Our Top US Chardonnays

97+ Points - Jeb Dunnuck  "Coming from a terrific site located at the southern end of the Santa Lucia Highlands, the 2016 Chardonnay East of Eden Pisoni Vineyard boasts phenomenal notes of ripe citrus and white peach fruits, white flowers, and freshly crushed rocks. It's clean, incredibly pure, and elegant on the palate, with a level of tension and vibrancy you don't find too often in the vintage. I followed this bottle for two days and it only improved with air. It's a brilliant Chardonnay from Lato that’s going to benefit from a year or two of bottle age and age gracefully for a decade or more. Don’t miss it!"

95-97 Points - Robert Parker "The 2014 Chardonnay Ellen Lane Estate exhibits more gravelly, wet pebble notes and loads of uplifted aromatics, including peach, pineapple, orange rind and lemon blossom. It is again a complex style of Chardonnay made from a cold microclimate."

95 Points - William Kelley (robertparker.com) "From one of the oldest vineyards in the Santa Maria Valley, Paul Lato’s superb 2016 Chardonnay le Souvenir Sierra Madre Vineyard reveals attractive aromas of yellow orchard fruit, citrus zest, peach and honeycomb. On the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied, with more textural glossiness than the Belle de Jour, underpinned by bright acids and concluding with an intense, chalky finish. This is quite structurally tight-knit right now and will need a couple of years in the cellar to blossom."

94 Points - Jeb Dunnuck (erobertparker.com) "Another sensational effort for these two brothers, the 2014 Chardonnay Home Block Spring Ridge Vineyard reveals more minerality, as well as medium to full-bodied richness, terrific purity and classic, tropical aromas and flavors. Expansive, gorgeously textured and balanced, drink this beauty over the coming 5-7 years."

95 Points - Antonio Galloni "Varner's Chardonnay Amphitheater Block is rich, ample and super-expressive. Lemon peel, almonds, chamomile, earthiness, dried apricot and sage meld together effortlessly. The 2013 Amphitheater is a classic Varner Chardonnay built on phenolic intensity and plenty of savory/floral notes that add nuance, while the fruit is pushed a bit into the background."

93 Points - Antonio Galloni "The 2014 Chardonnay Amphitheater Block wraps around the palate with striking depth. Creamy, ample and expressive, the Amphitheater is all about texture. Orange peel, mint, graphite, candied lemon and sweet floral notes abound in this deeply nuanced Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay. There is a lot to like here."