California Chardonnay recommendations needed

[craig_v]

Here are my favorites…
Hanzell
Montelena
HDV
Arnot Roberts Watson

[Howard_Cooper]

Stony Hill

[Karen_Troisi]

Shafer Red Shoulder Ranch

[Joe_S]

more votes for:
– Ramey
– Liquid Farm

Would be votes if not for under $50 requirement:
– Littorai
– Ceritas
– Mt. Eden

[craig_v]

Forgot to add, under the radar and intriguing, Smith Madrone’s estate grown Chardonnay from old vines circa 1979.

[Peter_Petersen]

@bretrooks

Some of the Talley and Au Bon Climat bottlings should be good options (with a couple years of age, preferably). I’m not as familiar with recently-available vintages, but I’m sure others could chime in.

As good as ever, and I’ll and Ojai to the mix. What’s more, several of these are $25-35.

[Pat_Martin]

I’ll see your Ojai Chardonnay (terrific QPR) and raise you a Wind Gap Chardonnay.

[Warren_Taranow]

@Warren Taranow

Enfield Haynes
Liquid Farm White Hills

Cheers
Warren

@craig v

Here are my favorites…
Hanzell
Montelena
HDV
Arnot Roberts Watson

Oh! How could I have forgotten to add Arnot Roberts my the list? Both the Watson and Trout Gulch are amazing!

Cheers,
Warren

[Mike_Francisco]

@bretrooks

Some of the Talley and Au Bon Climat bottlings should be good options (with a couple years of age, preferably). I’m not as familiar with recently-available vintages, but I’m sure others could chime in.

+1 I know the wine glass should have white in it

[John_Glas]

Another vote for Ridge Estate as on sale I have seen as low as $40.

[Doug_Lee]

Ceritas and Rhys, although I am not sure if Rhys meets the 50.00 price limit.

[Scott_Brunson]

Copain

[Glenn_L_e_v_i_n_e]

@Doug Lee

Ceritas and Rhys, although I am not sure if Rhys meets the 50.00 price limit.

Ceritas certainly doesn’t but is worth the extra coin IMO.

[Mike_Maguire]

I rarely drink Chardonnay so take this with a grain of salt, but when I do it’s Peter Michael.

[Wes_Barton]

@Paul N i e l s e n

Hi guys,

I’d like to pick up a couple bottles of nicer chardonnay for the holiday weekend, something better than we normally keep on hand but that won’t break the bank. My budget is, say, $50 a bottle. Looking for something rich and flavorful without being a fruit bomb/cougar juice (e.g., Rombauer). As a point of reference, we like the entry level Newton chardonnay that sells for about $25. MacCrostie is another one we’ve enjoyed.

What’s out there that’s good for the money?

Thanks!

As the advice for what you should buy for last weekend continues to pour in, how did it go?

[Ken_Strauss]

@Mike Maguire

I rarely drink Chardonnay so take this with a grain of salt, but when I do it’s Peter Michael.

Agree!
Never had a bad bottle.
Way over the $$$ limit.

[John_Morris]

Having visited Ramey last week, I’ll cast another vote for their wines. The basic '14 RRV chardonnay is excellent and good value ($40 MSRP). The '14 Westside Farms (the inaugural vintage for this new estate property) and the '14 Hyde Vineyard were a notch up – really outstanding – and good value, relatively speaking, at $65 each MSRP.

[Jim_Hanlon]

@Paul N i e l s e n

Looking for something rich and flavorful without being a fruit bomb/cougar juice (e.g., Rombauer). As a point of reference, we like the entry level Newton chardonnay that sells for about $25. MacCrostie is another one we’ve enjoyed.

Seems like most replies have answered this question: What are your favorite California Chardonnays? But that ignores Paul’s statement that he likes “rich and flavorful” and his points of reference, Newton and MacCrostie.

In the “bigger but sorta balanced” school, I’d suggest Liquid Farm, Shafer, Walter Hansel, Brewer Clifton, and those types of wines. The Mount Eden grouping is a different school entirely, ditto Ceritas, Arnot Roberts, and many others mentioned.

[Mike_Maguire]

@Ken Strauss

@Mike Maguire

I rarely drink Chardonnay so take this with a grain of salt, but when I do it’s Peter Michael.

Agree!
Never had a bad bottle.
Way over the $$$ limit.

True, but like I said once or twice a year it’s Peter Michael.

[Peter_Kleban]

Another vote for Au Bon Climat SB County (I enjoyed both '13 and '15)