California Chardonnay Recommendations

[Howard_Cooper]

Mount Eden
Ceritas
Stony Hill
Kalin

I like MT Eden Chards, but i find them to be big, concentrated wines. Not buttery, but with some oak notes. In my opinion, more fruit, less mineral profile. Would you agree?

I don’t know of a California Chardonnay that is minerally. If you want minerally, I recommend buying Chablis.

[Dmytro_Marushkevych]

Mount Eden
Ceritas
Stony Hill
Kalin

I like MT Eden Chards, but i find them to be big, concentrated wines. Not buttery, but with some oak notes. In my opinion, more fruit, less mineral profile. Would you agree?

I don’t know of a California Chardonnay that is minerally. If you want minerally, I recommend buying Chablis.

Talley Chards are quite mineral. Also some of the Chards from Timbre (known in the past as La Fenetre).

[Dave_R]

Soliste (and their Pinot is even better)

[jtfriedman]

Sandhi for QPR. More burg in style.

[Wes_Barton]

Mount Eden
Ceritas
Stony Hill
Kalin

I like MT Eden Chards, but i find them to be big, concentrated wines. Not buttery, but with some oak notes. In my opinion, more fruit, less mineral profile. Would you agree?

I don’t know of a California Chardonnay that is minerally. If you want minerally, I recommend buying Chablis.

Sandar & Hem. (Friend) One of our biggest Burg collector/drinkers called one blind as Chablis. In another tasting, some of us called one as the Chablis in a head-to-head against a Chabils.

[J_Galang]

Hi All -

I am curious if folks have a list of high quality California Chardonnay producers?

I already know Marcassin, but am curious what others folks would consider in the same class / quality?

Any help would be most appreciated. A good friend of mine is looking for good recommendations and wanted to share a few names with him to try out / keep an eye out for.

Thanks!!

It only took you 3 years to make your first post?

Welcome.

Ceritas
Rhys
Kutch

If you are willing to go a bit North, Walter Scott is really good (Oregon).

[Noah_C]

A few producers to add to the list are Arista and Dutton-Goldfield in Sonoma, and Matthiasson in Napa. The Matthiasson village Chardonnay is an amazing value around $20 but does require a hearty decant. I had a Chard from St Innocent in Oregon a few years ago that had around 7 years of bottle age that just knocked my socks off.

I agree with recommendations for Sandhi and Littorai. Both wonderful. Personally I’ve been a bit underwhelmed by Rochioli and Ramey.

I’ve been curious to try Aubert. They have so much hype but are ridiculously expensive. To those who have tried them, are they worth the money???

[J_Rock]

A few producers to add to the list are Arista and Dutton-Goldfield in Sonoma, and Matthiasson in Napa. The Matthiasson village Chardonnay is an amazing value around $20 but does require a hearty decant. I had a Chard from St Innocent in Oregon a few years ago that had around 7 years of bottle age that just knocked my socks off.

I agree with recommendations for Sandhi and Littorai. Both wonderful. Personally I’ve been a bit underwhelmed by Rochioli and Ramey.

I’ve been curious to try Aubert. They have so much hype but are ridiculously expensive. To those who have tried them, are they worth the money???

The list prices from the winery are much better than retail prices, so I recommend signing up for the list ASAP and buying some off of the waitlist if they let you. They are my favorite Chardonnays. From what I’ve had, they are very rich and powerful, but also complex and balanced in their more full throttle kind of way. I think they are fantastic and totally changed my mind on what I thought Chardonnay could be. If you like that style, I think they are certainly worth the price from the winery (and probably even a bit more).

[Wadeshanley]

Ramey
DuMol
Hartford Court
Chateau Montelena
Mayacamas
Peter Michael
Aubert
Kongsgaard
Rivers Marie
Pahlmeyer
Beringer PR
Varner
Ceritas
Roar
Rhys
Neyers
Arcadian
Failla
Morley
Rochioli
Hanzell
Mt. Eden
Walter Hansel

Just off top of my head.

stellar list. Want to throw a shout-out to Walter Hansel (both Chards and Pinots). Just a gem of a producer and a great QPR compared to most Sonoma county quality wines.

[EmilDyrvig]

Agree with a lot of the previous posts. One missing producer I would add would be Ferren. Excellent chards in my opinion.

My favorite California chard producers in no particular order:

Marcassin
Aubert
Kongsgaard
Ferren
Kistler (not a big fan of Les noisettes but like Vine Hill, Cuvée Cathleen, Dutton Ranch and Durell)
Hanzell
Peter Michael
Hudson (Little Bit is a fantastic glass)
Morlet
Pahlmeyer

[Chris_Crutchfield]

Anyone tried DuPuis yet?
I have them but haven’t popped a cork.

I bought a few of the DuPuis chardonnay, mostly based on some fond memories of Copain Brousseau back when Wells still made it. I found it to be drinkable, but maybe more Meursault in style than Chablis.

[Scott_Brunson]

Anyone tried DuPuis yet?
I have them but haven’t popped a cork.

I bought a few of the DuPuis chardonnay, mostly based on some fond memories of Copain Brousseau back when Wells still made it. I found it to be drinkable, but maybe more Meursault in style than Chablis.

Thnx

[Sarah_S]

Nobody mentioned Rombauer. Open a bottle at a party and the Chardonnay drinkers come running…

My mother’s love of Rombauer is the reason that for 20+ years I thought I was someone who “didn’t drink Chardonnay.”

Since then, Ceritas, DuMol, Littorai, Liquid Farm, and, thanks to berserkerday last year, Terrien, have changed my mind regarding California Chardonnay.

[dougwilder]

Justin Willett’s Tyler single vineyards are some of the most impressive California Chardonnay I taste.

[Jay_Miller]

I certainly don’t claim to have tasted widely but to date my favorites have been Mount Eden and Rhys.

[Michael_D]

I agree with others who suggested some boundaries on what flavor profile is preferred. Oak - no oak… Acidic - not so acidic… Price point - under $50, under $100, over $100…

Way too many variables to simply jot down a list of Cali Chards that I like. Hell, I have everything from <$30 PPB chards I pop on a sunny day to drink on the deck, to >$150 chards I open on special occasions. Some high oak and buttery, some without so much as a hint of oak, but super crisp and acidic.

[Steve_Brickley]

Ceritas since 2005. Porter Bass vineyard.

[Diane_Kessler]

I’m drinking a 2016 Ceritas Porter Bass Chardonnay and it hits all the right notes. Ceritas and Rhys are my 2 favorites. I’ve also been enjoying Radio Coteau lately.

[Arv_R]

I’m actually drinking a 2017 Talley Arroyo Grande Chard right now, and am blown away by the qpr in this!

I would concur with Dr. Buzzini after having a couple mid week glasses of this polished blanc tonight. The 2017 Talley Chardonnay [Arroyo Grande] is well balanced between zip/fruit/wood elements, and has a rich concentration of flavor. The color seems pale straw to me, but I’m unskilled at determining those hues and 39F fridge temp cold wines cause condensation on stems, blurring colors. I pick up delightful mint, butter, lemon notes here…and dare I even say…some stoniness. Lots of complexity/interest at such a young age, and the DIAM10 closure suggests the family believes these can run longer. A touch sad this was my one and only bottle; it’s a midweeker that would have surprised in a blind panel or on a weekend with proper decanting, warming etc. Solid A for me. PS: on day 2, a little hazelnut sneaks into the bouquet, adding a lovely almost Hermitage like dimension.

The family seems to make a variety of wines, and has more than one label, and I think this is typically called the ‘Estate’ chardonnay. Roughly $20, likely less in California.

[Uli_K]

Sandar & Hem, really impressive collection of SVDs from the Santa Cruz Mountains - ranging from steely Chablis to a richer white Burgundy in style.