Back to the promised series of best bets under $20. Here are four killer deals on the top dog of white wines, chardonnay.Domaine Barraud 2007 Macon-Chaintre, $20 From Burgundy, the birthplace of chardonnay, comes this brilliant bottling from the youngest member of the Barraud family of winemakers. This is slightly lusher and fleshier than many chards from Macon, with notes of peaches and poached pears mixing with the crushed stone typical of the minerally soil found in this area of France.
Napa Cellars 2008 Chardonnay, $16 From the opposite end of the style spectrum comes this beautifully full-bodied chard. Sourced from land on which Rombauer has grown chardonnay for their estate bottling for years, this has pedigree to burn, and to belie its pricetag (the delicious Rombauer goes for twice as much). Oak nuances lend a creamy texture to the green apple and apricot notes.
Mirth 2009 Chardonnay, $13 Winemaker David O'Reilly, famous for the fantastic Owen Roe series of wines, makes this chard for his second label, Corvidae Wine Company. The fruit comes from sites in Oregon that are a perfect mirror of Burgundy's cool climate. The result is a lean powerhouse of a wine full of tropical fruit, floral and green apple notes.
Eve 2007 Chardonnay, $13 This balanced offering from notorious winemaker Charles Smith of K Vintners fame is middle of the road in the best possible sense. It is neither overly fat nor overly lean, allowing all the elements for which good chardonnay is known a chance to shine. It is crisp, delicate, and refreshing without being tart or obviously acidic. It has a great label, to boot!If any of these wines sound interesting, you can find it here. Next time, we'll stick with the Burgundian varietals theme and look at pinot noir.
