The following wines were selected from tastings over the past three months for a combination of quality, style and price. Sources were local grocery stores, wine merchants, online discount houses and a warehouse store. Prices can vary by market, so please use these as a guideline. To search for wines and pricing from anywhere, use Wine-Searcher, one of the great wine databases on earth.

  • Fine $12 Napa Chardonnay ’17 Beringer. Sharp light-mid gold; Chardonnay nose; stone fruit; vanilla; mid-body; balanced; long buttery finish. w/seafood.
  • $12 California Chardonnay 2017 La Crema Chardonnay Monterey. Sharp mid-dark gold; citrus, peach, tropical nose; mid-body; balanced; soft acids; fruity and tropical on the palate; fat finish. Party, appetizer, wedding reception wine. 15-15.5 UC Davis scale; 88 other scales.
  • 2017 Kendall-Jackson Chardonnay Grand Reserve $13. Sharp mid-dark gold; tropical, peachy, light citrus nose; mid-body; acids softening; buttery; long soft fat finish. w/fish. 15.5-16 UC Davis scale, 89 others.
  • $14 Napa Valley Chardonnay 2017 Raymond Vineyard & Cellar. Sharp dark gold; tropical, buttery, green apple and stone fruit nose; mid-body; round, ripe, fat peachy finish. w/salads, cheeses. 15.5 UC Davis scale, 89 other scales.

  • Sbragia Family

  • $14 Dry Creek Calif Chardonnay 2017 Sbragia Family Home Ranch. Sharp mid gold; light honey, cabbage, green fruit nose; opens with air; light-mid body; soft, fat, buttery, for those who like the style. 15.5 UC Davis scale, 89 other scales.
  • $14 Sonoma Chardonnay ’16 Rodney Strong Chalk Hill. Light-mid straw-green-gold tropical, citrus, stone fruit nose; mid-body; tropical; decent fruit; soft fat finish. Easy-sipping party, reception, appetizer wine. 15 UC Davis scale, 88 other scales.
  • Well-made $15 Calif Chardonnay. 2017 Cambria Chardonnay Katherine’s Vineyard, Santa Maria Valley. Sharp mid-gold; honey, stone fruit, vanilla and mineral nose; like a Puligny village wine; mid-body; balanced; softening acids; long semi-elegant finish. 16 UC Davis scale, 90 other scales.
  • $15 California Chardonnay 2015 Cuvaison Carneros (close out sale). Sharp mid-dark gold; light citrus, peach, floral, vanilla nose; round, ripe; soft acids; long semi-oaky semi-lush finish. w/appetizers, seafood. 15.5 UC Davis scale, 89 other scales.
  • 2018 Duckhorn Vineyards Chardonnay Decoy Sonoma County $15. Sharp mid-gold; tropical, peachy nose; fat, soft (some residual sugar?), short fat finish (13.8 alc.); a little one dimensional. w/cheeses, appetizers. 14.5 UC Davis scale, 87 other scales.
  • $15 Carneros Chardonnay ’16 Artesa. Sharp mid-24k gold; vanilla, stone fruit, higher alcohol nose (aldehydes), honeysuckle; mid-body; round. ripe; long woody, buttery semi-lush finish.  For those who like the bigger style.
  • Quality $15 Russian River Valley Chardonnay ’16 Irony. Light straw-gold; tropical, floral, peach nose; mid-body; nice structure; long semi-lush finish (14.5 alc.). w/seafood, appetizers.
  • French Chardonnay 2016 Chanson Père & Fils Viré-Clessé $16. Good area for values in white Burgundy. Sharp dark gold; peachy, floral, tropical and vanilla nose; mid-body; good Chardonnay extract; round, butter with decent acids, semi-crisp finish. w/appetizers; seafood. 16 UC Davis scale, 90 other scales.
  • Mendoza, Argentina, Chardonnay 2017 El Enemigo $19. Sharp mid-gold; ripe grape, tropical, floral, oaky nose; mid-big body; slate, citrus, oak on the palate; long tight fruity finish. w/grilled shrimp. 16 UC Davis scale, 90 other scales.
  • Sonoma Calf. $20 Chardonnay 2018 Landmark Overlook. Sharp mid-gold; stone fruit, vanilla, light citrus nose; mid-body; balanced; long semi-fat buttery finish (aged in small French oak barrels). w/seafood risotto. 16 UC Davis scale, 90 other scales
  • Carneros, Napa Chardonnay 2016 Merryvale, $24. Sharp mid-dark gold; honey, stone fruit, vanilla nose; mid-body to big; balanced; good acids; long oaky semi-lush finish (14.3 alc.). w/scallops.
  • California Chardonnay 2018 CrossBarn (Paul Hobbs) Sonoma Coast ($27 winery sample). Sharp mid-gold; light citrus, stone fruit and mineral nose; mid-body; round, ripe, long semi-lush finish. w/sea bass. 16 UC Davis scale, 90 other scales.
  • Central Coast California Chardonnay 2018 Eden Rift Valliant ($25 winery sample; second label). Sharp mid-dark gold; light vanilla (barrel fermented), stone fruit, floral nose; mid-body; balanced; good Chardonnay fruit; long semi-crisp fruity finish. w/seafood pasta. 16 UC Davis scale, 90 other scales.
  • Cienega Valley, California 2018 Eden Rift Chardonnay ($42 winery sample). Sharp mid-dark gold; vanilla (fermented in French oak, 11 months barrel aging), baked apple, light honey and hazelnut nose; mid-body to big; round, ripe (14.3 alc.), long lush oaky finish. w/monk fish. 17 UC Davis scale, 92 other scales.