2023 Compass Bridge Sonoma County Chardonnay

Trader JoesTJ TuesdayChardonnayWhite Wines
Written By Catherine Courtney

2023 Compass Bridge Sonoma County Chardonnay

GRAPES: Chardonnay

VINTAGE: 2023

REGION: Sonoma County, California

ALCOHOL PERCENTAGE: 13.5%

PRICE: $8.99

It’s been a quiet weekend at home. The calm before the storm, quite literally, with tornado watches creeping across the radar, and my trip to New York next weekend is already on my mind. Between the weather alerts, I found myself wandering the Trader Joe’s wine aisle, not really looking for anything, when this bottle caught my eye at the end cap. A Sonoma County Chardonnay for under ten dollars? I grabbed it without hesitation. Sometimes that’s all the reason you need.

Maybe it’s me, but I’m finding fewer “new” bottles of wine at Trader Joe’s…but it could simply be the Nashville market. My hope is to see some new bottles hit the shelves in the warmer months. But I digress.

Before I take us down a rabbit hole of wishlist wines, let’s jump into the tasting details, shall we?

Tasting Notes:

  • Pale gold, straw yellow hue

  • Notes of lemon, peach, and tropical fruit- think pineapple and mango

  • Subtle and I mean subtle notes of vanilla

  • Surprisingly bright and crisp for a Chardonnay

  • Slightest hint of oakiness

Verdict:

Sonoma County Chardonnay can range from crisp and mineral to rich and buttery, depending on who’s making it. This version definitely leaned fresher and more fruit-forward, but it didn’t do it for me. At $8.99, it’s a reasonable grab, but if you prefer a leaner, crisper profile, save yourself the guesswork and reach for a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc. For me, this one stays on the shelf.

If you grab this bottle, drop your thoughts in the comment below!

Until Next Time!

Disclaimer: All wines mentioned in this post were purchased independently. I am not an agent or representative of Trader Joe’s and cannot assist individuals in sourcing or obtaining wines featured in my posts. All opinions shared are my own and based on personal experience.

Catherine Courtney

Welcome to Blonde Voyage Nashville!

I am so excited to finally see this dream become a reality.  Between the destination restaurants, the copious amount of food photos and insanely crazy travel stories, I have decided to share my journey. 

My name is Catherine Courtney and I am a Nashville native with a penchant for culinary creativity and epic travel adventures. I'll admit... I also have a slight obsession with handbags.

Two years ago, my life changed completely.  Everything that I knew to be was completely turned upside down.  I quickly realized that time is our greatest commodity and it's not to be taken for granted. I couldn't wait for the perfect time, who knew when that would be.  I needed to take the leap and explore the world on my own.  There were so many places I wanted to go, but where would I start. 

France was always one of those places that I had romanticized.  Wandering the streets of Paris and seeing the Eiffel tower were at the top of my list. Without hesitation, I booked a two week trip to the French Rivera and Paris.  It was a journey of a lifetime.  Not only were amazing friendships cultivated, but it was on that trip that i discovered that food and travel are the embers that that keep my soul on fire. 

It wasn't until I arrived back in Nashville with my passport that I realized I had been bit. Wanderlust had completely taken over.  I already started thinking about where I wanted to go next.  It was then that I decided that it was more important to have camera full of photos and a tattered journal full of stories than anything else. My heart was overflowing.

One of my favorite quotes that resonates is from Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland:

"Actually, the best gift you could have given her was a lifetime of adventures...."

Join me as I explore near and far away places, filling my passport full of stamps and satiating my appetite with some of the most amazing cuisine the world has to offer. 

Thanks for reading! 

       

 

 

http://blondevoyagenashville.com
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