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Product Name
Vintage
Price
Varietal
Country
Region
Appellation
Size
Additional Discount
Original Item
2008
$141.95
Chardonnay
France
Burgundy
Maconnais
750ml
N/A
Better Price
2018
$108.58
Chardonnay
France
Burgundy
Maconnais
750ml
Similar Price
2020
$146.05
Chardonnay
France
Burgundy
Maconnais
750ml
Similar Price, Better Score
2020
$143.94
Chardonnay
France
Burgundy
Maconnais
750ml
Better Price, Better Score
2018
$102.12
Chardonnay
France
Burgundy
Maconnais
750ml
More wines available from Guffens Heynen
750ml - 1 Bottle
Bottle:
$130.95
750ml - 1 Bottle
Bottle:
$167.95
More Details
Winery
Guffens Heynen
Vintage: 2008
2008 saw very high yields across wineries in much of the southern hemisphere, as a result of highly favorable climatic conditions. Although in many areas, these high yields brought with them something of a drop in overall quality, this could not be said for South Australia's wines, which were reportedly excellent. Indeed, the 2008 Shiraz harvest in South Australia is said to be one of the most successful in recent decades, and western Australia's Chardonnays are set to be ones to watch out for. New Zealand's Pinot Noir harvest was also very good, with wineries in Martinborough reportedly very excited about this particular grape and the characteristics it revealed this year.
Pinot Noir also grew very well in the United States, and was probably the most successful grape varietal to come out of California in 2008, with Sonoma Coast and Anderson Valley delivering fantastic results from this grape. Elsewhere in United States, Washington State and Oregon had highly successful harvests in 2008 despite some early worries about frost.
However, it was France who had the best of the weather and growing conditions in 2008, and this year was one of the great vintages for Champagne, the Médoc in Bordeaux, Languedoc-Roussillon and Provence, with Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay grapes leading the way. Italy, too, shared many of these ideal conditions, with the wineries in Tuscany claiming that their Chianti Classicos of 2008 will be ones to collect, and Piedmont's Barberesco and Barolo wines will be recognized as amongst the finest of the past decade.
Varietal: Chardonnay
Of all the white wine grape varietals, surely the one which has spread the furthest and is most widely appreciated is the Chardonnay. This green skinned grape is now grown all over the Old and New Worlds, from New Zealand to the Americas, from England to Chile, and is one of the first varietals people think of when considering white wine grapes. Perhaps this is because of its huge popularity which reached a peak in the 1990s, thanks to new technologies combining with traditional methods to bring the very best features out of the Chardonnay grape, and allow its unique qualities to shine through. Most fine Chardonnay wines use a process known as malolactic fermentation, wherein the malic acids in the grape juice are converted to lactic acids, allowing a creamier, buttery nature to come forward in the wine. No grape varietal is better suited to this process than Chardonnay, which manages to balance these silky, creamy notes with fresh white fruit flavors beautifully.
Region: Burgundy
The wines which come out of the Burgundy region of France are regularly hailed as amongst the finest in the world, with the area now being synonymous with quality red wines of exceptional flavor, character and aroma. However, Burgundy is no newcomer to the world of fine wines, with the earliest recordings of the quality of this region's produce dating back to the 6th century, and archaeological evidence suggesting that vineyards had been cultivated there for over two thousand years. Today, there are dozens of controlled appellations within Burgundy, each producing exceptional wines typical of the region. The whole area benefits greatly from hot summers and mild, long autumnal periods, which, when coupled with the generations of expertise of the wineries in Burgundy, consistently produces superb wines for the world's enjoyment.
Country: France
France is renowned across the globe for its quality wines and the careful expertise which goes into making them, but what is truly remarkable about this relatively small country is the vast range of wines it produces in such huge amounts each year. Not only are the finest red wines in the world said to come from the beautiful regions of Bordeaux and Burgundy, but elsewhere in the country we find the Champagne region, and areas such as the Rhone Valley and the Loire, whose white wines consistently receive awards and accolades by the plenty. This range is a result of the great variety of climatic conditions and terrain found in France, coupled with generations of wine makers working within single appellations. Their knowledge of specific terroirs and grape varieties has, over time, perfected the production of wines within their region, and the end results continue to impress the world to this day.