Best Chardonnay Under $30

Shannon Ridge High Elevation Chardonnay 2020

From Lake County, Calif., this is an austere, fruity Chardonnay. Pear springs out on the nose, followed by muted mineral notes. The palate is soft and dry, and once again gives center stage to orchard fruit. Stick this refreshing wine in the cooler for your next picnic. Average price: $23. Rating: 88.

Top 8 French Wines Under $30

This is a list of some good French wines under $30 that you must try!!

• ABV: 14.5%
• Food Pairings: It goes well with chablis & oysters, white burgundy & veal, muscadet & mussels.
• Tasting Notes: It is very smooth, with a soft feel of tannins on the palate. It is a firm and well-structured wine with a long finish that lacks depth and complexity. It offers you intense jammy flavors, lots of colas, a bit of spice and ripe black fruits, and some acidity. The aromas are also very fruity. Pick a bottle of this wine to make your moments memorable.

• Price: $19.95
• Food Pairings: It goes well with roasted duck breast, red meat with a hint of gaminess, and the subtle gaminess of lamb.
• Tasting Notes: It is a bold and dry-style wine with a deep, firm presence of tannins. It has flavors of blueberries, spices, plums, and dark chocolate. This wine is smooth on the palate. It also has very fruity aromas to offer your nosea good companion for your dinner.

• ABV: 13.5%
• Food Pairings: It goes well with meat, seafood, and poultry.
• Tasting Notes: It comes with light juiciness on the palate and spice. It primarily tastes like strawberries, figs, and tart with high acidity. Very fruity on the nose with some hints of mint. It is a bit off-tasting wine which means it can be too much for a beginner but worth trying.

There’s More To This Popular Grape Than The Over

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Liquor / Chloe Jeong

What is it that makes chardonnay the most popular white wine variety in the world? Is it the fact that its an easy grape to grow, or is it popular because its delicious? The answer is obviously both.

By general consent, the green-skinned chardonnay grape originated in Frances storied Burgundy region . No matter where it came from, it has swelled over time to be a sort of Dolly Parton of wine fruituniversally beloved.

One of the reasons it may have gotten so popular is because of its incredible versatility and wide range of styles. Winemakers love putting their personal stamp on the grape, but its not just about the winemaker. The final result of a chardonnay wine is strongly dictated by where it grows: the soil, weather and climate. Meaning that even the slightest sea breeze can make a lasting impact on the outcome of a finished chardonnay wine.

Even cheap chardonnays can be great, but shell out a few extra dollars and you will not be disappointed. And for those of you who dont know where to begin, dont worry, we do. Take a trip around the world with this list of the best chardonnays to drink right now.

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Landmark Hop Kiln Estate Pinot Noir 2017

WOW, this is a big, fruit forward, and delightful Russian River Pinot Noir. I highly recommend this medium to full bodied delicious wine with bright acidity and silky tannins.

From a winery that consistently makes fantastic Pinot Noir that any wine enthusiast would love.

Tasting Notes: Ripe strawberries, black cherry, toasted oak, cola, black pepper

Best Overall: 2018 Benovia Chardonnay Russian River

Courtesy of Wine.com

Benovia winemaker Mike Sullivan cut his teeth serving as assistant winemaker to the great Helen Turley before making a name for himself as one of the most highly regarded grape whisperers of Sonoma County. Theres no going wrong with any bottle made by Sullivans hands. His work with Benovia is marked by a trail of dynamite chardonnays , but the jewel amongst jewels is this classic, accessible, beautiful 2018 Russian River.

Royally complex and under $50, this golden straw-colored bottle drinks like a wine twice its value. Oaky and lemony with great minerality, there are notes of pear, citrus and vanilla. This bottle pairs well with most evenings and is the star of the show during wedding celebrations and other moments of bliss.

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The Best Summer Chardonnays Under $30

• Specsology Blog, Wine

If you love white wine, specifically chardonnay, but dont want to break your budget, youre in luck as these are some of the best chardonnay wines under $30 that are both delicious and wallet-friendly.

Chardonnay is native to Burgundy where winemakers embrace a spectrum of styles, from steely, edgy, and chalky to creamy, rich, and golden. Because the grape is so easy to grow, its now ubiquitous around the globe, planted in wine regions from Chile to California to New Zealand.

Chardonnay is one of the rare grapes that succeeds in a wide variety of styles, from powerful to subtly finessed, from fresh and crisp to deep and rich. Wineries love to give it their own personal twist, using stainless tanks to keep it bright and fruity or fermenting and barrel-aging for smoky overtones and lush texture.

No matter what type youre looking for, theres a chardonnay thatll have you sipping on bliss all summer long!

Tasting notes this estate chardonnay has aromas of fresh kiwi and notes of crisp green apple. Bright fruit flavors are followed by a touch of butterscotch. They are complemented by a rich round-mouth feel and lingering dried apricot flavors.

Shea Wine Cellars Estate Pinot Noir 2017

This is a wonderfully smooth earthy wine with some fruit on the finish from an iconic Willamette Valley winery. This wine has soft tannins, racy acidity, and flavors of dark fruits. It is simply one of the best Willamette Valley Pinot Noir wines.

Tasting Notes: Earthy, smoke, cherry, raspberries, black tea, oak. vanilla

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Goldeneye Anderson Valley Pinot Noir 2019

About an hour north of Sonoma County, this up and coming wine region makes great value Pinot Noir without the fanfare of Sonoma or Napa. One of the best tasting Pinot Noir from California. It has vibrant acidity with juicy black raspberry and dark fruit flavors.

Tasting Notes: Black cherry, raspberry, strawberry, ripe plum, oak, vanilla, earthy

Flowers Vineyards & Winery Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 2019

From Sonoma Coast, this 100 percent French oak Chardonnay is remarkably perfumed. Honeysuckle and apricot aromas lead to round, honeyed richness on the palate. Bright acidity cuts through each sip, bringing stone fruit and white flowers to the fore once more. This fine wine requires no food but youll want to taste it with a bountiful summer salad. Average price: $50. Rating: 91.

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Diora La Splendeur Du Soleil Chardonnay 2019

Buttery and rounded, Diora La Splendeur du Soleil Chardonnay 2019 is the perfect Chardonnay if you enjoy a lighter, sweeter wine. It is made by San Bernabe Vineyard, aged for 14-months in 45% new French oak barrels.

Notes of toasted oak, light spice, crème brûlée, and apple give it a delectable aroma, with delicate flavors of vanilla, butter, cream, and lightly spiced apple. It is rounded and fresh, with a smooth mouthfeel and low acidity.

We love this Chardonnay with savory and sweet snacks, desserts, jam, and hearty treats like cinnamon buns and apple pie.

Best Chardonnays Under $20

Whether it’s a Blanc de Blancs or a blended variety, the hearty crispness of a great Chardonnay is unbeatable.

Fresh tannins and moderate acidity make Chardonnay the perfect wine for seafood, vegetables, salads, and light dishes.

However, there is a marked difference between a good and an average bottle, but as you’ll find below, a good Chardonnay doesn’t need to be expensive.

Today, we reveal our favorite Chardonnays for under $20.

Let’s jump in!

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Domaine Skouras Almyra Chardonnay 2020

Greece has gifted the world some exceptional native white varieties but this Chardonnay from Domaine Skouras deserves a slight detour from that path. Clean and focused, its fruit character spans citrus pith, pink grapefruit, and underripe white peaches. Those notes arrive concentrated on the palate, with a refreshing spray of citrus providing a zesty crescendo. Average price: $20. Rating: 90.

Chateau Montelena Napa Valley Chardonnay 2019

From the producer that put Cali Chardonnay on the map, following success in the 1976 Judgment of Paris tasting, this is an exceptional bottle. Oak influence is finely woven into vibrant peach and honeysuckle aromas. An incredible depth of fruit on the palate is seasoned by chalky mineral notes and zingy acidity. This bottle is a must-buy. Average price: $59. Rating: 97.

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What Does Chardonnay Wine Taste Like

Chardonnay is a still dry white wine that we would describe as non-aromatic. This is because in its wine making process the flavours and aromas are often added to and modified by the winemaker.

In New Zealand we have a range of growing conditions which affect the flavour of the wine.

In the cooler regions of Central Otago, Canterbury and even parts of Marlborough, the wines will be lean, crisp medium bodied with aromas and flavours of green plum, apple, pear and citrus.

“The overriding component in good Chardonnay is the desire to have another glass.”

In the warmer Marlborough, Nelson and Wairarapa regions, look for aromas and flavours of citrus, white peach, nectarine and melon.

Hawkes Bay and Gisborne as well as northern Auckland will have pink Grapefruit, yellow peach, melon and sometimes fig.

Very hot regions of the world where Chardonnay is grown will have aromas of fig, tropical fruits, banana and mango.

A Wine For All Occasions

Chardonnay has made itself at home in every grape growing country and displays the style, climate and character of wherever it’s planted.

This is a grape that demonstrates diversity.

From the most beautiful elegant sparkling wines, to lightly oaked floral, mineral wines with fresh crisp crunchy acidity. And, of course, the rich concentrated oaked wines with stone fruit, melon and fig adding to the creamy texture and long silky finish.

Jim Harré – about the author

After studying viticulture and winemaking at Hawkes Bays Eastern Institute of Technology, Jim worked several vintages, both in New Zealand and Internationally as a winemaker.

Identified as having a very good palate for quality assessment of wine, Jim has been a major part of New Zealands Wine Judging competitions for over 25 years. Now a well respected International Judge, he works as a Chair of Judges in Wine Competitions in USA, Japan, China, Australia and, of course, New Zealand.

He is also regarded as a world authority on the effect of how wine perception changes in aircraft, a panel chair at the worlds largest competition the International Wine Challenge, held each year in London as well as Wine Consultant to Air New Zealand.

It is Jims love of education and teaching people about wine that makes him one of New Zealands most recognised Wine professionals.

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Von Hovel Scharzhofberger Sptlese Riesling 2014

Product Highlights

Riesling is Germanys favorite grape. So much so, that it became somewhat a cliché and with it derided, with some justification, for its overly-sweet iterations of the past. In actuality, theres a lot of scope for versatility with this sweet, viscous wine, from which you can expect to get hints of tropical fruit, nectarine, melon, and pineapple.

As both winemakers and drinkers came to appreciate that, Riesling came back into vogue. It could be said that today it is the current superstar of the white wine world. And this dessert wine from Mosel, Germany is a fine example.

Features

• Aging: 100% German Oak

What We Like About Von Hovel Scharzhofberger Spätlese Riesling 2014

Youre first struck by the remarkable aromas of truffle, scallop, horseradish, almond, and botrytis , with the more expected white peach, poached pear, apricot, and melon.

Behind that are very deep additional flavors of blackcurrants, mango, peppercorns, and bergamot for a spicy and powerful spätlese.

If all of that sounds too much, its still sweet and the medium acidity ensures that it remains focused.

What We Dont Like About Von Hovel Scharzhofberger Spätlese Riesling 2014

We found it to be of somewhat high minerality, and maybe a bit too tart rather than sweet. Its almost certain to be better in 5 years, whereas right now its a little disjointed but still tasty.

Best White Wines Under $30

Good wine is becoming more accessible, with less snobbery around it. Its increasingly possible, if not common, to be able to pick up great bottles for a very reasonable price.

Contents

We were lucky enough to taste some whites that offer fantastic value, and give you our recommendations.

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Rosabrook Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon

This gold medal-winning wine is unmistakably Margaret River, with luscious plum, mocha and spice flavours held taut by a classy oak framework. Elegant, fine tannins are well integrated and provide structure and length to the palate, resulting in intense flavours that will benefit from cellaring.

Drinking recommendation: This cabernet sauvignon is a fantastic food wine, pairing perfectly with a classic beef roast or a decadent vegetarian pasta dish like spaghetti alla norma, a traditional Sicilian recipe featuring eggplant and ricotta salata. Why not spend the afternoon making fresh pasta and reward your hard work with a glass of Margaret River cabernet? Cellaring for five to 10 years will see this wine reach its full expression of terroir.

Best Pinot Noir Regions

1) Burgundy my favorite and the best Pinot Noir wine region by far

2) Russian River Valley, Sonoma if youre visiting Napa, take a day and head over here for great touring and wine tasting

3) Willamette Valley, Oregon well-known Pinot Noir region outside of California. The Willamette Valley is very similar to Burgundy climate and region.

4) Carneros, Napa the coolest region of Napa Valley and produces some of my favorite Pinot Noir

5) Sta Rita Hills, CA like mentioned above, such a unique region because of how close to the equator it is yet still designed with high quality geography

Honorable Mentions for top tier regions: Germany, NZ, Argentina

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Hither & Yon Mclaren Vale Shiraz

Dark purple with aromas of violets, blackberry and pepper. A palate of mulberry, blueberry, choc-mint biscuits, followed by coffee cream, baking spice and good dark fruit concentration. A soft, easy-flowing, full-bodied wine with traditional McLaren Vale flavour but with a cool, fresh appeal. Drinking recommendation:hitherandyon.com.au

Charles Krug Winery Carneros Chardonnay 2019

From Carneros the southernmost tip of the Napa Valley this wine celebrates the vibrant, fruity side of Chardonnay. Citrus and tropical aromas define its nose and set up a clean and lean palate. A slight salinity and textural grip bring an enjoyable and unexpected dose of complexity, especially given the price. Average price: $21. Rating: 88.

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Enroute Les Pommiers Pinot Noir 2019

With a big mouthfeel and supple tannins, this wine is an absolute beauty. This Pinot Noir wine from Russian River Valley is a great showcasing of how great the wine region really is.

A lush, juicy wine with a silky texture and long finish. This is a very good Pinot Noir. What an incredible red wine!

Tasting Notes: Ripe cherry, dark fruit, raspberry, cola, vanilla, oak, blackberry

Amity Willamette Valley Pinot Noir

Two brothers purchased Amity in 2014 to give a modern twist to their long history in Oregon. When we visited the winery it had more of an informal and unpretentious feel to it which was great, alongside their juicy, delicious, and affordable Willamette Valley Pinot Noir.

Tasting notes: Cherry, raspberry, thyme, chocolate and oak

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Quick Facts About Pinot Noir

• Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, and Pinot Grigio are made from the same grape, just a different color. If you like one, youll likely enjoy the others
• The same region that grows Pinot Noir grows Chardonnay. Some of my favorite Chardonnays come from where my favorite Pinot Noirs are made.
• *8/18 is Official Pinot Noir Day
• Ive tasted many wines, but by far the #1 wine and the best Ive ever tasted in my life was a Pinot Noir from Burgundy.

Tenuta Di Nozzole Le Bruniche Chardonnay 2018

A delectable Chardonnay from Tuscany, Italy, Tenuta di Nozzole Le Bruniche is citrus-forward with complimentary apple, peach, and floral notes. The Nozzole estate makes it in the area closest to the river Greve.

Citrus aromas with apple, peach, and lime peel hints give this white wine a classic Chardonnay bouquet. Pear and apple flavors with hints of oak, butter, pear, and butter give it a complex but refreshing palate.

We love this Chardonnay with feta, yogurt, ice cream, and pizza. It cuts through fatty foods like mackerel and lamb perfectly too.

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