardonnay Cahill Lane (750 cases) boasts knock-out aromas of citrus oils, white flowers, lemon butter, orange marmalade, and pineapple along with excellent texture, medium to full body, good underlying acidity, and a mouth-coating, refreshing, as well as impressively deep style. It should drink well for several years." The Duke, doing his part, is offering this delicious wine for $32.00 per bottle.

Walter Hansel 2001 Chardonnay, Hansel Family Vineyard
Parker rates it 92 on his 100-point scale and has some nice things to say: "The 2001 Chardonnay Estate (1,000 cases) exhibits a light gold color along with a big, sweet perfume of smoke, honey, earth, minerals, and a hint of underbrush. With full body and lively acidity, it is reminiscent of some of Domaine Ramonet's premier crus from Chassagne-Montrachet. It should drink well for 3-4 years." The Duke's price is just $28.00 per bottle.

Chateau Montelena 2001 Chardonnay, Estate - 30th Vintage
Perfectly ripe fruit and whole-cluster fermentation gives this wine its distinctive nose and palate, hallmarks of the Montelena winemaking efforts. Parker had this to say as he rated this wine 90 points: "The Chardonnay is as good as this estate can achieve. It is a grand cru California Chablis-styled offering with loads of acidity, outstanding depth, and a steely, crisp personality." The Duke is offering this Napa Valley classic at $32.50 per bottle.

Long Vineyards 2000 Chardonnay, Estate
Estate-grown on Pritchard Hill in Napa Valley from Mersault/Montrachet clones brought to this country in the 1940s, this wine is a classic example of the Long Vineyards style, well-balanced, complex, concentrated and attractively intense. The apples, peaches and lemons evident in the nose harmonize with the minerality on the palate. The charming finish is satisfyingly long with the fruit and flint notes coming through in typical Long Vineyards style. This is a perennial favorite of the Duke's staff, some of the toughest critics on the planet. While the Duke is tough with criticism, he is soft on price, offering this outstanding wine at just $22.00 per bottle.

Here is the chance for you lovers of Chardonnay to obtain some top-notch wines for very reasonable prices! (Also ideal if you just need something to drink while the reds breathe.)
And don't forget about the 10% discount on purchases of 6 or more bottles of any of the wines listed above.
P.S. We still have some of the sensational Mount Eden 2000 Chardonnay (RP94) available at $29.99 per bottle, saving you more than $15.00 per bottle from the list price of $45.00.


Don't delay! Gems like these sell quickly.

Think of fine wine! Think of the Duke!

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Just Call (818) 341-1234 or outside California (800) 4-FINE-WINE
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