Cavit Chardonnay, 2003 vintage
price: $12-$14 for a 1.5 liter bottle
suggested food pairings: finfish, shrimp, lobster, fowl, medium to sharp cheeses

Cavit is the master of Trentino, Italy: some 70 percent of the growers in the region, or 5,000 separate farms, belong to this mammoth cooperative. The wine is made in 14 different cellars sprinkled throughout the area, where it’s also culled, blended and bottled. The sheer logistical challenge to craft a year’s worth of work from 5,000 farms and make it into tasty wine over a six- to eight-week harvest is mind boggling. From 5,000 farms, to 14 cellars, into five or six products, then shipped to 20 different countries … and oh, by the way, they make it all taste really good. Wow.

Large size, in this case, truly benefits the consumer. In any given good year, maybe 1,000 of those farms will produce heaven-quality grapes. If this were an area with that many growers all doing their own thing, you’d have some great wines at very small production and a lot of mediocre wines at much higher prices. But by sharing the overhead, these growers also share access to each other’s strengths. After blending, they have a very high quality product they can sell at a modest price because of volume. We know it will be good because they’re big enough to make sure it’s always good. We also know it will always be a great value because they have a lot of juice to sell and will price it accordingly.

Known in the U.S. primarily for their quality Pinot Grigio, Cavit makes great Chardonnay as well. This particular wine reminds me of a cool climate Chardonnay—it’s all about the apples and pears. The balance is tremendous in this straw yellow gem, with an acidity that is at admirable harmony with the fruit. The mouth feel is full and generous for a wine of this price. A hint of a nutty vanilla impression on the finish tells the tale of some part of the blend spending time bonding with oak. This is a delicious glass of wine for the money.

Craig Pierce can be reached  at craig_l_pierce[at]hotmail[dot]com.