best smooth chardonnay
For food pairings, we suggest some simple grilled chicken thighs with a peppery arugula salad. Generally speaking, Chardonnay is a dry white wine, though it can be produced in a youthful, fruity style. Greece has gifted the world some exceptional native white varieties but this Chardonnay from Domaine Skouras deserves a slight detour from that path. Average price: $65. Rating: 93. This 2017 vintage is a delicious continuation of that tradition of excellence and acclaim. An incredible depth of fruit on the palate is seasoned by chalky mineral notes and zingy acidity. Aromas of Meyer lemon and sea salt ride over roasted peach on the nose, leading into pan seared apple, more salt and a touch of warm butter on the palate. 
This is the part of the list where we give a shout-out to the Edna Valley in Californias Central Coast as a hotbed for awesome and affordable chardonnays thanks to its long, robust growing season and Mediterranean climate. Wine Enthusiast -Santa Maria Valley, Central Coast, California - " Winemaker Jill Russell does wonders with this widely available wine. California- Luscious, luxurious and buttery smooth, Melt celebrates the golden 'melt in your mouth' flavor that this Chardonnay has to offer. One whiff of the cherry plum aroma and youre hooked, reeled in by the sweet caramel and toasty marzipan on the palate. The result is a creamy, round, and vivid chardonnay, packed with jasmine and honeycomb, toasted coconut, lemon cream, brioche, pear and dried apricots. This winery began as a boutique vineyard at its founding in 1973 but has since become an Edna Valley champion. The 2010 vintage won 11 wine show trophies and put their chardonnay on the map. Awarded Best Buy from Wine Enthusiast. From Sonoma Coast, this 100 percent French oak Chardonnay is remarkably perfumed. Rating: 89. our process. This wine is unabashedly rich and mouth-filling with generous creme brle notes, soft caramel, lemon buttercream, stone fruit and toasty oak. The cooler climate of the North Fork of Long Island provides the ideal setting for making fruit-forward Chardonnay like this unaged, stainless steel bottling from Macari. What a fine Chardonnay this is. productslearn more about Winemakers love putting their personal stamp on the grape, but its not just about the winemaker. Get the latest in beer, wine, and cocktail culture sent straight to your inbox. Known for their distinctive cabernets and sauvignon blancs, Valtenbergs and her Stonestreet team also have a gift for chardonnay that matches the intensity of the flavor to the altitude of their mountains. Rating: 88.
Sonoma County, CA- Expressive tropical notes of mango delicate pear, and bright stone fruit. Subtle mineral texture on the palate provides the icing on the cake for this classic California Chardonnay. He regularly tastes wines from around the globe, and personally tasted every wine in this roundup, except for the Ormes de Pez and Unico. Rather than competing with the fruit, it seems to amplify the tropical and citrus notes that first pop on the nose and sail well onto its finish. Limited Time offers with amazing discounts just for our readers. Is it the fact that its an easy grape to grow, or is it popular because its delicious?
Rating: 90. Average price: $59.
From Carneros the southernmost tip of the Napa Valley this wine celebrates the vibrant, fruity side of Chardonnay.
Bold, dry, and easy to love, this wine is creamy, lemony and toasty with a nice mineral tension. You dont get that kind of longevity by messing around with the quality of your product. This Chardonnay is all about texture, with creamy, buttery aromas previewing the experience that awaits in glass.
Its always welcome when theres a wine that can impress you and your friends and doesnt weigh heavily on your checking account. The answer is obviously both. The key here is that this best oaked chardonnay is not over-oaked. Rating: 92. Buttery on the palate, with back notes of pineapple and mango. Look to this bottle for a solid example of rich and creamy Chardonnay on a weeknight budget. Theres no going wrong with any bottle made by Sullivans hands. But theres undeniable balance on show, provided by candied Meyer lemon notes, mouthwatering acidity, and a kiss of vanilla on the finish. Kirkland Signature K Vine Chardonnay High Expectations, INSIDER DEAL! File this under: great weeknight wine or a light white to kick off the night. Guidelines for labeling wine with organic references. Silky finish.
Lemon aromas with white nectarine, apple and peach flavors are on the palate. A true standout among them is the 2017 Firepeak Chardonnay from Baileyana.
Take a trip around the world with this list of the best chardonnays to drink right now. For their full-bodied, rich and lively chardonnay, they source grapes from St. Helena, Oak Knoll and Carneros. From the producer that put Cali Chardonnay on the map, following success in the 1976 Judgment of Paris tasting, this is an exceptional bottle.
Decadent notes of pear and golden apple give way to baking spice and cream with a smooth, soft finish. 
Average price: $24. Average price: $60. White flowers combine with a sprinkling of vanilla on the nose, while the palate serves racy acidity and well rounded texture around a stone fruit core. Enjoy with an equally light and clean white fish crudo. Rating: 89. Spicy vanilla over notes of apple, orange, pear and citrus give way to a smooth texture and mild acidity. Are you one of those money is no object people? Meaning that even the slightest sea breeze can make a lasting impact on the outcome of a finished chardonnay wine. Between the regulating ocean breezes, the warming coastal current, and the oldest gravel loam soils in the world, Australias Margaret River region on the continents south-western tip has a confluence of ideal conditions for making excellent wine.
Get our best cocktail recipes, tips, and more when you sign up for our newsletter. Average price: $14.
Jonathan Cristaldi is a freelance journalist specializing in wine, spirits, beer, cannabis, and travel.
Enjoy with a rich risotto or classic roast chicken dinner. Citrus and tropical aromas define its nose and set up a clean and lean palate. Rating: 88. United States Department of Agriculture. Santa Barbara, Central Coast, CA- Burgundian in sensibility but with California style is one way of describing Jim Clendenen's Chardonnays- Structure and restraint melded with bountiful opulence is another. Honeysuckle and apricot aromas lead to round, honeyed richness on the palate. The producers familiarity with variety and region are clear to appreciate in this rich, oaky, and balanced white. Aged for up to seven months in oak, the wine received twice-monthly stirring on lees to enhance its creamy texture.
Carneros, CA- Displays a rich, buttery, honeysuckle like nose with well integrated smoke and vanilla. 
(Check out this guide on the Worlds Best Places for Growing Chardonnay. California- Tropical on the nose, with lots of pineapple and mango, along with some butter and spice. Maison Champy, Burgundys oldest wine company, has been in business for some 300 years. From Anderson Valley in Mendocino County, this small-production wine serves a high-definition expression of Chardonnay. Ultimately it depends on the bottle. Consider this bottle a dependable, well-priced pick that you can easily find in stores. Helen Turley is best known as a highly regarded wine guru and consultant, but the Marcassin Vineyard is her own boutique winery. The magic in this bottles simplicity is not to be overlooked.
Acidity, alcohol, and fruit character land in equal proportions on the palate. A mildly oxidative note brings a sherry-like whiff to the nose of this 100 percent stainless steel Chardonnay, but equally present are lean and crisp orchard fruit aromas. Sonomas Russian River Valley has proven caliber on the high-quality Chardonnay front, and this expression is a fine example.
Rating: 97.
Chardonnay is the fifth most-planted wine grape around the world, but its style varies based on where its grown. Winemaker Ken Deis at Flora Springs knows how to romance the land to make that chardonnay soar.
It would only be the right thing to do to include one of them on this list. Dont wait for a celebration to drink this wine.
These are 27 of the best Chardonnays to drink in 2022. Average price: $50. Oaky and buttery, with notes of lemon, grapefruit, peach and honeydew, this bottle harbors both nutty and toasty elements with a crisp acidity. From Oregons Eola-Amity Hills AVA, tropical fruit and banana runt aromas spring from this Chardonnay with lovely elegance. Rating: 90. This is a standout value pick. ", Wine Spectator-Carneros, Napa Valley, California - "Unctuous, rich and buttery, with concentrated ripe pear, baked apple and pastry flavors that feature some tropical fruit accents. The folks at Vasse Felix exploit this pristine landscape to their best advantage with their Heytesbury Chardonnay. Yes!
The Quaker Run Vineyard is a relatively new site for Early Mountain, a Virginia winery that offers a bounty of high quality varietal wines. For all we know, the Bichot family and chardonnay fruit might share some DNA; a notion that wouldnt shock you if you had a taste of this smoldering bottle, a pure Burgundy any way you drink it. A slight salinity and textural grip bring an enjoyable and unexpected dose of complexity, especially given the price. doi:10.1002/14356007.a26_163. Aged for a total of 13 months, with regular lees stirring during that time, the wine dances between concentrated fresh fruit and soft, creamy, butter on nose and palate.
Aged for one year on lees in European oak casks, the wine then spends an additional 5 months on lees in stainless steel. Ullmanns Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry.
A shining example of responsible oak use, this Chardonnay treads a delicate path between bright fruit notes and subtle richness. With elegant peachy aromas, crisp apple, pear and tropical accents, this wine has just a touch of oak. The wine then undergoes a full malolactic fermentation sur lie while aging in 25% new American oak. Sourced from a range of Sonoma appellations and aged for ten months in French oak, the result is some solid craftsmanship from a solid California label. Lovely ripe fruit. Layered aromas and flavors of tropical fruits, mango and coconut, rich and complex, deftly balanced on the long buttery finish. The layers of fruit are supported by a framework of classic Sonoma Coast fresh and zippy acidity. Every once in a while, a winemaker does away with their warm, toasty oak barrels only to ferment their chardonnay juice in stainless steel barrels, coaxing out bright, vivid, fruity flavors.
This is bold and dry with a citrus burst on the finish. This wine has light salad written all over it. But the rich influence of oak, and the creamy texture provided by malolactic fermentation, are tempered by pronounced Meyer lemon notes. Enjoy this with a creamy goat cheese. Rating: 89. From Lake County, Calif., this is an austere, fruity Chardonnay. Raised by Wolves 777 Chardonnay - Stock Up, INSIDER DEAL! Average price: $35. Average price: $21.
It's full-bodied and creamy with crisp acidity. Rating: 94. Rating: 91. Rating: 89. So it is, with their innovative winemaking processes and commitment to sustainable agricultural practices, their Bienvenues-Btard-Montrachet Grand Cru makes it hard for other chardonnays to compete. Drink it sitting down because the finish could take a while. Prepare for case buys, food wines, and bottles that will kick off a night with a refreshing pop. Rating: 88.
Average price: $65. And for those of you who dont know where to begin, dont worry, we do.
Rating: 90. Worlds Best Places for Growing Chardonnay, A Powerful, Little-Known Legal Commission Just Tossed a Grenade at Direct Wine Shippings Constitutional Protections, How the Women of 21 Seeds Broke the Mold to Create an Aesthetically Alluring Tequila, 27 of the Best Chardonnays for 2022 | VinePair, https://vinepair.com/articles/25-best-chardonnays-2020/, wbs_cat Wine, wbs_type Chardonnay, best wines 2021, buy this booze, chardonnay, reviews, white wine, Go on a Winding Road Trip Through the Wild Heart of Texas Wine Country | VinePair, https://vinepair.com/articles/explore-texas-wine-country/, wbs_cat Wine, wbs_type Red Blend, wbs_type White Blend, wbs_brand William Chris Vineyards, Aglianico, cinsault, Grenache, Syrah, tannat, Texas Hill Country, Texas Wine Country, William Chris Vineyards. The faint oakiness in this wine makes room for other notes to shine, like vanilla, lemon, grapefruit, apple and peach. Average price: $24. It is opulent, juicy, with succulent texture, and gobs of ripe, pure, citrusy, buttery fruit. This wine is an exhibition in balance and restraint. Since then, theyve been consistently delivering delicious wines, and to prove it, we need only sample their Overlook Chardonnay. While this wine spends 10 months in French and Hungarian oak, it seems redundant to mention that, given how seamlessly incorporated those vessels influence are on the final wine. Sometimes you get a craving for a chardonnay that can only be satisfied by going to the source: the Burgundy region of France where the variety got its start.
Rating: 89.
California- Aromas of apples and butter overlaid with subtle oak.
Vinum Cellars M-80 Chardonnay, Kenwood Vineyards Chardonnay - Hits The Spot, Flat Top Hills Chardonnay - Surprisingly Tasty. Each soft and velvety sip arrives with mild acidity, amplifying subtle mineral notes that reign in its weighty viscosity. Savory dried herbs and green leaf notes build layers of complexity upon its tart fruit and floral core. Some of the worlds most revered Chardonnays come from the Burgundy region in France, but regions in Italy, the United States, Chile, Argentina, Australia, and New Zealand also produce good Chardonnay as well. The final result of a chardonnay wine is strongly dictated by where it grows: the soil, weather and climate.
Like a delicious lemon tart, this Chardonnay invites with sweet, zesty, citrus aromas. Michelle wine encapsulates the type of Chardonnay thats associated with this nation. Bright acidity cuts through each sip, bringing stone fruit and white flowers to the fore once more. In the fridge, an opened bottle of Chardonnay will be good for about one week. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Talk about a steal: This is a barrel-fermented, Napa Valley Chard that comes in at less than $25. There are flavors of peach, apple and butter pecan. Produced from 100 percent estate fruit, native yeasts propel fermentation, while the majority of aging takes place in French and Austrian oak. Their refreshing 2018 Family Select was aged for ten months in French oak barrels, culminating as one of the top bottles representing the region, variety and vintage. Vigilance Chardonnay - Save 60%, INSIDER DEAL! Oaky and lemony with great minerality, there are notes of pear, citrus and vanilla. For a deeper dive, you could hardly do better than with the Domaine Albert Bichot whose founding dates back to 1831, but whose family lineage in the Burgundy region dates back all the way to the mid-1300s.
Jonathan Cristaldi has written about wine and spirits for over a decade.
Its the best because it has incorporated the oak so seamlessly. 
You can always trust Louis Latour to pack a wallop with their esteemed Burgundy wines.
The experience is layered the longer it lingers; creamy, full-bodied, jammy.
Rating: 89. Rating: 88. ), 2014 - 2022 VinePair Inc. Made In NYC. Read our, Best Overall: 2018 Benovia Chardonnay Russian River, Best Under $50: 2018 Flora Springs Family Select Chardonnay, Best Under $100: 2017 Maison Champy Pernand-Vergelesses En Caradeux Premier Cru, Best Splurge: 2010 Marcassin Vineyard Chardonnay, Runner-Up Best Splurge: 2013 Louis Latour Bienvenues-Btard-Montrachet Grand Cru, Best California: 2017 Baileyana Firepeak Chardonnay, Runner-Up Best California: 2018 Landmark Overlook Chardonnay, Best Australian: 2017 Vasse Felix Heytesbury Chardonnay, Best French: 2017 Domaine du Pavillon Meursault Premier Cru 'Les Charmes', Best New Zealand: 2017 Dog Point Chardonnay, Best Oaked: 2018 William Hill Napa Valley Chardonnay, Runner-Up Best Oaked: 2016 Stonestreet Upper Barn Chardonnay, Best Unoaked: 2018 Morgan Metallico Unoaked Chardonnay, The 13 Best Canned Wines to Drink in 2022, The 12 Best Merlot Wines to Drink in 2022, How Small Label Changes Can Spike or Sink Wine Sales, The 8 Best Oregon Pinot Noirs to Drink in 2022, The 13 Best Cheap Red Wines to Drink in 2022, Carmnre: What to Know and 5 Bottles to Try, Mourvdre: What to Know and 5 Bottles to Try, Chablis: What to Know and 7 Bottles to Try, Brut Champagne: What to Know and 5 Bottles to Try. Winemaker Lisa Valtenbergs makes the most of Stonestreets mountain terroir on the Black Mountain range of the Mayacamas.
Rating: 96. This is nutty, lemony and floral with a tender texture and sturdy structure. Average price: $23. Once youve opened a bottle of Chardonnay (or any wine, really), you should seal it as tightly as possible and store it in the refrigerator to keep it as fresh as possible. He covers wine for Liquor.com. Their Pernand-Vergelesses chardonnay benefits from the diverse soils of their hilly vineyards and the experience of many generations of winemakers. Bold, mildly acidic and with a rich complexity, it pairs well with seafood. Also worth mentioning is that this wine is a pretty great value. Even cheap chardonnays can be great, but shell out a few extra dollars and you will not be disappointed. Royally complex and under $50, this golden straw-colored bottle drinks like a wine twice its value.
Made using certified organic grapes, this California Chardonnay is partially fermented and aged in oak barrels but its profile remains fresh and fruity. The subtle fruit that presents itself is of the citrus variety, but the wonder of this wine lies in its gentle grip, confident body, and vibrant acidity. Cristaldi was named a "Wine Prophet" by Time Out New York for his witty and often avant-garde approach to wine education.
Well, congratulations, because youre in for an object of pure excess thats worth every penny. At 14.5 percent ABV, and with 96 percent of the wine encountering some form of oak, its an undoubtedly heady white.
This release is a wine club exclusive, but Balletto consistently produces excellent wines, so signing up might not be such a bad idea. A juggernaut of American winemaking, its somewhat fitting that this Chteau Ste. Simply put, this is one of the finest American Chardonnays available right now.
The palate provides a captivating exploration of minerality and texture. Minerals abound, painted with a nutty cashew brush. Rating: 89. Its just one of the factors that make Dog Point a top-dog chardonnay. Wispy minerals add to the ripe texture making for an extended and satisfying finish.
Each sip finishes with harmony and balance.
Its a little pricey but wine lovers and soil nerds will devour this one. The fruit flavor is strong with this one and its immensely satisfying, boasting a hearty finish on the way down.
Liquor.com uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Encapsulating that versatility and broad range of guises, this list features bottles from across the United States, and pays worthwhile visits to mainland Greece and the high altitudes of Argentinas Uco valley. It finishes with some spice notes. Santa Lucia Highlands, Central Coast, CA- Classic example of the big, bold, buttery style, produced by the Wagner family of Caymus fame. We've updated our Privacy Policy, which will go in to effect on September 1, 2022.
