Donnafugata Contessa Entellina Chiaranda Chardonnay 2009, Sicily

This was a delicious Chardonnay, mature, with ripe yellow fruits, a touch of spice and subtle toasted hazelnuts. Medium-bodied with a lightly creamy texture, it went perfectly with fried salmon in a dill butter. I took part in a vertical tasting of this wine five years ago, and was impressed by its ability to age. Back then it was a bit too oaky in its youth but I think Donnafugata have lightened things up in recent years. Since then I have stashed away the odd bottle away to see what would happen. Sadly this wine is not imported into Ireland anymore, but according to Wine Searcher retails for around €25 in Europe. By the way, after a number of bitter disappointments with white Burgundy, I have stashed away a number of New World Chardonnays, often with very good results. Perhaps I should be doing the same with the Chiaranda. I came across a bottle of 2005 yesterday; can’t wait to try it!