At Yourwinestore.com, we're proud to offer a curated selection of delicious, sustainably-made wines, including amazing Chardonnays. With dozens of award-winning bottles available, we understand it can be overwhelming to choose. So, we've narrowed down a list of our top ten best Chardonnays from our collection. These recommendations range in price points to cater to every wine lover's budget and taste.
What makes the best Chardonnay wine? Chardonnays are distinguished by the quality of their grapes and the ideal growing conditions. The balance between acidity, fruitiness, and, if oaked, subtle oak notes, along with expert aging techniques, is what truly makes a Chardonnay shine, reflecting the winemaker’s skill in creating a memorable taste experience.
Chardonnay Quick Facts
• Origin: Chardonnay originated in Burgundy, France, and is now grown worldwide.
• Flavor Profile: It ranges from green apple and citrus to tropical fruits and, in oaked versions, vanilla and butter.
• Body and Texture: Chardonnay can be light and crisp or full-bodied and creamy.
• Acidity: It typically has medium to high acidity, adding freshness and versatility.
• Aging Potential: Unoaked Chardonnays are best enjoyed young, while oaked Chardonnays can age gracefully.
• Pairing Versatility: It pairs well with a range of dishes, from seafood and salads to creamy pastas and roasted meats.
• Popular Regions: Key regions include Burgundy (France), Napa Valley (California), and the Yarra Valley (Australia).
Our List of the 10 Best Chardonnay for Every Price Point
Choosing the perfect Chardonnay can be challenging, especially with so many exceptional options available. To help you find the ideal bottle without breaking the bank, we’ve curated a list of ten standout Chardonnays across various price ranges, each offering its unique qualities and great value. Let's dive into our list!
Best Chardonnay Under $20
Affordable yet exceptional, these Chardonnays deliver bright, refreshing flavors that prove you don't need to break the bank to enjoy a delightful glass of wine.
1. Kendall-Jackson | Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay
What It Tastes Like: Aromas of tropical citrus and vanilla, with flavors of tropical fruits, citrus, mango, toasted oak, and butter.
Food Pairings: Pair with salmon, grilled chicken breast, fettuccine alfredo, and fish tacos.
Why We Chose It For The List: America's #1 Chardonnay is surprisingly cost-effective. This wine set the style guide for all California Chardonnays. It's the perfect balance of acidic citrus, with just enough oak notes to give a smooth mouthfeel but not overpower the fruit flavors. Best of all, with its user-friendly price point, you can easily justify getting a case of this popular bottle.
2. Nielson | Santa Barbara County Chardonnay
What It Tastes Like: Aromas of citrus blossom and pineapple, with flavors of citrus, honey, and a subtle hint of salinity.
Food Pairings: Pair with caesar salads, fish tacos, and lemon-roasted chicken.
Why We Chose It For The List: This Chardonnay comes from vines planted in 1964. The vines are unique because they are Wente clones. They are known to produce a mix of big and small berries. The larger berries add ripe, fruity notes, while the smaller ones bring a refreshing dash of acidity. It's a balanced and tasty Santa Barbara Chardonnay that's easy to sip on warm days.
Best Chardonnay Under $30
These Chardonnays strike a perfect balance between quality and value, offering complex notes and smooth finishes.
3. Diatom | Santa Barbara Chardonnay
What It Taste Like: Aromas of lemon, citrus blossom, and wet stone, alongside flavors of saline and white peach.
Food Pairings: Pair with sushi, roasted halibut, oysters, and crab.
Why We Chose It For The List: If you're all about that unoaked Chardonnay life, this Chardonnay by Greg Brewer is for you! He ferments it in stainless steel tanks, so the wine has a crisp, light, and fruit-forward profile. It's perfect with spicy food because it slices right through those spicy notes. Seriously, it's a game-changer for the "I don't like Chardonnay" crowd.
4. La Crema | Sonoma Coast Chardonnay
What It Tastes Like: Flavors of apricot, apple, oak, lemon, and stone fruit. Overall, balanced with a rich texture and lingering finish.
Food Pairings: Pair with Dungeness crab cakes, grilled chicken skewers, polenta, and grilled salmon.
Why We Chose It For The List: La Crema has always focused on sourcing from the best vineyards to create truly swoon-worthy wines. Their Sonoma Coast Chardonnay receives consistent praise from critics year after year, and its surprisingly low price may have you doing a double-take (no, it's not a typo). This wine is sure to delight any crowd.
Best Chardonnay Under $50
Discover Chardonnays that showcase exquisite craftsmanship and depth, making each sip a sophisticated journey through well-balanced and nuanced flavors.
5. Freemark Abbey | Napa Valley Chardonnay
What It Tastes Like: Notes of Fuji apples, Bosc pears, and lemon curd. Accents of butterscotch and vanilla bean add complexity.
Food Pairings: Complements roasted chicken with lemon and herbs, creamy pasta dishes (like Alfredo or carbonara), grilled shrimp, and aged Gouda.
Why We Chose It For The List: Freemark Abbey's Chardonnay is not just any wine, it's a taste of Napa Valley's rich history. This winery was one of the earliest bonded wineries in California and the first to have a female vintner, Josephine Tychson. In 1976, Freemark Abbey was one of only 12 American wineries to compete in the Judgment of Paris, and it was the only one that entered both a red and a white wine. With a history spanning over 100 years, this winery is clearly doing things right.
6. Penner-Ash | Willamette Valley Chardonnay
What it Taste Like: Aromas of white flower, vanilla, and spicy oak with flavors of orange blossom and ripe pear.
Food Pairings: Pair with Halibut fish and chips.
Why We Chose it for the List: This Chardonnay is a true reflection of Oregon's Willamette Valley. With just the right balance of spice and fruit notes, it's crisp and food-friendly, making it the perfect wine for foodies.
Best Chardonnay Under $75
Explore Chardonnays that present a refined elegance and rich complexity, perfect for those seeking a premium experience that’s still surprisingly accessible.
7. Copain | Skycrest Vineyard Chardonnay
What it tastes like: Flavors of Meyer lemon, green pear, and Granny Smith apple.
Food Pairings: Pairs nicely with herb-marinated pork tenderloin, mushroom risotto, baked salmon, and creamy goat cheese.
Why we chose it for the List: There's a lot to like about this wine. It's crisp yet textured. Acidic yet firm. Vibrant yet approachable. But what really sets it apart is what goes on behind the scenes: the winemaker, Ryan, isn't just any winemaker—he's a skateboarder who swapped grinding rails for grinding grapes. His approach to winemaking is all about minimal intervention. He uses just a few ingredients so the grapes can show off their unique qualities. If you're someone who likes to know exactly what's in your glass, this wine is definitely for you.
8. Matanzas Creek | Journey Chardonnay
What It Tastes Like: Aromas of marmalade, white lily, and marshmallow, with flavors of grilled peach and pineapple.
Food Pairings: Pair with butternut squash soup, ricotta ravioli, seared salmon, and sweet potato fries.
Why We Chose It for the List: The winemaker behind Matanzas Creek, Marcia Torres Forno, is involved in the winemaking process for the Journey bottles well before the grapes even start to grow. She picks the crème de la crème of vineyard sites and then selects the perfect rows of vines from those vineyards once the grapes grow. After the grapes are fermented and the wine is in barrels, she narrows down the blend by choosing the best barrels. It's a labor-of-love process that pays off every vintage.
Best Splurge-Worth Chardonnay Under $150
Indulge in top-tier Chardonnays that offer depth and character, crafted with precision and care to provide an unforgettable tasting experience for discerning palates.
9. Stonestreet Estate | Broken Road Vineyard Chardonnay
What It Tastes Like: Flavors of ripe white peach, lemon tart, and poached pear combine with crème brûlée, ginger, white tea, and minerality.
Food Pairings: Matches well with buttery lobster, roasted vegetables, grilled white fish, and soft brie cheese.
Why We Chose It for the List: Stonestreet was founded to showcase the amazing California vineyards and the age-worthy expressions of Cabernet Sauvignon AND Chardonnay. Chardonnay has been their specialty since the beginning. This wine has a lively personality with nuances and depth that are indescribable. Its high elevation and special marine-influenced soils play a significant role in its exceptional quality.
10. La Jota | W.S. Keyes Chardonnay
What It Tastes Like: Aromas of white peach, orchard fruit, jasmine, and almond. Flavors of mineral-drenched red and green apples, maple butter, white pepper, and toast.
Food Pairings: Pairs with scallops, crab and lobster, bone-in pork chop, and triple crème cheese.
Why We Chose It for the List: The complexity and depth of this Chardonnay make it stand out. Its blend of fruit, floral, savory, and spice notes is balanced with energy and richness. It will create a memorable experience that will etch into your psyche. It is a splurge-worthy must-have you'll never forget.
Start Tasting the Best Chardonnay
To be honest, we had a hard time choosing just ten for our list. However, we figured this is a good starting point if you're new to the world of Chardonnay or looking to explore further. Whether you prefer fuller, more savory notes or crisper, fruit-forward ones, there is a Chardonnay that suits your taste. So, start tasting different styles and find your new favorite bottle.
FAQs
What styles of Chardonnay are there?
- Unoaked & Stainless Steel: Unoaked Chardonnay and Chardonnays fermented in Stainless have crisp acidity and prominent fruit flavors:
- Carmel Road
- K-J Avant
- Copain Les Voisins
- Oaked Chardonnay: Chardonnay aged in oak barrels takes on characteristics like vanilla, butter, and toast from the wood barrel. This style tends to be richer and creamier:
- Gran Moraine
- Capensis Silene Chardonnay
- Dakel
What food does Chardonnay pair well with?
Chardonnay's versatility makes it a great choice for many dishes. Here are some general guidelines:
- Unoaked Chardonnay: Pairs well with lighter fare like salads, fish, and shellfish.
- Oaked Chardonnay: Complements richer dishes like risotto, creamy pasta, and savory pies.
What are some good Chardonnay regions?
Because Chardonnay thrives in various climates, there's no single region to focus on. This diversity means there are countless delicious styles to explore! Trying bottles from different states, regions, and countries might reveal a new favorite.
Here are some Chardonnay Regions you can explore at YourWineStore:
How long can I store Chardonnay?
Unoaked Chardonnays are best enjoyed young (within a few years of the vintage). Oaked Chardonnays, especially those from prestigious vineyards, can age well for several years because they are designed to develop more complex flavors over time.
What should I look for on a Chardonnay label?
The label can tell you a lot about the wine. Look for:
- Vintage: The year the grapes were harvested.
- Region: Where the grapes were grown.
- Back label descriptor: May offer tasting notes.
What are the best cheeses to pair with Chardonnay?
The best cheeses for Chardonnay depend on how the wine was aged and produced.
Unoaked & Stainless Steel Chardonnay:
These Chardonnays are lighter-bodied and have bright acidity. They pair well with mild, semi-soft cheeses that won't overpower the wine's delicate flavors. Here are some options:
- Goat cheese (chèvre)
- Feta cheese
- Havarti cheese
- Mozzarella cheese
- Monterey Jack cheese
Oaked Chardonnay:
Oaked Chardonnays go through a period of aging in oak barrels, which impart richer flavors like vanilla, butter, and toast. They can handle creamier and bolder cheeses. Here are some good pairings:
- Brie cheese
- Camembert cheese
- Comté cheese (French Gruyère-style)
- Gruyère cheese
- Gouda cheese (especially aged Gouda)