Introduction
So what are the best Chardonnays in the world? I have meanwhile reviewed and rated various Chardonnays from the best regions in the world, USA, Chile, S-Africa, France , Italy, Australia, New Zealand. For the people interested in a particular wine, I have inserted a link to the relevant review elsewhere on this site. I will regularly update this list, as and when new wines make it to the top.
By the way, it is no coincidence that the current number 1 is a Chardonnay from Umbria, Italy, where some extraordinary whites are produced. It is also not a coincidence that you will find so many quality Chardonnays from California and Australia, as Aussie Chardonnay has undergone a stylistic evolution similar to the one for California.
So, please find my personal top of the bill Chardonnays here-under:
- Rombauer Chardonnay 2015, Carneros, California, rating 92/100, Review
- Castella della Sala ‘Cervaro’ 2012, Umbria, Italy, rating 92/100 Review
- Beringer Luminus Chardonnay 2013, Napa Valley, USA, rating 91/100 Review
- Patz & Hall Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 2014, Sonoma County, USA, rating 91/100 Review
- Domaine Vincent Dureuil Bourgogne Blanc 2013, Burgundy, France, rating 91/100 Review
- Bird In Hand Blackbird Chardonnay 2015, Adelaide Hills, Australia, rating 91/100, n.a.
- Hendry Barrel Fermented Chardonnay 2013, Napa Valley, USA, rating 90/100 Review
- Trefethen Estate Chardonnay 2014, Napa Valley, USA, rating 90/100 Review
- Tash Adelaide Hills Chardonnay 2015, Adelaide Hills, Australia, rating 90/100, n.a.
- Yarra View Yarra Valley Reserve Chardonnay 2014, Yarra Valley, Australia, rating 90/100, n.a.
- Chardonnais Napa Valley Chardonnay 2013, Napa Valley, USA, rating 90/100 Review
- La Crema Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 2014, Sonoma County, rating 90/100 Review
- Arrowood Sonoma Chardonnay 2013, Sonoma County, rating 90/100 Review
- Rothbury Estate Grey Label 2015, Hunter Valley, Australia, rating 90/100, n.a.
- Chateau St. Jean Belle Terre Chardonnay 2013, Sonoma County, rating 90/100 Review
- Joseph Drouhin Meursault 2011, Burgundy, France, rating 90/100 Review
- Lioco ‘Estero’ Chardonnay 2013, Russian River Valley, USA, rating 90/100 Review
- Terlato Family Vineyards 2013, Russian River Valley, USA, rating 90/100 Review
- Jordan Winery 2013, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, USA, rating 90/100 Review
- Silver Buckle Cellars Chardonnay 2011, Central Valley, USA, rating 90/100 Review
- Hugo Wines Reserve 2013/14 McLaren Vale, Australia, rating 90/100, n.a.
- Graham Beck Game Reserve 2010, Stellenbosch, S-Africa, rating 90/100 Review
- Franklin Tate Estates Miamup Vineyard Grey Label 2015, Margaret River, Australia, rating 90/100, n.a.
- Penny’s Hill Red Dot Mclaren Vale Chardonnay 2014, McLaren Vale, Australia, rating 90/100, n.a.
- Cakebread Cellars Chardonnay 2012, Nappa Valley, USA, rating 89/100 Review
As always, if you have any questions, feel free to leave them in the comment box and I will reply to you within 24 hours.I am not pretending that this is an exclusive list really containing any and all best Chardonnay wines. I am perfectly aware that there are other Chardonnays that should be in this summary. But I will surely be on the lookout for these premium wines and will continue my search. If you know of or have the experience with other high quality Chardonnays, then you are very welcome to share on this site. In doing this together we will be able to really find the best there is (and not necessarily the most expensive ones)!
I enjoy Russian River chardonnays. Also Kendal Jackson. You do not list any of these. Please state reasons why
I had reviewed both wines you mentioned before and they are near the top, however, just not good enough to be in the absolute top as listed.
Hi Jerry,
Loved your article, included it in our local small-town wine society newsletter (credits and a link back to your website).
While we don’t see many USA wines of quality over here, we do have a thriving wine industry.
I’d really like to hear your opinion on some of our New Zealand Chardonnay’s, which are starting to get many awards internationally.
Hi Lawrence, I very well know the quality of New Zealand wines and wine industry. They are part of the so called New World countries, of which also Argentina, Australia and Chile are part of. Chardonnay is the second best white wine produced in New Zealand, after Sauvignon Blanc. I actually have reviewed some of your Chardonnays and they rank among the best in the world!
Hi I’m from Philippines I have grapevine in my backyard and I don’t know what it’s variety I ask others but they don’t know it too because grapes are too rare in our country and there is no wine manufacturer here only beers but it’s color when ripened is still green can I use it from making wine
Hi Gerald, you can make wine from many types of fruit, grapes of which is the most well-known. If they are ripe as you say, they will be suitable to make wine. How to do this? Read here:. Good luck!
Thanks for info
You’re welcome! If you have any more questions, just let me know.
what are the best full bodied, rich, oak aged chardonnay’s….reasonably priced too!
Many of the best oaked Chardonnays come from warmer climate wine regions.Southern & Eastern Australia Chardonnays are famous in this respect. From the US, I would suggest Napa Valley, Paso Robles and Lake County in California. Very good ones also come from the Mendoza region in Argentina. You may also check out Burgundy, France (Puligny-Montrachet, Meursault and Mâconnais) or Puglia, Italy. Good luck!
Any Particular ones you can suggest??? Thank You for the information
Candice
Yes I can suggest. The wines I review are going to either US, Europe or Australia. Which of the three are you in?
What a great answer, Thank you! I really have a hard time finding a good chardonnay in the yucatan peninsula in Mexico. They all taste like a sauvignon blanc to me. If you know of one that would be amazing. I did put this is my phone I’m sure I will refer to it often. So glad I stumbled on your website!
Thank you.
wow!!! informative lots of information readily available and pleasing to the eye.
You are welcome and I hope you will visit again.
Jerry, I appreciate your site and agree with some I’ve had. Two favorites of mine are Pahlmeyer and Chapellet, both of Naps. The Rev
Thanks Carol for the interest. Yes Napa Valley is one of the best in the world.
It was interesting to read your weblog; I am looking for a recommendation on the best, full bodied, buttery chard going…like Kistler or mer du soliel or rhombauer ( excuse the spelling) ….suggestions?
Thanks for your interest Gail. The Chardonnays I am offering here have been listed by region for delivery. I am not sure where you are from, but if you live in Australia, you will find a lot of the buttery types of Chardonnays. Here is an example: The Gallows Wine Co. The Bommy Margaret River Chardonnay, as reviewed here. If you live in America, however, then I would certainly suggest the Chardonnais Napa Valley Chardonnay, reviewed here. Please let me know which area you live and I will present the Chardonnays you indicated for your specific region.
Hi Jerry
Stumbled across your list on the web whilst browsing around, particularly after a tasting where i fell in love with a particular chardonnay. Being from Western Australia, i love Chardonnay and have no shortage of good ones from our southern region. This wine however blew everything i have tasted out of the water, it was so different and so excellent it was unlike most other chardonnay i have ever tasted. would love to get your thoughts on it:
bonneau du martray Corton Charlemagne
Hi Ben, although I was not familiar with it, you have indeed come across an exceptional French Burgundy Chardonnay. Clive Coates, a British wine writer and Master of Wine, best known for his books about the wines of Burgundy, describes Bonneau Du Martray’s white Corton-Charlemagne wine as “one of the very greatest in all Burgundy”. Hugh Johnson, who is a British author and expert on wine and is considered the world’s best-selling wine writer lists this wine as one of the leading Côte d’Or producers and gives the estate his highest rating of 4 stars indicating “exceptionally fine or great quality, consistent over many vintages”. You certainly have whet my appetite! Cheers, Jerry
I am not a wine-o yet, but I am definitely getting there and I love a nice glass of chardonnay either to get a night rolling or as a pairing with a certain type of meal (usually a lighter meat).
I have to be honest with you, I have yet to try most of the wines on your list but you can bet I am going to be trying out some of your top ranked chardonnays.
Do you have any suggestions or recommendations as to a good place and a cost efficient one that I can buy wine online Jerry?
Thanks Kyle, I think it would be a good choice trying some of these wines, as they rank amongst the best in the world. In choosing Affiliate Programs for these wines, I will always look for the best value for money ones. This needs to be accompanied by excellent customer support, money back guarantees and safe payment methods. For the North-American market these are getwineonline and bountyhunter. Especially the first one meets with expectations. You can see a summary of all my reviews for the respective markets here. Enjoy drinking! Cheers, Jerry
Interesting list Jerry. Is the list comprised of only wines you have tasted?
Also, I am a firm believer in serving any wine that has seen oak at room temperature, i.e. treat it like a red wine. I get funny looks in restaurants when I reject the offer of an ice bucket for my white wine but it is essential to enable the qualities of the grape and oak to come together. Your thoughts?
Regards
Adrian Stead
Hi Adrian, the list has been composed of Chardonnays I reviewed, not necessarily having drunk them myself (yet!). I find many reviews on the net and draw my conclusions. An interesting view on oaked wine. As with all tastes, they are personal and everybody has to find out for themselves what they like best. What I am trying to do here is finding the best Chardonnays, giving people as much choice as I possibly can. Then it is up to my audience to do as they like. Cheers, Jerry
Thanks Paul, that is a good observation! There are a lot of factors that contribute to the test under a collective name called terroir. Vintage is one of them as the produce a year has been influenced by climatic conditions (amount of sunshine, rain, wind), hence various vintages of the same grape can taste quite different. The type of soil is a factor. Ageing of the wine in oak barrels will have a different result than when done in metal barrels. As soon as a wine is bottled for ageing the conditions (temperature, humidity, light intensity, humidity) under which it is stored form a factor. Cheers, Jerry
Hello,
Something that I noticed is that some of the more aged wines seem to have a lower rating than some of the less aged wines. I always understood that age directly related to quality. What factors exist other than age? Does it perhaps have something to do with the grapes or the way it’s bottled? Thanks.
Very detailed review about the Best Chardonnay Wines.
The way you write your reviews makes us to know which one is better than the other through your ratings.
Of course, there are other Best Chardonnay Wines that you should consider adding as time goes by and new brands come to the market.
Hi Tony, thanks for your reaction. Limari Valley, Chile is an upcoming Chardonnay producer. Other than that there is New Zealand to think of and of course the Burgundy, France with some of its Chablis, Montrachets. Cheers, Jerry
Hey Jerry I could be rather busy and not capable of much, trying to work my way through your recomendation of Chardonnay’s. ha ha
Great post and excellent recommendations.
What is not well known in wine circles because Australia dominates the Wine market downunder – but New Zealand also has great wines (mostly better than Australian wines but that’s a well kept secret… shhhhhh)
Thanks for keeping us informed 🙂
Thanks Peter, that is one way of finding out which wines suit you best! I agree with you on the quality of New Zealand Chardonnays. As a matter of fact I will shortly be reviewing some of them and I am sure a few will make it to the top 20-25 wines. Cheers, Jerry
Wow! We always have Chardonnay wines in every special occasion. We love to experiment with new different tastes as well. We have our favorites but there are times when we get to find one with poor quality. And we don’t want that to happen again. This is a very helpful list. But what I like most is that you have detailed reviews next to each item. I can’t wait to try MacRostie ‘Wildcat Mountain Vineyard’ and some other names on your list that we have not tried yet. What are some of your personal favorites?
Hi Chris, I must say that living in Thailand, you get a good supply of Australian Chardonnays. In the future I am also going to test some of the Californian Chardonnays from Nappa Valley and Sonoma. Limary Valley in Chile is forecasted to become one of the world’s best Chardonnay regions. I you would choose wines with a rating not under 80, then you usually have a good wine. Starting from 85 they become very good, you might sometimes not like their taste but the quality will be ok. Cheers, Jerry