Domaine Lafage Novellum Chardonnay

With summer right around the corner it’s time to break out the white wine! There’s something about this time of year that has wanting Rosé, Spanish Cava, Italian Prosecco, Sauvignon Blanc, Vinho Verde, Albarino and of course, Chardonnay!

Whether it be an aperitif, paired with an alfresco meal or simply to sip on the patio with friends, summer calls for something crisp and refreshing. Does the Novellum Chardonnay 2013, a custom cuvee brought to us by the talented Jean-Marc Lafage of Domaine Lafage winery and veritable power-importer Eric Solomon, get the job done at a decent price? Let’s find out…

You may also enjoy this lush yet refreshingly crisp Pinot Gris that makes a great Summer Sipper!

Appearance: Pale straw yellow

Nose: Bright and pure with honeysuckle and high toned citrus and tropical fruit.

On the palate: Crisp and clean with a touch of vanilla. This is not your buttery, creamy Chardonnay from Napa. The Novellum Chardonnay is complex and layered with notes of lemon curd, glycerin, banana, papaya and guava. Despite the perception of sweetness from the fruit this finishes pretty dry with exuberant acidity.

Varietal Composition: 100% Chardonnay from 2 separate vineyards. 

Origin: IGP Côtes Catalanes, Roussilon, France.

Value Rating: 4.75 / 5     

Price: $9.98 ($12-$14 Retail)

Score:  91

Should you buy? At this price, the 2013 Novellum Chardonnay is a by-the-case purchase!

Value Proposition – Domaine Lafage Novellum Chardonnay 2013

The Novellum Chardonnay 2013 is another value driven white from talented and highly-sought after winemaker Jean-Marc Lafage of Domaine Lafage and importer Eric Solomon of European Cellars. Solomon has garnered a lot of attention for his ability to source top fruit at unbeatable pricing and it shows in this quaffable wine.

Novellum Chardonnay has become a go to by the glass selection in many restaurants and I can certainly see why. Produced from 30 year old vines in Southern France the Novellum Chardonnay 2013 is aged on Viognier lees for 3 months (surely lending to it’s complexity and wonderful aromatics) in both stainless steel and burgundy barrels. It marries richness with complexity without being overbearing or competing with more subtle foods.

This is not your butterball, creamy Chardonnay that you may have come to love from Napa Valley. If you haven’t tried a Chardonnay where the oak and creamy style (as a result of malolactic fermentation) don’t take center stage yet then the Novellum Chardonnay should be at the top of your list.

Like myself, you might even find the use of little to no oak in Chardonnay’s to be a welcome departure from the norm. Made in this fashion, the pureness of the fruit really shines. And at under $10, how can you go possibly go wrong?