How Do You Relax After An Evening With Whine? With More Wine Of Course! Cupcake Vineyard!

I usually keep a few bottles of wine on hand. I prefer rich, sultry reds, but I am open to trying new flavors. When Cupcake Vinyard sent me three bottles of wine to try, I decided to pop open a beautiful Chardonnay for my first review. You'll hear about the others in another post! Before I get into my thoughts, let me tell you what to expect.
Here's the profile:
Vintage: 2009

Wine Type: White Wine
Varietal: Chardonnay
Appellation: Central Coast
Harvest Date: September - October 2007
PH: 3.76
Residual Sugar: .4 g
Alcohol %: 13.50%

Tasting Notes:

"Cupcake Chardonnay was crafted to emphasize the Central Coast’s creamy and structured Chardonnay character. It starts off with a touch of apple, a hint of tropical fruits and is complimented by a balance of vanilla and spice. We used malolactic fermentation with aging in small barrels to provide a rich mid palate that develops into a long, smooth, satisfying finish. This wine pairs well with crab cakes, seared Ahi tuna on waffle crackers or fresh-baked French bread and cheese."

This is an award winning wine!!!
SILVER- 2010 Pacific Rim Wine Competition, Vintage '07
SILVER- 2010 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, Vintage '08
SILVER- 2010 Florida State Fair Wine Competition, Vintage '08
SILVER- 2010 Riverside International Wine Competition, Vintage '08
SILVER- 2010 Best of the Bay Wine Competition, Vintage '08

Now, my opinion!
I poured my first glass and admired the warm, golden color. I leaned down over the bowl of my glass and inhaled deeply. While I am not able to distinguish between the scents, I did pick up on the apple and spices. I took a small sip. Wow! I thought it would be a simple wine, but flavors developed and transformed, giving this wine so much depth. I loved the smoothness of the wine and it left a pleasant fruity taste in my mouth. My palate isn't too refined, but I know a good wine when I taste it.  For $12 a bottle, I expected a decent bottle of wine, but I was pleasantly surprised with this one. It tasted much richer and much more expensive. My husband, also a red wine lover, agreed. This is a winner and we will purchase this Chardonnay again! On a recent trip to two different grocery stores (Publix and Winn Dixie) I was happy to see these wines stocked on the shelf! I would pick this up to go with a nice dinner or as a hostess gift for a friend throwing a special dinner party. The label is beautiful, but the wine inside is simply divine! Stay tuned for other reviews from Cupcake Vinyard!

To Disclose: This post was written for readers age 21 and older. I was sent three bottles of wine to review. These reviews will be posted seperately. No monetary compensation received for this post and honest opinions were given.