Best domestic Chardonnay?

[Scott_Brunson]

Not blend, Cameron’s estate vineyard next to the winery

But with some Pinot Blanc (and I’ve seen hints of a few Italians too)

There may be a little Pinot Blanc in the Chardonnay, but not very much, if any. Most of the Pinot Blanc gets thrown in with the Italian varietals that go into Guiliano.

BTW, both Clos Electrique and X Novo are vineyards planted in multiple clones and selections that are expected to ripen differently but be harvested together.

Thnx

[Howard_Cooper]

Dave Ramey’s Hyde (and other single-vineyards) deserve more notice.

I cannot add this to my list because I have never tasted it.

[M_Dildine]

I forgot to mention a couple of other goodies … Rivers Marie and Dehlinger.

[Sean_S]

The Ceritas ones are all good, but the Ceritas Zephyr vineyard is the best one out of all them, in my opinion.

I’m partial to the Peter Martin Ray and Trout Gulch (both local SCM sites near my house) but I need to try the Zephyr.

Let’s talk QPR for a second because I love Ceritas and Rhys but not in the QPR Champion Realm:

Best QPR Chardonnay in America:
Cameron Dundee Hills < $20
Goodfellow RR, Dundee Hills just over $20, or the WV just under $20
Vincent: all of em ~$20
Le Petit Paysan: Jack’s Chardonnay. 21$ retail, 19$ wine club or case price.

Who else makes a kickass Chablis or White Burg competitor for ~$20

Overall best value to me: Goodfellow Richards Cuvee ~ $45

and just realized I forgot Ladd Cellars and Model Farm. Edited my original post to reflect my brain fart

Sean

[RichardFlack]

Best domestic Chardonnay? Hmmmm. Well speaking personally, Hard to say, but Bachelder Wingfield Ouest would be up there and perhaps Exultet The Blessed.

Oh wait, where are we?

[M_Dildine]

The Ceritas ones are all good, but the Ceritas Zephyr vineyard is the best one out of all them, in my opinion.

I’m partial to the Peter Martin Ray and Trout Gulch (both local SCM sites near my house) but I need to try the Zephyr.

Let’s talk QPR for a second because I love Ceritas and Rhys but not in the QPR Champion Realm:

Best QPR Chardonnay in America:
Cameron Dundee Hills < $20
Goodfellow RR, Dundee Hills just over $20, or the WV just under $20
Vincent: all of em ~$20
Le Petit Paysan: Jack’s Chardonnay. 21$ retail, 19$ wine club or case price.

Who else makes a kickass Chablis or White Burg competitor for ~$20

Overall best value to me: Goodfellow Richards Cuvee ~ $45

and just realized I forgot Ladd Cellars and Model Farm. Edited my original post to reflect my brain fart

Sean

I’m a big fan of Le Petit Paysan “Jack’s” Chardonnay

[Sean_S]

The Ceritas ones are all good, but the Ceritas Zephyr vineyard is the best one out of all them, in my opinion.

I’m partial to the Peter Martin Ray and Trout Gulch (both local SCM sites near my house) but I need to try the Zephyr.

Let’s talk QPR for a second because I love Ceritas and Rhys but not in the QPR Champion Realm:

Best QPR Chardonnay in America:
Cameron Dundee Hills < $20
Goodfellow RR, Dundee Hills just over $20, or the WV just under $20
Vincent: all of em ~$20
Le Petit Paysan: Jack’s Chardonnay. 21$ retail, 19$ wine club or case price.

Who else makes a kickass Chablis or White Burg competitor for ~$20

Overall best value to me: Goodfellow Richards Cuvee ~ $45

and just realized I forgot Ladd Cellars and Model Farm. Edited my original post to reflect my brain fart

Sean

I’m a big fan of Le Petit Paysan “Jack’s” Chardonnay

Not, sure why I doesn’t get more love. Its darn good and at $20 a great value. Had the Sauv Blanc the other night and it was exceptional as well.

Sean

[lleichtman]

We drink a lot of Ceritas and Stony Hill Chardonnay though getting into several small production Oregon Chards as well. Drinking Ayoub Chardonnay tonight.

[Marcus_Goodfellow]

Not blend, Cameron’s estate vineyard next to the winery

But with some Pinot Blanc (and I’ve seen hints of a few Italians too)

There may be a little Pinot Blanc in the Chardonnay, but not very much, if any. Most of the Pinot Blanc gets thrown in with the Italian varietals that go into Guiliano.

BTW, both Clos Electrique and X Novo are vineyards planted in multiple clones and selections that are expected to ripen differently but be harvested together.

As is the Chardonnay from Whistling Ridge that produces the Richard’s.

[James_Lyon]

But with some Pinot Blanc (and I’ve seen hints of a few Italians too)

There may be a little Pinot Blanc in the Chardonnay, but not very much, if any. Most of the Pinot Blanc gets thrown in with the Italian varietals that go into Guiliano.

BTW, both Clos Electrique and X Novo are vineyards planted in multiple clones and selections that are expected to ripen differently but be harvested together.

As is the Chardonnay from Whistling Ridge that produces the Richard’s.

Yeah, Rick A. always beats me to it. I was fairly certain that Clos Electrique was a blend of multiple clones and selections like X Novo (and Whistling Ridge via Marcus G.). Would multiple clones and selections be considered a Massale?

Speaking of Mo, we enjoyed a 2016 Ayoub Chardonnay last weekend. Definitely amped up on the second night.

I have little experience with California Chardonnay, but there are a handful of Oregon producers that should be considered for “Best domestic Chardonnay.” Hard to pick a favorite, but a short list would include the folks mentioned above and add Arterberry Maresh and Crowley to the previous recommendations.

James

[MattBerto]

As I person who does not really like most Oregon chards, I’d put Antica Terra chards in my top 5 domestic.

[TGigante]

I’m partial to the Peter Martin Ray and Trout Gulch (both local SCM sites near my house) but I need to try the Zephyr.

Let’s talk QPR for a second because I love Ceritas and Rhys but not in the QPR Champion Realm:

Best QPR Chardonnay in America:
Cameron Dundee Hills < $20
Goodfellow RR, Dundee Hills just over $20, or the WV just under $20
Vincent: all of em ~$20
Le Petit Paysan: Jack’s Chardonnay. 21$ retail, 19$ wine club or case price.

Who else makes a kickass Chablis or White Burg competitor for ~$20

Overall best value to me: Goodfellow Richards Cuvee ~ $45

and just realized I forgot Ladd Cellars and Model Farm. Edited my original post to reflect my brain fart

Sean

I’m a big fan of Le Petit Paysan “Jack’s” Chardonnay

Not, sure why I doesn’t get more love. Its darn good and at $20 a great value. Had the Sauv Blanc the other night and it was exceptional as well.

Sean

Up on Invino now along with the rose

[Dan_Kravitz]

I’ve had about half of the ones mentioned so far.

Among those, Mount Eden is the hands-down winner. I’ve had about 20 vintages. I’ve had them at 5 years and at 25 years. I’ve never had one too old. I’ve never had one so young that it wasn’t already enjoyable.

Dan Kravitz

[Marcus_Goodfellow]

With all the recent Walter Scott hype + this thread, I picked up a 2018 Walter Scott Chardonnay La Combe Verte at Grapes the Wine Company in White Plains. Let’s see what all the fuss is about.

dh

That’s a killer entry level wine, but you need to check out the Cuvee Anne and Ex Novo to see what the fuss is really about.

[jgreco]

The best four in California are Aubert, Peter Michael, Morlet, and Kistler. People also put Marcassin up there.

For Oregon I like Walter Scott, Antica Terra, and Lingua Franca.

[Diane_Kessler]

Rhys and Ceritas make some of the most compelling Chardonnay with a little bit of age.

[Scott_Tallman]

Blend?
Gonna throw a bottle into a blind tasting to mess with people when our group can meet again.

And for me, Ceritas.
I hate the over-ripe, over-extracted, over-oaked Chards.

Not blend, Cameron’s estate vineyard next to the winery

But with some Pinot Blanc (and I’ve seen hints of a few Italians too)

In the vineyard, yes. Goes into Giovanni bottling, not into anything else

[Wes_Barton]

Mount Eden for me. Quite a few excellent ones these days from CA and OR. The best single bottle of mature CA Chard I’ve had was Arcadian. As a great wine at peak maturity, I haven’t had many white Burgs that showed better.

[Brian_Pinci]

Marcassin Marcassin Vineyard
Kongsgaard The Judge
Peter Michael Cuvee Indigene or Point Rouge
Aubert Lauren Estate
Kistler Cuvee Cathleen

[John_Morris]

Dave Ramey’s Hyde (and other single-vineyards) deserve more notice.

I cannot add this to my list because I have never tasted it.

They’re widely available.

They are definitely in a more traditional Californian style (not cooler zone, New Wave), but balanced and complex. Not flabby or overoaked or overripe.