Chardonnay Wine Reviews

I drank these 5 wines and tasted apple, balanced, bright, creamy, fruity, lemon, light oak, minerality, pear, white fruit. The wines are food friendly, food-friendly, my favorites, small production, unoaked, whole cluster and came from a variety of sources, including wine clubs, wineries, and wine stores.

Wine reviews by: Jessyca Frederick

Chardonnay, Sonoma County

2020 Long Street Winery Chardonnay, Sonoma County

A nice, solid Chardonnay. Well-balanced, structured but not oaky, round but not buttery, not too much alcohol, not too much acid.

Tasting notes: balanced, white fruit

Talinay Chardonnay

2020 Tabalí Talinay Chardonnay

A Chablis-style Chardonnay characterized by mineral-driven, saline, lemony citrus bursts, bracing acidity, and a light body from limestone soils near the coast in Chile.

Tasting notes: bright, lemon, minerality

Rick Boyer Unoaked Chardonnay

2021 Naked Wines Rick Boyer Unoaked Chardonnay

A beautiful expression of Central Coast Chardonnay which went easy on the winemaking to let the Chardonnay’s bright fruitiness shine on its own.

Tasting notes: creamy, fruity, bright

“M” Chardonnay

2021 Martelloto Wines “M” Chardonnay

Barrel fermented for eight months, this Chardonnay was not super oaky. Signature apple and pear flavors harmonized with a touch of creaminess.

Tasting notes: apple, pear, creamy, light oak

Über Chard

2021 Brutocao Cellars Über Chard

A somewhat complex Chardonnay from Northern California, showcasing vanilla and caramel from the oak and stone fruit on the palate.

Tasting notes: vanilla, caramel, apricot, peach

Notice: I hold no formal wine credentials. I am a wine geek who has consumed 1000+ of bottles from 100+ different wine clubs and 1000s more bottles that didn’t come from those wine clubs. I do not accept payment for wine reviews, and I do not accept payments to influence my opinions. I happily accept free wine (and I buy wine).

Why read my wine reviews: Wine taste is subjective. What I like may not be what you like. I try to leave room for you to form your own opinions, so I don’t provide a score or a rating. I do point out wines that are an incredible value or truly not worth the money. I note flaws, wines that don’t have typicity (because this matters if you are buying wine without having tasted it yourself), when wines are out of balance, and when wines lack appropriate body.

I don’t like wasting money (or anything for that matter). I’m careful about where I spend my money and my mindset as a reviewer is to be careful about where you spend yours. I don’t believe a high price tag equals quality and I know for sure there are wines of very good quality that are also a great value.

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