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Chardonnay gets a bad rap, but it really shouldn’t. With the right selections, wine drinkers can enjoy a really good time with Chardonnay. It’s versatile and delicious, but not every bottle of Chardonnay you buy will be good.
You have to know how to find the best Chardonnay. So, in this Wine Review we will discover if Barefoot Chardonnay live up to the task? Read our Barefoot Chardonnay Review to find out.
Table of Contents
About Chardonnay
Chardonnay is grown all over the world. The most notable regions are in California and France. You can look out for particular vintages, like a 2014 vintage from California or a 1996 from France.
However, no matter which vintage you choose, you’re likely going to find that Chardonnay is oaky and buttery. They are the most common flavours found in most Chardonnay and the balance of these two characteristic flavours can make the wine taste very, very different.
What many people want is a smooth, buttery taste with just a hint of oak to round out the flavor and give the wine its body. But too much silky smooth butter, and you will find that the wine is way to syrupy sweet. On the contrary, too much oak and the wine may be bitter or, frankly, taste like drinking a tree.
Chardonnay can also have a bit of citrus and bite. It should be crisp, but not overpowering. It should balance the buttery flavor nicely so the wine feels smooth and round in the mouth, with a light smooth finish.
About Barefoot
Barefoot started in 1965, when California winemaker Davis Bynum first created Barefoot Bynum Burgundy in his garage. The unconventional name referred to the free-spirited method of crushing grapes barefoot.
Barefoot is all about community. As a company, they support many charities and causes they find important. They believe in bringing people, and amazing friends together, because as they say, “We have more fun when we’re together.”
Their primary goal is to introduce people to wines that taste good and make them have a good time. They produce many different flavours, so there’s always something for all wine drinkers with a brand like Barefoot. They are also one of the most awarded wine manufacturers in the world.
Keep in mind that they’re a large wine manufacturer, so this isn’t your family vineyard that’s been passed down from generation to generation. This is a corporate initiative to produce a lot of variety and a lot of volume.
One of the great things about Barefoot is their variety. They make red wines, white wines, pink wines, champagnes, and spritzers. You can even visit their website to choose the flavors you find the most appealing, and they’ll match you with wines they think you’ll like.
You can count on Barefoot for affordability as well. Barefoot wines won’t break the bank. They’re a great option for table wines you can enjoy with your friends or cook with. While you won’t find any classic vintages here, you’ll find consistency.
Barefoot doesn’t put vintages on their wines for that very reason. A lot of cheap wine manufacturers don’t, simply because the goal is a lot of volume that tastes the same all the time. So, once you find the Barefoot wine you like, you know it’ll always taste the way you like it.
In fact, because of the volume they produce, there would be enough variety within a single vintage that going by vintage alone wouldn’t give you an accurate representation of the wine. They source their grapes from a variety of places, so the vintage would be largely unreliable.
However, because of their great quality control processes, they do manage to achieve the consistency they need.
Some might call this predictability boring. It really is a personal preference. If you prefer to experiment with your wines, taste unusual varieties, and branch out of your comfort zone, then perhaps Barefoot wines aren’t for you.
White wine from California · United States. Barefoot Chardonnay is a bright white wine with notes of crisp green apples, sweet peaches and highlights of honey and vanilla. More dry than sweet, Chardonnay delivers bold flavor with a smooth finish.
However, if you like knowing what you’re getting into and being able to count on the same flavor you love bottle after bottle, Barefoot can do that well, and without breaking the bank, too.
In fact, you’ll likely never find a Barefoot wine that’s undrinkable, even if it’s not your favorite. They do a good job of releasing good, cheap wines, which is more than I can say about a lot of other cheap wine manufacturers.
Barefoot Chardonnay Tasting
When you grab a bottle of Barefoot Chardonnay, there’s no reason to bother looking for the vintage. We’ve already touched on how that’s not something they offer. After all, these are production wines. They’re decent, but lack some of the character that hand-crafted wines can achieve.
Appearance
Barefoot Chardonnay is a brassy color and looks richer than a lot of other Chardonnay. A good clue to the substantial body of this wine is that when you swirl the wine in your glass, the legs fall slowly and irregularly.
Aroma
Barefoot Chardonnay has a nice aroma of apple and soft peach. It’s not strong, but gentle and refreshing. You can’t smell it upon pouring, but if you hold the glass to your nose, you can catch a whiff of the subtle aromas.
A deep inhalation may reveal more spiced flavors like nutmeg. You won’t notice any burning from the alcohol, despite its 13% alcohol content. The ABV is surprisingly high.
Taste
You can expect that it will taste on the palette the way it smells in the glass. There’s a bit of citrus on the finish, just as there should be. It’s also creamy in the mouth with a touch of acidity, and for the price, you really can’t complain.
You may notice a bit of a nutty flavor, but most people won’t find this flavor dominant. All of the flavors are very subtle, so the dominant flavors tasted will vary as much as each individual’s palette.
Finish
The finish is long and juicy, with a nice buttery smoothness. It’s rich in flavor and the sweetness carries through for several seconds afterwards. You won’t notice a lot of acidity or tannins.
Overall
My overall opinion of Barefoot Chardonnay is that it’s delicate and enjoyable. I enjoy a wine that’s not too heavy in citrus, acidity, and tannins. I love the buttery smooth flavors, and Chardonnay is one of my favorite wine varieties already.
Food Pairings
White wine from California · United States. Barefoot Chardonnay is a bright white wine with notes of crisp green apples, sweet peaches and highlights of honey and vanilla. More dry than sweet, Chardonnay delivers bold flavor with a smooth finish.
Barefoot recommends white sauce pasta with light seafood. You could mix up fettuccine alfredo with grilled shrimp or chicken. The other great thing about Chardonnay is that it’s so versatile. It goes with everything.
You can also pair your Chardonnay with a juicy steak or some spicy cuisine like Thai or Mexican. You can’t go wrong when pairing Chardonnay with food, because it’s subtle flavors blend into the background and compliment just about everything.
Alternatives to Barefoot Chardonnay
Aside from Barefoot, there are a few other wine brands that make Chardonnay you could try. Some are a bit heavier on the butter and others are lighter and crisper.
Beringers
If you like a hint of smooth sweetness in a red wine, this may be to your liking. It's a good wine if you are just getting into reds or if you are serving it as one of the wine choices for a dinner.
This is another manufacturer of a variety of wines, and they do have a Chardonnay. Beringers does put vintages on their wines, so you can use that as a guide. A great Beringers Chardonnay vintage is the 2016.
It’s bright and juicy with a buttery finish, and it has a bit more character than the Barefoot Chardonnay. Although Beringers does produce a high volume of wines, they have much more experience, so their wines tend to offer more quality.
BotaBox
Whether you're having a chill night in, a big night out, or something in-between, Bota Box is perfectly portable and completely shatter proof. Say goodbye to corkscrews and hello to delicious wine that stays fresh for up to one month but also goes anywhere life's big, or small, adventures take you.
The BotaBox Chardonnay is heavier, smoother, and more buttery than the Barefoot Chardonnay. It also has notes of butterscotch and honey. It’s smooth and sweet, with a delightful crisp finish.
Yellowtail
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Yellowtail has two varieties of Chardonnay. The Yellowtail Chardonnay is crisp and light with flavors of melon and peach and just a touch of vanilla. If you would rather your Chardonnay be more crisp, try the Yellowtail Super Crisp Chardonnay, for even more citrus flavors.
Non-Chardonnay Varieties
If you’ve been experimenting with Chardonnay and you just don’t seem to like it, there are a few other varieties you could try instead.
Pinot Grigio
A light-bodied classic with a crisp, bright finish, Barefoot Pinot Grigio offers all the flavors of tart green apples with fresh, white peaches. Accented with floral blossoms and citrus aromas, our Pinot Grigio pairs perfectly with traditional favorites like poultry, pasta, and pizza.
Pinot Grigio is tart and light. It tends to be crisper and more acidic than Chardonnay. There are more flavors of green melon and other citrus notes in a Pinot Grigio, so if the heavy, smooth, buttery taste of Chardonnay bothers you, try this one instead.
Moscato
Barefoot Moscato features lush, fruity aromas and a crisp, bright finish with a tantalizing twist of lemon and citrus. Perfect for pairing with spicy Asian cuisine, artisanal cheeses or light desserts, this Barefoot Moscato is best served chilled.
Moscato is another light white wine, but it’s fruitier than Chardonnay. It’s not as heavy or smooth. It’s more airy with sweet fruit flavors instead. Try Moscato if you want something with a lower alcohol volume that’s not quite as tart and crisp.
Sauvignon Blanc
Green apple and a hint of pear from start to finish. A little bit sweet with plenty of acid to squeeze your salivary glands.
Sauvignon Blanc is green and herbaceous. It’s one of the most widely planted grapes in the world. You’ll find flavors like lime, passion fruit, and green apple. It’s more tart than Chardonnay and it contains spicier flavors like jalapeno, bell pepper, and gooseberry.
Frequently Asked Questions
Chardonnay is made in a variety of styles. It can be very dry or it can be a nice, sweet dessert wine. If you’re looking for a dry Chardonnay, try Kendall Jackson. If you would rather have a sweet Chardonnay, go for the BotaBox.
The grape for Chardonnay wine originated in a small village in France, called Chardonnay. The name of the village means “place of thistles.” If a bottle is marked Chablis, it is Chardonnay by law.
Chardonnay is versatile. It appeals to many different palettes and pairs with a lot of different foods, so many people like it because you can do almost anything with it. It’s easy to drink anytime and with anything.
Chardonnay varies in color from almost clear to a deep yellow, brassy color. In general, the more intense the color, the richer the wine. Because Chardonnay is fermented in oak, it tends to have a deeper color, and it should have a deeper color than many other white wines.
However, be careful, because if the color is too deep, it could indicate that it is too oaky.
Tsame things that make Chardonnay great are the same things that give it a bad rap sometimes. The buttery, oaky flavors are wonderful when a winemaker can strike the right balance. Otherwise, you end up with way too much of one and not enough of the other, making the wine a bit harder to stomach.
Don’t let that scare you. Keep trying Chardonnay from different producers until you find one you like. When you do find one you like, it’s sure to be excellent and you’ll love it!
The Verdict
I am partial to wines that I can count on to be affordable and the same every time I drink them. While I love to experiment with new things, I always like knowing that there’s a bottle sitting in the back of the pantry I can turn to when I want something familiar.
Barefoot started in 1965, when California winemaker Davis Bynum first created Barefoot Bynum Burgundy in his garage. The unconventional name referred to the free-spirited method of crushing grapes barefoot.
Barefoot wines do that for me, as do a lot of other wine brands that produce high volumes of wine. The Barefoot Chardonnay is a reliable friend. It’s affordable, and it won’t let you down. Give it a try. If you don’t enjoy it, there are always at least twenty other Barefoot wines you can try. You’re bound to like one of them!