Our Top 20 US Chardonnays

99 Points - Stuart McCloskey

The 2014 Chanin Sanford & Benedict Chardonnay has a terrific purity and class. With aromas and flavours of white peach, stone fruits, white flowers and toasted bread it is elegant and balanced, with both richness and freshness - a classic, and beautifully made Chardonnay.

90 Points - Antonio Galloni

The highlight in this range from Foxglove, the 2014 Chardonnay packs a serious punch for the money. Bright, juicy and exuberant, the Foxglove Chardonnay will thrill readers looking for a budget-priced Chardonnay. Lemon peel, white flowers and mint meld together in a rich, beautifully layered Chardonnay long on class. Aging in steel and blocked malolactic fermentation keep the flavors bright, but there is no shortage of depth or intensity. This is a fabulous wine, especially considering its modest price.

92 Points - Antonio Galloni

The 2013 Chardonnay Estate is classy, understated and polished. Lemon peel, yellow orchard fruit, mint and a gentle hint of spice open up in the glass. A hint of reduction typical of the Ridge Chardonnays is present, which means readers should either cellar the 2013 for at least a few years or give it a good deal of aeration. There is a lot to like in this delicate, delineated Chardonnay from Ridge.

This is the first Chardonnay released by the talented brothers Carlo and Dante Mondavi. Only 200 cases were made.

The Fort Ross-Seaview Chardonnay bottling is from the rugged 35-year-old Charles Ranch hillside vineyard, with some of the older pre-phylloxera plantings of chardonnay in California. Between 1,100 and 1,200 feet of elevation, the vineyard sits on well-drained, rocky clay soils. These old Sonoma Coast vines yield naturally shy crops that offer incredible depth, density, concentration, and finesse. Notes of stone fruits, lime blossom, white flowers, wet gravel and rock minerality are delicately laced throughout this wine. Fine, yet focused, acidity balances the rich mid-palate, giving way to a long-lasting finish.

94 Points - Antonio Galloni

The 2013 Chardonnay Golden Slope is incredibly inviting, with superb balance between some of its more overt, oily textures and the underlying minerality that lies in the background. A host of white orchard fruit, apricot, honey and spice nuances open up as this plush, silky Chardonnay shows off its alluring, racy personality.

96 Points - Robert Parker

The 2013 Chardonnay Ross Station Estate displays clean quince, white currant, honeysuckle and pineapple notes, a touch of hazelnut, and a full-bodied, rich, concentrated, multi-layered mouthfeel. This is another brilliant Chardonnay to drink over the next 4-6 years.

96+ Points - Lisa Perrotti-Brown (erobertparker.com) 

91 Points – David Schildknecht (erobertparker.com)

The Eyrie 2011 Chardonnay is dominated by bright, juicy grapefruit and lime tinged with their piquant pips as well as with saliva-liberating salinity. Straight and penetrating as an arrow; amazingly buoyant (but then, there’s only 11.7% alcohol!). A streak of salinity serves to enhance the mouthwateringly sustained and invigorating finish. This outstanding value is apt to remain riveting through at least 2020 – a prognostication I venture with plenty of track record to back it up.

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.