Chardonnay has long been considered the world’s greatest white wine grape. Its reputation for greatness has been firmly established by the heights it has achieved as the dominant white grape of Burgundy and Champagne. This reputation is probably the first thing that has attracted producers in other wine regions. It also turns out that chardonnay, like cabernet sauvignon, has an ability to make consistent, good wine in many regions around the world.
Consumers, for their part, have made chardonnay the most popular wine of any color in the world. And who could blame them? When done right, the grape yields a wine with a rich, full body and intense fruit that is easily recognizable and readily enjoyable.
Even a lower priced chardonnay should deliver rich, ripe fruit flavors, usually citrus or tropical, often also apple or pear, and sometimes melon or fig. Beyond accurate varietal fruit and an easy drinking style, more money should buy more body, concentration and complexity – such as an array of aromas and flavors, including spicy or toasty oak, honey, butter, cream, vanilla, butterscotch or hazelnut. Most of the wines, especially at higher price ranges, are best drunk within 2-4 years of release. The best wines should bring all this and more – intense flavors and layers of complexity, good acidic backbone, and succulent texture – but balance richness and weight with structure and acidity. They should combine both the power and grace that define the elusive quality of finesse. Here you will also find many that can improve with age.
The downside of chardonnay’s immense popularity is the rush to satisfy consumer demand has led to ill-advised plantings and overproduction. The result is many lackluster and uninteresting wines, particularly at the lower price ranges but also at the higher price levels. Because chardonnay’s popularity has grown even as the quantity of mediocre wine has increased, it has become something of a sport among wine journalists to trash the grape and the consumers who flock to it. Although it is clear that a lot of people are drinking a lot of bad chardonnay, my goal here is only to point readers to quality wines that deliver real flavor for your money.
Fortunately, there are plenty of responsible producers who consistently make wines that deliver the goods. And, if my tastings are any indication, producers as a whole have improved their offerings considerably, mostly by better balancing their use of new oak, malolactic fermentation, and sur lie aging (on “the lees”) to compliment ripe fruit and good acidity. It wasn’t long ago that in an article like this, I was able to recommend less than half of the wines I tasted. This time, I am recommending more than three-fourths.
Most wines in this report are from California but there are a few from other locales. The wines are listed in order of my personal preference within categories but all wines are recommended. Those that are likely to improve over time are marked “Ageable.”
EXCEPTIONAL
2011 Stonestreet “Bear Point” ($55) – mountain grown fruit, native yeast, 100% barrel fermented (malolactic and sur lie)and aged (50% new) 10 months; amazingly complex with orange, lemon nectarine and pineapple fruit, a honeyedrichness and a broad, creamy palate but a crisp mouthfeel and finishes with a mineral lift; Ageable
2011 Stonestreet “Broken Road” Alexander Valley ($40) – mountain grown fruit, native yeast, 100% barrel fermented (malolactic and sur lie) and aged (47% new) 10 months; intense and concentrated, smoky oak and buttery notes overlay complex lemon and orange citrus, apple and tropical fruit with mineral notes delivered with a rich, creamy texture balanced with vibrant acidity; Ageable
EXCELLENT
2010 Patz & Hall “Hyde Vineyard” Carneros ($58) – native yeast, 100% malolactic and 52% barrel fermented and sur lie aged in barrel; toasty, buttery oak gives way to citrus, pear, tropical fruit, and stony notes over a fairly full, lush palate buttressed by strong acidity; Ageable
2011 Frank Family Vineyards Napa Valley ($35) – sourced from Frank Family’s Lewis Vineyard in Carneros, 100% barrel aged (one-third new) 10 months; juicy fruit of apple, citrus, apricot, and pineapple, caramel hazelnut oak spices and creamy texture balanced with fresh acidity, crisp finish
2011 Patz & Hall “Hudson Vineyard” Carneros ($55) – native yeast, 100% malolactic fermentation in barrel, barrel aged sur lie (55% new); oaky and buttery, with a lush palate but nicely balanced with lifted pear, tangerine and tropical fruit, and a rich but crisp texture
2011 Stonestreet Upper Barn ($75) – mountain grown fruit, native yeast, 100% barrel fermented (malolactic and sur lie) and aged (50% new) 10 months; opens with lush tropical fruit but powerful lemony acidity quickly asserts itself in this deeply concentrated and rich wine notable for its big, broad aromas and flavors that some may find overblown, while others may appreciate its intensity; Ageable
2011 Chappellet Napa Valley ($35) – sourced from cooler vineyards in southern Napa, 100% barrel aged on sur lie 8 months (one-third new); nice tropical notes, with a suggestion of toast and sweet oak precede a rounded texture, a bit of woody bitterness complimented by citrus, and tropical fruit, finishes light on its feet but lingers nicely
2011 Buty “Conner Lee Vineyard” Columbia Valley ($40) – initial fermentation in barrel sur lie, malolactic fermentation and aged in concrete, yields caramel apple leading into pear, pineapple and lemon fruit, elegant palate, balanced and supple rich finishes with juicy acidity.
2011 Patz & Hall “Dutton Ranch” Russian River Valley ($42) – native yeast, 100% malolactic fermentation in barrel (35% new) and barrel ages sur lie; Patz & Hall excels at the rich and oaky style and this one lavishes juicy pineapple, citrus, and pear with butter and cream but again offers ample acidity to keep it all together.
VERY GOOD
2011 Sequoia Grove Napa Valley ($28) – from Carneros fruit, stainless and barrel fermented (no malolactic), barrel aged 8 months sur lie; fine and firm, lively but well mannered, with citrus, orange, honey, toast and mineral notes, fresh and juicy
2011 La Crema Russian River Valley ($30) –100% barrel fermented (32% new) and malolactic fermentation, barrel aged 8½ months sur lie; quite aromatic with very nice lemon and crème brulee, clean, deep citrus and peach wrapped in fresh cream, fairly full and rich, ripe but well-balanced; Ageable
2010 Craggy Range “Kidnappers” Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand ($21) – native and inoculated yeast, stainless and barrel fermented and barrel aged 5 months; zesty citrus and tropical fruit meet a touch of oak and a suggestion of crushed nuts
2011 Kendall-Jackson “Grand Reserve” ($22) –100% barrel aged (one-third new) sur lie; from Santa Barbara and Monterey fruit, nice citrus and tropical fruit wrapped in light butterscotch with a touch of toasty oak
2011 Talbott “Sleepy Hollow Vineyard” Santa Lucia Highlands ($42) –100% barrel fermented and aged (30% new) sur lie 11 months; touches of sweet oak compliment concentrated apple, tropical and citrus fruit and mouthwatering acidity; Ageable
2010 Matanzas Creek Sonoma County ($26) – 100% barrel fermented (including malolactic) and aged (30% new) 10 months; nice mix of citrus and creamy oak, hint of butter, tight citrus in the mouth, an intriguing bitterness in middle, but a seamless texture
2011 Patz & Hall Sonoma Coast ($38) – native yeast, 100% barrel fermented and aged (40% new) 7 months; juicy citrus and tropical fruit, buttery aroma, creamy texture, and a fresh finish
2011 Francis Ford Coppola Winery “Director’s Cut” Russian River Valley ($21) – 100% barrel fermented (including malolactic) and aged (30% new) sur lie; citrus and baking spices are followed by a flavorful, sumptuous palate and a bright finish
2011 Talbott “Logan” Santa Lucia Highlands ($24) – a less expensive version of Sleepy Hollow Vineyard, 80% barrel fermented (20% stainless) and barrel aged 10 months; bright citrus, light cream, lemon merengue, touch of spice, rather firm and intense, quite a mouth impact, solid impact
2011 Davis Bynum “River West Vineyard” Russian River Valley ($30) – 100% barrel fermented (including malolactic) and aged (30% new) sur lie; toasty oak and vanilla, with grilled pineapple introduce a nice creamy entry, with butterscotch, but also lively dance on tip of the tongue, Barrel fermented full malolactic fermentation
2010 Grgich Hills Estate Grown Napa Valley ($42) – from organic and biodynamic American Canyon and Carneros fruit, native yeast, 100% barrel fermented (no malolactic) and aged (40% new) 10 months; citrus and pear fruit with solid backbone and crisp finish, a refreshing alternative to the big, buttery style
2010 Byron “Nielsen Vineyard” Santa Maria Valley ($32) – native yeast, 100% barrel fermented (including malolactic) and aged (40% new) sur lie 12 months; nicely aromatic citrus, mango and orange, with a buttery note, good balance of fruit and acid; Ageable
2012 Freemark Abbey Napa Valley ($30) – stainless steel fermentation (including malolactic), barrel aged (15% new) 4 months; very fresh lemon and orange aromas and flavors, light touch and juicy palate
2011 “Charm Acres”, Sonoma Coast ($21) – 100% barrel fermented (no malolactic) and aged (25% new) sur lie 8 months; citrus and pear fruit, with a spicy note followed by an intense and mango and a touch of minerality
2012 Kendall-Jackson “Avant” ($17) – 54% stainless and 46% barrel fermented (partial malolactic) and aged (30% new) 10 months; citrus and floral notes throughout, lots of juicy fruit and a full body
2012 Kendall-Jackson “Vintner’s Reserve” ($17) – 100% barrel fermented (including malolactic) and aged sur lie; citrus and cream in nose and mouth, juicy, creamy texture, light spice in finish
GOOD
2010 Amapola Creek “Jos. Balli Vineyards” Sonoma Valley ($35) – light pear, citrus and oak and a lush texture
2011 La Crema Monterey County ($20) – Arroyo Seco fruit, tangy citrus and tropical fruit, light butterscotch
2011 Stoller “Reserve” Dundee Hills, Oregon ($35) – pleasant lemon, toast and oak, light, crisp, strong-tight citrus spine
2011 Rodney Strong “Chalk Hill Estate” Sonoma County ($22) – fresh, citrus, and orange, oily texture carries nice fruit
2011 Landmark “Overlook” ($25) – juicy tropical fruits, touch of cream with orange essence, creamy texture
2011 J. Lohr “October Night” Arroyo Seco ($25) – pineapple and some lemon with butter and cream, nice lush texture
2011 Rodney Strong Sonoma County ($22) – butter, pineapple, touch of brown spice, light, fruity, spicy aftertaste
2012 Arrowood Sonoma County ($21) – lemon wrapped with oaky, buttery cloak with vanilla, tropical fruit, nicely balanced
2011 Byron Santa Maria Valley ($27) – nutty, creamy, toasty aromas followed by fig and honey flavors
2011 J. Lohr “Riverstone” Arroyo Seco ($14) – rather firm, a buttery note, decent citrus, touch of butterscotch in finish
2011 Jordan Russian River Valley ($30) – lightly creamy, oaky notes combine with pineapple and tart citrus in a lean frame
2011 Lange Twins Clarksburg ($15) – white plum, honey, smoke, soft and fruity, lingering finish
2011 Edna Valley Vineyards “Paragon Vineyard” ($12) – butterscotch, caramel, lemon merengue, light cream, fat and soft
2011 Talbott “Kali Hart” Estate Grown ($20) – nice tropical aromas, sugary overlay, somewhat light but tasty, a slight vegetal finish
2011 Clos LaChance Chardonnay Monterey County ($11) – toasty pineapple with touch of spice, bright citrusy flavors
2011 Matchbook “Old Head” Dunnigan Hills ($15)– fresh apple and lively tropical fruits
2011 Cambria “Katherine’s Vineyard” Estate Bottled Santa Maria Valley ($22) – a smoky, charred character, strong citrus in nose and mouth,
2011 Dark Horse California ($8) – lemon, toasty notes, with licorice scents
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