Kathiey's World

What is a Chardonel Wine? A friend of mine and I had the pleasure of visiting a local winery, Fireclay Cellars, in Siler City, NC.  One of the wines on their wine menu is Chardonel. Here is how they describe their Chardonel wine. "Our dry Chardonel produces a seamless balance of golden apple, honey, and lemon flavors.  Along with a soft refreshing minerality, it has a clean, bright finish." I went online to get a description of what a Chardonel wine is, and here are a few facts I found.   Chardonel is pronounced-shar-dun-el The parents of Chardonel are Chardonnay and Seyval Blanc.   This wine is described as amber in color, fruity, and full-bodied.  Here is what Wikipedia has to say about Chardonel wine... "Chardonel is a late-ripening white wine hybrid grape which can produce a high quality wine with varietal character. It is a result of a cross made by the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station of the popular French American hybrid Seyval and the clas...

 Join me for a visit to Fireclay Cellars Vineyard &Winery in Siler City NC There are about 200 wineries and 400-500+ vineyards in North Carolina, according to the internet.    Karen and I thought it would be fun to check out one that is not too far from our location in the Cary Apex area.  So off we went to Fireclay Cellars Vineyard & Winery in Siler City, NC.   Getting to the winery was an easy shot on 64 west. The drive took about 40 minutes. (Quotes from their website will be in quotes and italics.) We drove up to a lovely house on the property with plenty of parking. According to their website, here is how they decided on the name of their vineyard. "Our name, FireClay Cellars, was chosen to represent the bright red clay in our vineyard. Mineral-rich, deep, and well-drained soil provide the perfect conditions for producing flavorful grapes". Here is what they have to say about their history... Farming and grape growing were always an essential part...