Episode 9: The Creamy Conundrum – Rebalancing La Crema’s Monterey Chardonnay with ADVINTAGE® White
Welcome back to our continuing journey into the heart of wine and the science of sensory perception. In this ninth episode, we tackle one of the most popular Chardonnay brands on the American market: La Crema. Specifically, we’ll be evaluating their Monterey Chardonnay, a wine that exemplifies the rich, creamy style that has won the hearts of millions.
This popular style often walks a fine line between lusciousness and heaviness. The very characteristics that make it appealing—the buttery mouthfeel and rich texture—can also be its downfall when they overwhelm the delicate fruit underneath. In this case, we encounter a wine that appears thick and almost syrupy, presenting a classic conundrum: how do you refine a wine that is intentionally rich without stripping it of its character?
In this episode, we will introduce ADVINTAGE® White to demonstrate how targeted enhancement can solve this creamy conundrum by rebalancing the wine and allowing the beautiful fruit to emerge.
The Best of the Vine: The La Crema Story
La Crema’s story begins in 1979, founded with the ambitious name “La Crema Viñera,” meaning “the best of the vine” [1]. Over four decades, it has grown from a humble Petaluma business park to a powerhouse of California’s cool-climate scene. Under the stewardship of the Jackson family since the early 90s, La Crema has flourished, recently earning accolades such as the 2024 American Winery of the Year from Wine Enthusiast [3].
Their philosophy is centered on deep respect for the vineyard. By specializing in cool-climate viticulture in regions like Monterey and Sonoma Coast, La Crema produces grapes with unique intensity and vibrant acidity. Their gentle, hands-on winemaking ensures every bottle is a true expression of its cool-climate origins [4].
Tasting Notes: A Wine of Texture Over Fruit
The La Crema Monterey Chardonnay immediately signals its unique character with its deep gold yellow color and thick, almost syrupy appearance. It prepares you for a rich, textured experience.
My Honest Evaluation
- Aromatic Profile: Unconventionally savory. Instead of bright fruit, the nose is dominated by asparagus, green stems, and a "dusty" earthy character. Graphite minerality and a touch of vanilla sit in the background.
- Palate Experience: Texture is the defining feature—oily, creamy, and mouth-coating. Surprising notes of lychee and a "petrol" quality (often seen in aged Riesling) emerge. However, the wine reveals an astringent and muddled finish, where the heavy texture prevents the flavors from evolving cleanly.
The ADVINTAGE® White Transformation: Rebuilding and Refreshing
This wine is a prime candidate for ADVINTAGE® White. The goal is to lift the "creamy curtain" and let the fruit shine through.
The Transformation Checklist
- Heavy, creamy, oily texture becomes Smooth, fresh, elegant mouthfeel
- Dominant savory/vegetal notes transform to Bright, fresh, fruit-forward flavors
- Astringent, muddled finish becomes a Clean, refreshing, balanced finish
- Unbalanced, one-dimensional wine gains Well-structured, multi-dimensional depth
- Hidden, muted fruit becomes Expressive and vibrant fruit
With a single drop, the transformation is profound. The overwhelming oily texture is significantly reduced, replaced by a more elegant mouthfeel. The lychee notes become pronounced, joined by other bright fruit flavors as the vegetal notes recede into subtle complexities. Most importantly, the astringent finish is replaced by a clean, thirst-quenching sensation that invites another sip.
Conclusion: Finding the Fruit in the Cream
La Crema’s Monterey Chardonnay is unabashedly committed to its rich style. While this has won many fans, our tasting showed how easily texture can overwhelm flavor. ADVINTAGE® White provides the perfect solution to this conundrum. By rebuilding the wine's structure and reducing the heavy texture, it allows the cool-climate fruit to take center stage.
The result is a wine that remains creamy but becomes fresh, vibrant, and elegant. It is a powerful reminder that enhancement is not about changing a wine, but about helping it become the very best version of itself.
Rebalance Your Chardonnay: Shop ADVINTAGE® White
References
[1] The Chalk Report. (2019, December 30). LA CREMA WINERY: A REASSESSMENT. Retrieved from https://www.thechalkreport.com/post/la-crema-winery-a-reassessment
[2] Jackson Family Wines. (n.d.). La Crema. Retrieved from https://www.jacksonfamilywines.com/wineries/la-crema
[3] La Crema. (2024, November 13). La Crema Named American Winery of the Year. Retrieved from https://www.lacrema.com/winery-of-the-year.html
[4] La Crema. (n.d.). Artisan Winemaking - Our Philosophy. Retrieved from https://www.lacrema.com/winemaking.html
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this make the wine taste less like La Crema?
Not at all. It maintains the core identity of La Crema but removes the textural "muddiness." It lifts the heavy oak and cream flavors so you can actually taste the high-quality Monterey fruit that makes the winery famous.
Why use only one drop?
ADVINTAGE® is a highly concentrated botanical formula. For white wines with delicate fruit profiles, one drop is often enough to rebalance the texture and refresh the finish without altering the wine's aromatics.
What if I like the "creamy" style?
If you love the creaminess but find the finish too "sticky" or "bitter," ADVINTAGE® is perfect for you. It preserves the sensation of richness while ensuring the wine feels clean and sophisticated rather than heavy and oily.