| YEAR | WINE/DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ||
| 2008 | Alondra Middleridge Vineyard Mendocino Chardonnay WS 90 pts. | $15.99 | ||
| 2008 | Bacchant Luli Santa Lucia Highlands Chardonnay The 2007 Bacchant Luli Santa Lucia Highlands Chardonnay was a revelation upon its inaugural release last year. Great purity and balance, undergoing no malolactic fermentation in order to highlight the cool-climate fruit of the Santa Lucia Highlands. Bacchant is a collaboration between Master Sommelier Sara Floyd and Jeff Pisoni winemaker of Lucia Vineyards. They have just released the 2008 Bacchant Luli Chard and it cut from the same cloth as the 2007. Great delineation of Chardonnay fruit, with excellent balance and length, with a hint more ripeness than the 07. So often California Chardonnays are fatiguing after a few sips.This one keeps you coming back for more. RP 90 pts. | $21.50 | ||
| 2008 | Brewer-Clifton Mt Carmel Chardonnay IWC 92 pts. | $53.00 | ||
| 2008 | Brewer-Clifton Sea Smoke Santa Rita Hills Chardonnay IWC 93 pts. | $48.50 | ||
| 2008 | Brewer-Clifton Sweeney Canyon Santa Rita Hills Chardonnay IWC 91 pts. | $49.95 | ||
| 2008 | Lewis Napa Valley Chardonnay | $45.00 | ||
| 2008 | Lewis Russian River Valley Sonoma Chardonnay | $45.00 | ||
| 2008 | Lioco Sonoma County Chardonnay Lioco is the brainchild of Matt Licklider (a seasoned wine import specialist) and Kevin O'Connor (former wine director at Michelin Two-Star Spago-Beverly Hills), who wanted to create wines that emphasized a sense of place. The 2007 was a run-away hit. I had a glass at Michael Mina's new restaurant RN74 and was bowled over by its balance, intensity, and purity. No oak, but steel fermentation with wild yeast, with the Sonoma County fruit sourced from Russian River vineyards located in "creek bed soil". The 2008 is a slightly bigger, richer version, redolent of marmalade and baked pears yet with crisp acidity for backbone. | $17.99 | ||
| 2008 | Sanguis The Narrow & Straight The blend is 95% Chardonnay and 3% Viognier, sourced entirely from the Bien Nacido Vineyard. Bright gold with a lovely mineral nose, this is a rich, structured, complex Chardonnay with outstanding intensity. With flavors of Poire William, citrus, hazelnuts, and freshly baked madelines, this is a really impressive Chardonnay offering. | $57.95 | ||
| 2007 | Molnar Poseidon's Vineyard Carneros Chardonnay The 07 Chard is textbook Molnar, crisp apple and citrus notes with baking spices and a note of roasted marshmallow. There is a nice acidity and minerality, with a hint of char from the Kadar Hungarian oak barrels that the Molnars make at their own cooperage in Hungary. | $23.95 | ||
| 2006 | DeLoach OFS Russian River Valley Chardonnay This bottling from DeLoach, "Our Finest Selection," is sourced from a number of blue chip vineyards: the Norris Vineyard, in the Chalk Hill sub-appellation, lends floral notes brought on by its long, cool fermentation in stainless steel. The Ritchie and BCD Vineyards, from the heart of the Russian River Valley, bring richness and balance, while the fruit from the Reuling, Hawk Hill and Windmill Vineyards lend power, nerve and elegance. The 2006 has a bouquet that incorporates spicy aromatics along with floral, toasted and tropical notes. On the palate, the richness of the sur lie aged wine is joined by the raciness and expressiveness of the stainless steel portion to bring balance and length. This is great price on this wine. | $19.99 | ||
| 2007 | Hartford Court Four Hearts Russian River Chardonnay RP 91 pts. | $39.99 | ||
| 2006 | Kistler Hudson Los Carneros Chardonnay RP 93-95 pts. | $99.95 | ||
| 2006 | Sea Smoke Chardonnay | $185.00/magnum | ||
| 2006 | Stubbs Marin County Chardonnay Sophisticated, elegant, and complex, this Chardonnay is a shining example of the exciting wines coming out of Marin County. Orange rind and subtle tropical notes combine with bright acidity and a tempered use of oak. This wine develops a nice mineral component as it opens up in the glass. Dan Goldfield, the winemaker here, has crafted a real beauty. | $28.00 | ||
| 2006 | Waterstone Carneros Chardonnay This wine reflects all the qualities that make Carneros Chardonnay a fan favorite, pears and Granny Smith apples with nice balance and acidity. This is an elegant wine, showing more complexity then you find at this price point. | $17.50 | ||
| 2005 | Dehlinger Estate Chardonnay RP 93 pts. | $39.95 | ||
| 2005 | Peter Michael Ma Belle Fille Chardonnay RP 94-96 pts. |
$195.00/magnum | ||
| 2005 | Sans Permis Des Wayfarer Bien Nacido Vineyard Chardonnay If Thomas Rivers Brown has his hands on a wine project, I will perk up and take notice. This super-talented winemaker for Schrader, Maybach, Outpost, Hourglass, and Rivers-Marie also made some killer whites for Sans Permis. "Never heard of it you say?" Well, here's the skinny. SP was started by George Van Duzer, who knew Brown from their days working at Turley. The 2004 wines received gonzo reviews from Parker, but then the operation ran into financial trouble and went bankrupt. With a name meaning "without permit" I guess that outcome goes with the territory. The liquid assets were frozen, so to speak, in a temperature controlled storage facility. Originally priced at $40-$45, the 2005's are now being released at a hugely discounted price of $19.95 per bottle. Single vineyard Chardonnay from Durell and Bien Nacido Vineyards coupled with the genius of Thomas Brown for $19.95? Is there a better Chardonnay value out there? | $19.95 | ||
| 2005 | Sans Permis Mon Favori Nordique Durell Vineyard Chardonnay If Thomas Rivers Brown has his hands on a wine project, I will perk up and take notice. This super-talented winemaker for Schrader, Maybach, Outpost, Hourglass, and Rivers-Marie also made some killer whites for Sans Permis. "Never heard of it you say?" Well, here's the skinny. SP was started by George Van Duzer, who knew Brown from their days working at Turley. The 2004 wines received gonzo reviews from Parker, but then the operation ran into financial trouble and went bankrupt. With a name meaning "without permit" I guess that outcome goes with the territory. The liquid assets were frozen, so to speak, in a temperature controlled storage facility. Originally priced at $40-$45, the 2005's are now being released at a hugely discounted price of $19.95 per bottle. Single vineyard Chardonnay from Durell and Bien Nacido Vineyards coupled with the genius of Thomas Brown for $19.95? Is there a better Chardonnay value out there? | $19.95 |