Morgan Winery

Every time you turn around these days, it seems that someone else has come out with an unoaked Chardonnay. Truth be told, some of these Chardonnays could probably use some oak because the fruit just doesn’t stand on its own. Not so with Morgan’s Metallico. Dan Lee has been making the wine since 2001, and he has it dialed in. Year in and year out, this is a personal favorite of mine. At times the wine has been made from Santa Lucia Highlands fruit, but in 2006 most of the grapes came from the Arroyo Seco AVA, which is slightly warmer than the highlands but still a cool area.

The wine isn’t completely unoaked: After fermentation in stainless steel tanks, the wine is racked to neutral, 3-year-old French oak barrels for brief aging to add roundness and texture. Metallico, which sells for $22, doesn’t show any overt oak flavors. Rather, it’s crisp and zippy, with green apple and citrus flavors, lovely freshness, a hint of minerality and a long finish. It’s the perfect accompaniment to a simple shellfish platter.

Reviewed August 23, 2007 by Laurie Daniel.