Chardonnay Comparison

Concha Y Toro Chardonnay Marques de Casa Concha 2006 - Chile
vs
Styring Vineyards Willamette Valley Chardonnay 2006 - Oregon

had a nice little dinner on the deck with the crabby grape and his partner the feisty tomato along with the comely brunette and enjoyed several bottles of white wine. the meal consisted of grilled tuna, brown rice and asparagus. both of these wines were a part of the meal. the chilean had a nose of peach and mango, which paired well with the mango salsa that the tuna was on. it had a very nice medium bodied taste of peaches and some papaya. slightly woody with hints of vanilla in the finish.
the oregon based styring chardonnay was a different animal. very pear like on the nose as well as the palate. this was the first oregon chard i have had. much different from the california variety, a little more sauvignon blanc like in taste, especially in the bright, crisp pear flavors. not the butter bombs that the southern chards tend to be. this also paired well with our meal. hints of melon with a nice long finish. both these sell for about $18 and are different enough to try and compare them. and they both are excellent food wines. the styring may be a bit harder to get at your local wine merchant, but you can buy it on-line directly from the vineyard.