Urraca Chardonnay 2008 Impresses at Wally's Wine Tasting

Winery's last-minute decision to bottle the grapes leads to a surprise hit wine

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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Wine writer Randy Fuller discovered a fantastic Urraca Chardonnay 2008 at a Wally's Wine and Spirits tent sale in Los Angeles. The Mendoza, Argentina-based winery had initially planned to sell the grapes, but at the last minute decided to make wine instead, with the winery's general manager saying "the worst that can happen is we drink the wine." The Chardonnay, which spent 6 months in oak, has a "toasty nose" and "toast and citrus on the palate" and is described as "a thing of beauty."

Why it matters

The Urraca Chardonnay 2008 represents a winery taking a chance on making wine from grapes they had originally planned to sell, leading to an unexpected hit that impressed a wine writer and could potentially gain wider distribution if Wally's receives enough customer requests.

The details

According to the article, the Urraca Chardonnay 2008 has a "toasty nose" and "toast and citrus on the palate" after spending 6 months in oak. The winery's general manager, Jean-Pierre Bieri, said the "worst that can happen is we drink the wine" when they decided at the last minute to make wine from the grapes instead of selling them. Bieri was pouring samples of the Chardonnay as well as the winery's Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec at the Wally's Wine and Spirits tent sale in Los Angeles.

  • The Urraca Chardonnay 2008 was tasted by the writer on Friday at a Wally's Wine and Spirits tent sale in Los Angeles.

The players

Urraca

A winery located in the Mendoza region of Argentina that produced the Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Malbec wines featured in the article.

Jean-Pierre Bieri

The general manager of Urraca winery who was pouring samples of the winery's wines at the Wally's Wine and Spirits tent sale.

Wally's Wine and Spirits

A wine store located in Los Angeles that hosted the tent sale where the Urraca wines were being sampled.

Randy Fuller

The wine writer who tasted and wrote about the Urraca Chardonnay 2008 in the article.

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What they’re saying

“the worst that can happen is we drink the wine.”

— Jean-Pierre Bieri, General Manager, Urraca Winery (nowandzin.com)

What’s next

Wally's Wine and Spirits in Los Angeles can special order the Urraca Chardonnay 2008, and the article encourages readers to contact the store to request it be put on the shelves if enough customer interest is shown.

The takeaway

The Urraca Chardonnay 2008 is an example of a winery taking a risk and being rewarded with an unexpected hit wine, showcasing how small, independent wineries can produce high-quality, unique offerings that impress wine enthusiasts and could gain wider distribution through customer demand.