what is a good chardonnay?

  • Thread starter Thread starter jaems
  • Start date Start date
Try Toasted Head Chardonnay! I am a big fan of it and my customers are as well!
 
It depends on what you like. Any chardonnay should be dry to very dry. Smooth can mean a lot of things. If you like a very "oaky" chardonnay (aged in oak barrels) then the recommendation above, Toasted Head, is about as oaky they get. If you prefer a "fruit forward" taste then you might want to try an un-oaked chard like Toad Hollow which is fermented only in stainless steel. These are both in your price range at $10-15. If you want to spend less and still get a quality product, Lindeman's Bin 65 and Cartlidge and Browne are perennial best buys at less than $10. If have a special occasion and you can up your budget, then you must go for the king of all chardonnays: a Grand Cru Chablis from Burgundy, France. Expect to spend $40-$100 and taste chardonnay the way it was meant to be.
 
There are about 200 of them in California. You might go to your winemonger, explain what you want, buy four that he/she suggets, then invite 7 other people for dinner. (6, if you live with someone.) Cook up a chicken, give everyone 4 glasses, and taste all four side by side, with food.I like Fetzer and Husch enough to buy them by the case, but my personal prejudices are not universal truths.If you want to make it interesting, buy one each from Australia, France (Macon Village is a French wine made from Chardonnay that you can usually find for under $15), Califronia and somewhere else; or one from each of four California counties; or four from different years, so you can see what 1, 2, 3 and 4-year old chardonnay tastes like.The possibilities are endless.
 
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