*** I received this wine as a sample. ***

If I’m being honest, even though I absolutely love my job, there are bad days at work.  Sometimes, really bad days.  January 30th was one of those days.  The organization I work for has been very involved in the Common Core State Standards debate, but as I prefer to avoid the actual politics of Common Core, I’ll spare everyone the specifics.  What I will say is that in a short amount of time, my morning went from being fairly calm to completely blowing up.  My email inbox was filling up rapidly with questions about what was actually happening, yet the folks I needed answers from “outside the building” had gone dead quiet.  There was an emergency internal meeting to make sure all efforts were coordinated, which meant my going back and forth across town from my office to the headquarters building.  I had a short turn-around time to review a press statement, and then a little while later similarly short turn-around to review a blog post that was ready to go live.  The whole time, I was trying to calm everyone day, explain that there was no need to overreact.  But, the frenzy was well underway and my attempt at reason fell on deaf ears.  Everything became a fire drill.

The 2011 Spirit Hawk Chardonnay  (winery) is made from 100% sustainably grown grapes from vineyards in the North Coast, Monterey County, and Central Valley of California.  The wine was a bright, Mt. Dew yellow.  On the nose, there were apricots and pineapples mixed with hints of honey and butter.  In the mouth, the wine was full of peaches, apricots, pineapples, and honey with a hint of vanilla and buttered toast.  The wine is full-bodied with good acidity.

Is this worth a glass after work? Sure…you won’t be drinking anything out of the ordinary, but you’ll have a decent, reliable glass of wine.  At an SRP of $15, this wine is nicely balanced and enjoyable even without offering something unusual.  Normally, I prefer Chardonnays that either are  over-the-top oak monster, full of buttery popcorn and cliches about California wine or are clean, crisp wines that let the more subtle aspects of the grape sing.  The Spirit Hawk is neither.  It’s a wine that has definitely seen some oak, so it has a full-body that  hints at vanilla and butter, while still maintaining a balanced acidity that keeps it fresh and food-friendly.  By offering a little of both, it’s a wine that I would happily serve to others.

As for my night with the Spirit Hawk, admittedly, my first glass was almost finished by the time Hubby finished making dinner.  I spent the entire time, tasting the wine and talking his ear off about my rough workday.  By the time we sat down for dinner, I was settled into the wine and my evening.  The Spirit Hawk paired nicely with the grilled shrimp seasoned with Old Bay and olive oil and the mixed coastal blend veggies that Hubby made.  All around the wine, dinner, and company were exactly what I needed to unwind.

Question of the Day: Are you a Chardonnay drinker?  Do you prefer the bigger, bolder, buttery Chards or the clean, crisp ones?

Suggested Retail Price: $15
Received as a sample.
Overall: 3 Corks