Barefoot Chardonnay Review
Barefoot Chardonnay is vinted and bottle by Barefoot Cellars in Modesto, California, USA.
They’re proud of the fact that they’ve been partnering with non-profits across the United States over the last twenty-five years.
One example is their Beach Rescue initiative with the Surfrider Foundation to protect the world’s coasts and waterways.
More Barefoot Wine Reviews
In addition to the review you’re reading right now, I’ve also reviewed the following from Barefoot Cellars:
Barefoot Chardonnay Tasting
I shared this wine with my trusty tasting assistant “Big Al”.
As you can see from the bottle picture above, no vintage was indicated.
Appearance
In appearance this wine is light brassy in color (like a tuba!) and richer in hue than your typical Chardonnay.
Legs are slowly falling and irregularly spaced, indicating some potential body to this wine.
Aroma
I did not notice the aroma immediately upon the wine’s pouring.
Up close, I did notice that this wine is a bit sweet, with notes of ripe melon and apple.
Big Al noted grapefruit when he gave the wine a gentle sniff. A deeper inhalation revealed a hint of nutmeg.
Neither one of us noted any burn from the wine’s alcohol.
Barefoot Chardonnay alcohol content 13.0% by volume per the bottle. We were surprised it was that high!
Taste
I felt that all the flavors were subtle. I noted juicy sweet citrus, muted lime and a light nutty flavor.
Big Al felt there was a lot going on with this wine. For him, the dominant taste was sweet grapefruit. On the tip of his tongue he noted a nutty overtone.
We both found the wine’s taste very enjoyable, mostly due to the multiple aspects of flavor present in this wine.
Finish
Barefoot Chardonnay finishes long, juicy and buttery! We both counted a 7-9 second finish that was evident all over the palate.
What stuck with us in the finish was the richness of the flavor, including some of the sweetness that carried through.
No appreciable tannins were noted.
Overall Opinion
Overall we both really enjoyed this wine!
If you look at my previous reviews of various Barefoot Cellars wines, you’ll see that my reviews have been mixed (see above).
I think of all the Barefoot wines I’ve reviewed, this is my favorite so far.
Recommend! Big Al concurred.
From the bottle:
Barefoot Chardonnay is a delightful wine with tempting flavors of green apples and peaches. Hints of honey and vanilla enhance the buttery finish. It is perfect with seafood, poultry, fresh fruits, white sauce pastas and mild cheeses.
Barefoot Chardonnay price $6.99 making it an Under $10 Buy.
Suggested Food Pairing
For a suggested food pairing to go along with Barefoot Chardonnay, let’s go with what they recommend…
In addition to what they say on the bottle, they also suggest a white sauce pasta with light seafood.
To me that means angel hair pasta with a light cream sauce and some grilled shrimp on top.
Yum!
On all the data and comments I have read I am still non the wiser on the place of origin of this liquid
How much of this wine is Californian?
I used to buy this wine as I thought it was done in stainless steel vats. I just had a horrible thing happen after opening the last case which I bought 3 months ago. I wondered for a week why my nose and eyes were running non stop. Well it turned out that I had a severe allergic reaction which could have killed me and it was the chardonnay. I am convinced that they just mix old and new wine to sell cheap and there is never a vintage on the bottle.
Don’t buy it.
Well that doesn’t sound very good. :-|
Thanks for commenting, Sandy, and hope you’re on the mend.
I was given 2 bottles of Barefoot Chardonnay 2016. This is 2020 will it still be good???
Most likely. If it experienced a lot of temperature changes, that may affect it though. I wouldn’t go much longer. These days winemakers aren’t trying to make wines for ageing like they used to. Good luck!
No!! Old Barefoot Chardonnay is horrible. Get it from a store that has quick turnover. If the store has old stock don’t get it. This is my favorite Chardonnay and I only get it from 1 store because I have had old from other places.
Thanks for commenting and sharing your experience Julie, much appreciated!
I’m not a wine expert, but I can only say this wine is decent … but only for the price. If you have it alongside a J Lohr or Franciscan Chardonnay, you can definitely tell it lacks smoothness in comparison.
All wines have a certain bite, but you don’t want it to be “sour” … and this wine can run that direction, depending on the year and temperature and what you’re pairing it with.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts James… Cheers!
My local Rite Aid offered 5oz sample bottles of Barefoot Chardonnay for $1.50 a bottle. Since I haven’t had good luck picking a bottle of Chardonnay, I bought a bottle and was delighted. A few days later, I bought a regular bottle at Harris Teeter and it was terrible … bitter and biting – I ended up dumping it down the drain
I so hoped I found a Chardonnay that I could rely on – guess I have to keep looking. At least I’m only out $6.00 for the lesson learned.
Hi Alexis, thanks for sharing your experience with everyone.
Finding a wine you really like is definitely a process of trial and error. You’re certainly not alone in your search.
Glad to hear the expense was minimal.
Cheers and Good Luck! Jon
Have not enjoyed Barefoot chard in past. Agreed 13% did not seem correct. Will give it another try because of your review
Hi Rick… Thanks for commenting!
Uh oh, sounds like the pressure’s on… I do hope you find it enjoyable.
If you try it again and get a chance, come back and give us your honest opinion either way.
Cheers! Jon