At its best, unoaked Long Island Chardonnay is fruit-forward without being too fruity with nice weight, fresh acidity and subtle lemony herb qualities. It’s some of the most versatile and food-friendly wine you can pick up at a local winery.
Roasting a chicken with lemon or herbs? It’ll be a delicious pairing. Pan-seared local seafood? Yup, it’ll work great in that application, too. It’s also — because it’s often among a winery’s more affordable offerings — great for a casual mid-week glass or two or for parties where you have many glasses to fill.
And now that Lieb Cellars is putting it’s second label Bridge Lane 2017 Chardonnay in cans too, it seems poised to be a pool, beach or boating favorite as well.
Bursting with green apple on the nose, you’ll also find aromas of peaches and lemon zest.
Medium-bodied with clean, fresh acidity, it’s not the most concentrated Chardonnay around, but it shows nice fruit character — more green apple, peach and citrus — with a faint lemongrass-y note that is joined by a chalky earthy minerality on the finish that is refreshingly bone dry.
A lot of canned wine on the market is fairly neutral and/or mediocre. The Bridge Lane stuff is a clear step above. I’d drink this Chardonnay from a can most any spring or summer day. It’s about refreshment rather than refinement.
It’s available at the Bridge Lane tasting room for $34 per four pack (the equivalent of two standard bottles) as well as in bottles, boxes and kegs, just like all of the Bridge Lane wines.
