Costing under $29 back then, with 13.5% alcohol, the 1995 Far Niente Chardonnay from Nape Valley scored a good 15 points on the Dionysian scale of a possible 20.

Deep amber with butter, apple pie and some tropical aromas, the 26 year old wine was interesting, but past its peak. It was made to drink much younger when people wanted loads of oak and full ML (Malolactic ) notes in the wine.

Served with a white sauce pasta, it did more for the veggies than the pasta.

It held together for the entire meal without fading. The wine’s style has fallen from wine-food people and besides that, it is now quite expensive. I think people like to show off the expensive label. The name means “without a care” in Italian. They wanted wine to simply lay back and relax with. In Vino Veritas.