Gold Medal, Frey Chardonnay 2018(various California) $15BEST VALUEFor this wine, “certified organic” grapes (made without the addition of sulfites) were fermented and aged in stainless steel, with the addition oak staves for a brief time during aging.Aroma: Ripe Golden apples, apple juice, pear, figs, lychee, gooseberry, banana, bubblegum, nutty, mineral oil, ashes, fire ashes.Palate: White grapes, melon, cantaloupe, pomelo, juicy, jammy, florals, nutty, stone, acidic, tannic, fire ashes, green oak, oaky, buttery, soft, silky mouthfeel.Finish: Fresh sliced lemon, light apple, bubble gum, vanilla, heavy tannins, fire ash, cedar notes, oak, complex, rounded, soft.Gold Medal, Thomas George Estates 2017 ChardonnayStarr Ridge Estate Single Vineyard(Russian River Valley, Sonoma County) $40For this wine, 100% Chardonnay grapes from the Starr Vineyard were fermented in 25% new French oak barrels (90%) or stainless steel (10%), then aged on its lees (wasted yeast) for 10 months before bottling.Aroma: Mango, unripe peaches, unripe nectarines, apple, Korean pear, melon, bergamot, citrus, lemon macaroon, vanilla, toasted flowers, musty, smoky, bright.Palate: Lemon, Meyer lemon, unsweetened lemon, green apple, pear, melon, unripe nectarine, white peach, apricot, mint, leather, oaky, clean.Finish: Lemon, citrus, lingering peach, melon, grassy, minerality, flint, oaky, fresh, super bright.Gold Medal, Line 39 Chardonnay 2018(various California) $11BEST VALUEFollowing harvest, this wine was fermented in stainless steel (85%) or French oak (15%) and then aged for 6 months in mostly French oak prior to bottling.Aroma: White peach, gooseberry, baked apples, tropical, soft orange, faint citrus, grassy, sweet clover, tannins, oaky, lightly buttery.Palate: Peach, white peach, sweet pear, apple, cantaloupe, tangerine, mandarin orange, lemon peel, soft lemon cream, honey, honeysuckle, vanilla, black pepper, some tannins, buttery, mellow.Finish: Peach, pear, gooseberry, juicy, grassy, delicate, silky, smooth, beautiful.Gold Medal, SILVER MEDAL WINNERSElaine 2017 Chardonnay Calypte VineyardEstate Grown(Russian River Valley, Sonoma County) $50Made from hand-harvested grapes that were fermented using native yeast, this wine was aged in new French oak (50%) prior to bottling.Aroma: Apricots, mango, coconut, red apple, quince, citrus, honeysuckle, vanilla blossom, spicy, malo, oak, buttery, crisp.Palate: Apples, green apple, pear, star fruit, lime, vanilla, almond, natural acidity, oaky, buttery, creamy, Burgundian.Finish: Hints of tropical fruits, light butter, light wood, bright, acidity, balanced, delicious. crisp apple, melon, grapefruit, citrus, lemon, lemon curd, lilac, mums, forsythia, floral, grassy, minerals.Palate: Pear, Bosc pear, sweet pear, apple, melon, peach, strawberry, pineapple, tangerine, lemon, spearmint, floral acidity, high acid, bright, slightly effervescent, good with spicy food.Finish: Pear, lychee, lemon, lime, citrus, oak, bright, crisp.Silver Medal, Frey Biodynamic Chardonnay 2018(Mendocino) $20This wine was made biodynamically using “certified organic” grapes that were fermented using natural, indigenous yeast, then aged in stainless steel with the addition of oak staves for a short time during the aging process.Aroma: Apple, slightly sweet crisp apples, apple cider, apple sauce, melon, hint of lemon, citrus, apricot, peach, macerated red fruit, white flowers, sparkling glera grape, prosecco.Palate: Green apple, juicy apples, apple cider, guava, peach, tamarind, lime, floral, oak, buttery, rich, bubbly, slightly frizzante.Finish: Apple, apple skin, tropical fruit, gardenia, like a chenin blanc, nice, easy, flavorful, refreshing.Silver Medal, Thomas George Estates 2017 ChardonnayCresta Ridge Single Estate(Russian River Valley, Sonoma County) $40Following harvest, grapes for this wine were pressed as whole clusters, fermented in either French oak barrels (90%) or stainless steel (10%), then aged on its lees (wasted yeast) in French oak barrels (25% new) or stainless steel for 11 months before bottling.Aroma: Pineapple, fresh sliced pineapple, tropical fruit, green apple, light melon, grapefruit, citrus, honey, floral, bright.Palate: Golden apple, green apple, lemony, fresh lemon, grapefruit, golden pineapple, pear, apricots, figs, tart, soft tannins, cedar, buttery, creamy.Finish: Green apples, lemon rind, citrus zest, citrus, honey suckle, earthy note, tannic, oak, toasty, well balanced, soft, beautiful.Silver Medal, Austerity 2017 Chardonnay(Arroyo Seco) $15Grown in a mix of gravelly and loamy soils, grapes for this wine were either barrel fermented (50%) and then aged in oak (65% French, 35% American) for 8 months or fermented (50%) in stainless steel and then aged in oak (50% French, 50% American) for 8 months.Aroma: White peach, pear, lemon, white flowers, perfume, black jelly beans, Angostura bitters, dusty, minerality, earthy, butter, oak.Palate: Lemon, lemon zest, pink grapefruit, grapefruit bitters, banana, Juicy Fruit gum, cinnamon, vanilla, buttery, oak.Finish: Lemon, cider, anisette, nutmeg, minerals, buttery, creamy.Silver Medal, Frey Sun & Rain Organic Chardonnay 2018(Mendocino) $16Made from “certified organic” grapes, this wine underwent fermentation and aging in stainless steel, with the addition of oak staves for a brief time during the aging process. Aroma: Mango, piña colada, coconut, tropical fruit, banana Laffy Taffy, gooseberry, pear, apple, green apple, citrus notes, earth, mossy, cedar, cut wood, buttery, soft, crisp.Palate: Apple, honey Gala apples, white peaches, light citrus, Sweet Tarts, lemon custard, almond, nutty, vanilla, buttery richness, oaky, heavy oak, cedar, nice wood integration, crisp.Finish: Pear, roasted pear, unripe pineapple, citrus, soft tannins, slightly smoky, toasty, cedar, soft, creamy, smooth. Chardonnay, a sweetish white wine, always manages to grab a prominent place among the top ten favorites of white wine enthusiasts, apart from the very obvious Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Pinot Blanc and White Zinfandel. An award-winning Chardonnay with characteristic oak and tropical fruit flavors, Angeline is a terrific value at only $10 a bottle. Give 2 Wine Spectator gift subscriptions for the price of 1 this holiday season. Over one hundred years ago, Chardonnay cuttings arrived from Montpellier, France. Aroma: Golden apple, Red Delicious apple, pear, sweet Anjou pear, 7 Up, bright citrus, peach, honey, Bit-o-Honey, caramel notes, pastry dough, green wood.Palate: Golden apple, Red Delicious apple, applesauce, pear, citrus, lime, lime peel, lime curd, peaches, pastry, cilantro, zesty, layers of flavors.Finish: Peach, ripe peach, pear, white grape, floral, cream note, buttery, toasty, soft tannins, smoky, balanced, zingy, rich.Silver Medal, Oceans Churning 2014 ChardonnaySangiacomo Green Acres Hills Vineyard(Carneros) $50Following night harvest, the wine was fermented using a special South African yeast in a stainless steel tank over 12 days, then aged for 14 months in 5-7 year-old French oak barriques before bottling.Aroma: Apple, green apple skins, white grape, peach, lemon, grassy, musty, forest floor, gentle oak, ash, toasted sugar.Palate: Apple, green apple, orange peel, citrus, yellow peach, floral, butter, minerals, musty, woody, bright acidity, zingy, zesty, striking.Finish: Lemon, citrus, deep apple skins, creamy, butter, mineral, wet flint, musty, sweet smoke, round, rich.Silver Medal, Harken Barrel Fermented Chardonnay 2018(Parlier, California) $12Following barrel fermentation, this wine was aged in American oak (60%) and French oak (40%) before bottling.Aroma: Vanilla, butterscotch, buttered popcorn, lemon, minerals, earthy notes, nice oak, beautiful.Palate: Mango, apricot, peach, melon, pear, ripe tropical fruits, yeasty, toasty, honey, caramel, creamy, butter, oak.Finish: Green apple, great lemon zest, orange peel, slight oak, buttery, nice, crisp.Silver Medal, BRONZE MEDAL WINNERSOceans Churning 2016 ChardonnaySangiacomo Green Acres Hills Vineyard(Sonoma Coast) $50Made from 100% Old Wente Clone grapes harvested at night, the juice was pressed as whole-clusters and fermented over 12 days in a stainless steel tank. The scoring was done on a 5-point system, with 5 as the highest. Buttery Chardonnay Brands Brand. We've tried & tested 27 wines from the shelves to find the best. Although it's less than $10, it tastes like it costs $100. Richness, depth and a refreshing sense of acidity. Rita Hills Barrel Select 2015, Chardonnay Sta. The Tasting: The Fifty Best held a “blind” tasting of 20 recent release California Chardonnay wines with a panel of 10 wine judges. All types of seafood, chicken, veal, pork are good pairings with Chardonnay. Silver Medal, Red Mare 2016 Chardonnay Dutton Ranch(Russian River Valley, Sonoma County) $48Following harvest, the grapes for this wine were pressed as whole clusters and fermented in 100% Burgundian barrels (15% new).Aroma: Meyer lemon peel, lemon curd, lemon meringue, citrus, lychee, pear, melon, spring flowers, malo, vanilla, creamy, crisp.Palate: Lemon, bright Meyer lemon peel, green apple, pears, jack fruit, mango, melon, orange, straw, doughy, bready, musty, high acid, crisp, tannin, touch of oak, creamy, vanilla.Finish: Meyer lemon, lemon rind, wet stone, malo, tannins, creamy, zingy, nice, soft.Silver Medal, Thomas George Estates 2017 ChardonnaySons and Daughters Ranch Estate(Russian River Valley, Sonoma County) $25Grapes (100% Chardonnay) for this wine were pressed as whole clusters, fermented and then aged (for 10 months before bottling) in either stainless steel tanks (69%) or concrete (31%) containers.Aroma: Apple. Gundlach-Bundschu Estate Vineyard Chardonnay 2018 (A) ($25) Creamy, balanced, and rich — this is how it’s done. Charles Shaw Chardonnay from California can't be called a terrific wine, but at about $2 per bottle, it is surprisingly drinkable. 1. A crisp but full texture. The order of service was established beforehand by lottery. Raymond 2017 Napa Valley Reserve Selection Chardonnay . Buttery Chardonnay. It’s dry, lean, and light, generally with white floral and citrus flavors. Chardonnay is an easy wine for food pairings because of its wide variety of styles, textures, levels of sweetness and natural acidity. Originating in Burgundy, France, Chardonnay is now one of the best known and most popular grape varieties in the world. But back in the early 1950s, James Zellerbach, a paper magnate and American ambassador to Italy, produced a Chardonnay at his Hanzell Vineyards in Sonoma Valley that had been aged in small French oak barrels. Each of the wines were poured into fresh glasses from new sealed bottles and served well chilled. It is also used in Italy to produce sparkling … California Chardonnay – To oak or not to oak?Chardonnays are not nearly what they once were. Weinstock Chardonnay Cellar Select White Wine | 750ml | California Ship wine today. Out of 379 California chardonnays our blind panels tasted over the past 12 months, here’s an array of great Best Buys from the Year’s Best California Chardonnays category in our October 2020 issue. French oak barrels arrived into American ports by the boatload, ordered by winemakers who felt that if new French oak was good enough for white Burgundy, it was good enough for them. © Copyright 2020 Wine Spectator. And that’s the beauty of California: no rules, few regulations, a wide range of terroirs and vintners willing to explore the possibilities while keeping a close eye on the market.What to look for in California Chardonnays? The wine is aged … Rita Hills Rancho Santa Rosa 2015, Chardonnay Sta. California. Here are some of the best California Chardonnay wines for your wine collection. 2015, Chardonnay Russian River Valley Ritchie Vineyard Middle Reach Vineyard Designate 2015, Chardonnay Russian River Valley Un-Filtered 2015, Chardonnay Santa Maria Valley Dierberg Vineyard 2014, Chardonnay Russian River Valley Ritchie Vineyard 2016, Chardonnay Carneros Singe Vineyard Reserve 2015, Chardonnay Russian River Valley DCV Estate Block 10 2016, Chardonnay Russian River Valley Kyndall's Reserve Dutton Ranch 2016, Chardonnay Green Valley of Russian River Valley Dutton Ranch Rued Vineyard 2015, Chardonnay Green Valley of Russian River Valley Dutton Ranch Walker Hill Vineyard 2015, Chardonnay Edna Valley Fleur de Edna Winemaker Series 2016, Chardonnay Edna Valley Heritage Winemaker Series 2015, Chardonnay Russian River Valley Olivet Lane 2015, Chardonnay Russian River Valley Luke's Grove 2015, Chardonnay Carneros Grace Benoist Ranch 2015, Chardonnay Santa Barbara County Lyric 2016, Chardonnay Coombsville Haynes Vineyard 2016, Chardonnay Napa Valley Hudson Vineyard 2016, Chardonnay Russian River Valley Keefer Ranch 2016, Chardonnay Russian River Valley Bacigalupi Vineyard 2015, Chardonnay Russian River Valley Olivet Lane Vineyard 2015, Chardonnay Russian River Valley Rochioli Vineyard 2015, Chardonnay Russian River Valley Rochioli-Allen Vineyards 2015, Chardonnay Russian River Valley Russian River Selection 2015, Chardonnay Russian River Valley Westside Farms 2014, Chardonnay Sonoma Valley Durell Vineyard 2015, Chardonnay Napa Valley Carneros Reserve 2016, Chardonnay Russian River Valley Dominique Vineyard Select Collection 2016, Chardonnay Russian River Valley Emelia's Cuvée Vineyard Select Collection 2016, Chardonnay Russian River Valley Tré Terre Vineyard Select Collection 2016, Chardonnay Sonoma Coast Frei Road Vineyard 2015, Chardonnay Sonoma Coast Lancel Creek Vineyard 2015, Chardonnay Sonoma Coast Silver Eagle Vineyard 2015, Chardonnay Sonoma County Mountain Estate Vineyard 2013, Chardonnay Napa Valley Family Select 2016, Chardonnay Russian River Valley Laguna West 2015, Chardonnay Russian River Valley Laguna West 2014, Chardonnay Sta. 2015, Chardonnay Sta pear and oak flavors often replacing less the popular varieties are sourced from cool coastal... 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