Battle Chardonnay!

Five intrepid wine tasters brave the wilds of Trader Joe's discount isle, but not everything is as it seems. There is an intruder. Will our brave souls find the intruder before time runs out?

Stay tuned...

Blind tasting!

After the reveal: It turns out, the Charles Shaw was the favorite.

Chardonnay #7

Molly: too sweet and too sour at the same time!

Margaret: maybe there are no good chardonnays. I'm getting buttered popcorn. At the risk of repeating myself, I would say apple. Tastes like gruyere.

John: boring with a long aftertaste. This is too sharp.

Maya: Buttered popcorn? No...slim jim? What am I smelling? Really light. This one is kind of a cheese wine.

Chris: If it was colder, I'd drink it, and I wouldn't know better.

Reveal: The ringer! Alois Lagader (Italian) 11.99

Chardonnay #6

Will six be the trick?

John: Brie! Oh, uh, oh. Doesn't taste like brie though. Not a lot of taste. I'm not getting the meat everyone else it.

Margaret: Cheesy apple. More sour apple. Totally tastes like bacon! Maybe it's turkey bacon.

Maya: It's like when you leave the apple juice in your thermos and it gets all moldy. This is really light. I kinda like it too, it's okay.

Molly: no comment. not bad but...

Chris: its cheesy/meaty and I kinda like it.

Reveal: J.W. Morris - 2.99

Chardonnay #5

Five alive!

Chris: lighter color. Buttery. Kinda greasy. Makes me feel like I'm getting zits. Lemongrass and snails.

Molly: smells a little sour. Gross! I'm breaking out as we speak!

Margaret: soapy apple? Taste like chicken.

Maya: I'm getting high on the fumes. Tastes like lemongrass.

John: Blah. Dirty.

Reveal: Columbia Crest - 3.99

Chardonnay #4

Will this surpass the last?

John: I'm not smelling this one. Hint of water, followed by hint of fruit. Finished by hint of water. Cardboard.

Margaret: I can get a little wood out of that.

Chris: Woody. I give it a 30.

Molly: There's something that doesn't agree with me there.

Maya: This one might be lemon cool aid. Without the sugar. It abraded my throat.

Reveal: Barefoot - 4.49

Chardonnay #3

Fuku-san, what is happening on the wine tasting table?

John: woah. That's bold smellin' stuff. Woah, that's not very offensive either. Kinda pleasant actually. A bit of champagne again.

Margaret: This one is definitely apple-y. Jolly Rancher!

Chris: This one doesn't burn my throat. I haven't been totally offended by any of them yet. Soft mouth feel, velvety.

Maya: Sour-apple-y kinda. Sweeter, lighter, not as dry. Smooth.

Molly: Like this one - not as crisp as the first one.

CHARLES SHAW! - 1.99

Chardonnay #2

The battle rages on...

John: well, there's another fruity one. Surprise surprise. Dry rot.

Maya: I can't smell this one. More sour than the last one. Hint of something...kind of...putrid.

Margaret: It smells like my bathroom.

Molly: there's a creepy taste - at least it doesn't smell like a sweaty German. Corn chip smell!

Chris: not as sour as the last one. Maybe its more sour.

Reveal: Buena Vista - 4.99

Chardonnay #1

Maya-- It smells like mildew to me. But I think I may have a bit of a cold or allergies. It's very watery. Kinda like watered-down white grape juice.

John -- wow thats...unobtrusive, unoffensive, fruity, almost champagny.

Chris -- It won't go down my throat. I need a power scrubber to get it off the insides of my cheeks. Is that a good thing? I imagine I'll fine out at some point in the next 6 tastes.

Margaret -- It smells like apple soap. I like it. Good spring chard?

Reveal: Bear's Lair (CA) - 3.99