It had been awhile since I had visited with some very good friends. My husband I had dinner with our friends to catch-up and this delightful Hess Chardonnay was the wine of choice for our table.
It was an enchanting wine and one I went in search of the very next day. I found it at CostPlus at a very reasonable price. In order to have few on hand for the future, I bought what they had in stock, which consisted of three bottles.
Hess Chardonnay
This Hess Chardonnay is produced by Hess Collections Vineyard Estate in Napa Valley and was established in 1978. The beginnings of the Hess wine business started with Johann Heinrich Hess, a Swiss artisan beer maker by trade. From 1844 to 1960, beer was the family’s main business. In 1960, Donald Hess added Valser water, which became the leading mineral water for Switzerland.
So where does the wine come in? In 1978 Donald Hess, a lover of wine and art bought the Mount Veeder vineyards in Napa Valley. It was here he established the Hess Wine Estates, which included an art museum. His vision was to bring business, creativity, culture and philanthropy under one roof under the Hess family name. As it is with many of the vintners in Napa Valley and surrounding wine regions, they maintain very high standards in their sustainable farming practices. They adhere to the philosophy: “Nurture the land; return what you take.”
They currently produce premium wines and have three different art museums in four countries. Theses countries are the USA, Australia, South Africa and Argentina.
Their tasting room and free art museum are housed in a beautiful historic stone winery, an estate originally constructed in 1903. The scenic drive you would take on a gently winding country road to the winery is just as enchanting as their tasting room and art museum.
This is what the winemaker has to say about their Hess Chardonnay:
“When you reach for your favorite ‘Green Label’ Hess Chardonnay, you expect to find a refreshing, flavorful wine in your glass, and this vintage surely meets the test. Tropical aromas and flavors are highlighted with traditional Central Coast notes of lemon and lime zest and a bit of apple. Nicely balanced, crisp, with a lovely mouthfeel and a smooth, lingering finish. This is the new standard for California Chardonnay, a perfect wine to enjoy on its own or with contemporary dishes.
This wine’s natural acidity complements tangy, spicy foods and shows well with the richness of creamier dishes. Enjoy with Asian chicken salad, grilled albacore tuna with melted anchovy butter and lemon or a creamy pasta dish with Portobello mushrooms.”
This is a delightful Chardonnay, worth the time to seek out. I’m very happy I had the foresight to buy more than one bottle. You can find Hess Chardonnay on wine online, Bevmo.com, totalwine.com, wine.com, winechateau.com, amazon.com, CostPlus, Costco or at any good wine purveyor.
It was a fun evening with our friends and way overdue. This Hess Chardonnay only helped to enhance our time with our friends.
Time for a glass…
If you enjoyed reading about this Hess Chardonnay, check out La Crema Chardonnay, Gainey Chardonnay, and Cantara Cellars Chardonnay.