Despite a significant increase in the diversity of grape varieties available to consumers, Chardonnay remains the most widely planted white wine variety in California and the best-selling white wine in the United States.
In the 1990s, big-grained, fully ripe, oak-aged Chardonnays were popular, but over the last two decades, as balance, pure fruit, and acidity have been rediscovered, these “butter bombs” have fallen out of favor with many winemakers and consumers. But in tastings over the last few years, I’ve noticed something bothering me: too many wines have overpowering caramel, brown butter, and cream notes. Don’t get me wrong, these are technically well-done, but I feel like the excess masks the quality of the vineyard ingredients and fruit.
The wines I have selected for this column (regardless of price) are primarily from cooler regions and are wines that have a good balance of rich character and freshness, ripe fruit and minerality, and thus better reflect the character of the vineyard’s origin.
Try lemon, lime, apple, pear, orange, tangerine, peach, nectarine, melon and tropical fruit flavors. The taste is bright, refreshing, lively and energetic. Other accenting characteristics are listed below.
• Great Value: 2022 Presqu’ile Santa Barbara County ($22), honey, herbal notes; 2021 Mer Soleil Reserve Monterey ($24), almond, sweet spice notes; 2022 Chalk Hill Sonoma Coast ($25), toast, cinnamon notes; 2022 Sonoma-Cuter Sonoma Coast ($25), soft palate, light oak notes.
• Great value, more complex flavors: 2022 Davis Bynum River West Vineyard ($30), vegan butterscotch. 2021 Crossburn Sonoma Coast ($30), fermented in 100% stainless steel, stone-like flavors. 2021 Baretta Russian River ($32), nutty, elegant. 2022 Freemark Abbey Napa ($36), vanilla, baking spices. 2022 Stags Leap Wine Cellars “Calia” Napa ($36), warm spices. 2021 Sonoma Cutler “The Cutler” Russian River ($36), light vanilla, oak spices. 2022 Tully Estate San Luis Obspo ($38), fresh bread. 2022 Frank Family Carneros ($40), butterscotch. 2021 Dow Bodyguard Santa Barbara ($40), nutty, earthy. 2021 Valdemar Estates Columbia Valley ($40), floral, richly textured. 2022 Jordan Russian River ($42), mineral, hints of oak. 2021 Sonoma Cutler Dutton ($42), famous vineyard, clove, toast. 2022 Goosecross Carneros ($46), sharp, toasty, herbal.
• Key investments that will generate strong returns: 2021 Rodney Strong Reserve ($50), vanilla, baking spices; 2021 The Hilt Sta Rita Hills ($50), light butter, sea breeze; 2020 FEL “Savoy” Mendocino ($52), elegant, toasty; 2022 Mayacamas ($65), floral, opulent; 2021 Black Kite “Gap’s Crown” ($65), sea minerals, vanilla; 2022 McRostie Nightwing Petaluma Gap ($66), rich, ginger; 2021 Three Sticks “Origin” Durell ($70), sea salt, mouthwatering; 2021 Three Sticks “One Sky” Sonoma Mountain ($70), organic, light butter, electric. 2021 Inman Pratt Vine Hill Russian River ($73), nutmeg, hazelnut. 2021 Ramsgate Butcher ($74), rich flavor, ginger, butterscotch, steely minerality. 2019 Ramsgate El Diablo ($74), intense flavor, grilled pineapple, cardamom. 2021 Three Sticks Alana ($80), organic, rich, juicy, light toast. 2022 Odette Reserve Napa ($80), cashew, custard.
