19 Crimes, California (United States) Chardonnay 2021

 I’ve long admired Martha for her intelligence, creativity and tenacity in the face of adversity – and prison – even though she dissed me at a celebrity wine dinner decades ago when we were both in our primes.  (It was done away from the mic, and it’s possible I deserved it.)  Anyway, her teaming up with 19 Crimes seems to have gone well thus far.  This is an 8.5% alcohol wine made via reverse osmosis and – it’s pretty damn good if you take it for what it’s intended to be.  It’s juicy and spritzy with flavors of a cloves-laden apple pie, yet it is reasonably dry with good finishing acidity – quite delightful.  I would serve it very chilled as an aperitif in place of sparkling wine.