Medium gold color; yellow apple, peach, lemon-lime, grapefruit, white flowers, butter, vanilla on the nose and palate.
Dry approaching off-dry; slight tannins and medium acidity. Medium body, creamy mouthfeel. Slight oak notes from six months in French oak, but this drinks more like an un-oaked chardonnay, so likely the barrels were second, third, or more use. Made with 100% chardonnay, organically grown with Ecocert certification. 14% ABV
The Cameleon name represents adaptation to the environment. Domaine Bousquet is located in the Tupungato Valley. The vineyards are grown in the Uco Valley at 4,000 feet, at the foot of the Andes. The deft use of oak is a signature of this effort. The wood helped produce—along with malolactic fermentation/conversion—a round, smooth, creamy mouthfeel while also avoiding oak and butter monsters that some chardonnays become. This is a slightly oaked chard that drinks more like an un-oaked chard. Neat trick, Domaine Bousquet.
The Bousquet family has four generations of winemaking experience. They arrived in Mendoza, Argentina, from France in 1990 and fell in love with the possibilities. They purchased land in the foothills of the Andes in 1997 in the Tupungato Valley, elevation 4,000 feet, one of the higher altitude vineyards in Argentina and the world. The climate is very dry, allowing Domaine Bousquet to have excellent water control through drip irrigation using meltwater from nearby Andes Mountains.
The winery is one of the world’s most awarded fully organic operations. As their website states: “We are dedicated to farming organically while improving our land’s biodiversity. We believe that the healthier the vineyard, the better the fruit and of course the wine. In other words, by nourishing the land and treating it with respect, we know that the land will give us back its finest fruits.” And: “Organic crops are grown in harmony with nature without using any chemicals such as pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers. Organic agriculture uses natural fertilizers such as compost.”
The Bronco Wine Company is the U.S. distributor. Bronco is a major U.S. wine maker—best known for “Two Buck Chuck”—but they also represent more serious brands, such as this one, and have a long history of distributing imported wines in the U.S. The big advantage for Domaine Bousquet is Bronco’s robust distribution capabilities in the U.S.
Domaine Bousquet Cameleon Signature Organic Chardonnay, Mendoza, Argentina 2022 is a pleasing effort from leading organic winemaker. Creamy mouthfeel, very slight oak, medium body makes for a very easy drinker. The lemon-lime notes give this some character and identity beyond a ho-hum chardonnay. Pair with creamy pasta dishes—fettuccine Alfredo or carbonara. Pork dishes. Baked or roasted chicken, turkey with lemon or creamy sauces. Fish—grilled trout, salmon, tuna, halibut. Vegetarian fare—fresh salads, roasted root vegetables, fresh fruits. Cheese—fresh goat cheese, humboldt fog, Pennyroyal Farm laychee; triple-crème cheese, brillat-savarin, Cowgirl Creamery’s Mt. Tan; semi-hard cheeses; aged cheddar; swiss cheese, Challerhocker swiss. $15
