The 1994 Chardonnay Reserve exhibits more toasty, smoky oak, more depth, and an enticing, creamy-textured feel. This well-made, medium to full-bodied Chardonnay should drink well for 1-2 years.

Marked by spicy oak and spicy fruit, with hints of pear and nutmeg coming through. It's solid and finishes with a creamy mouth-feel.

Firm, ripe and intense, with complex, concentrated pear, pineapple, and spice notes framed by toasty, buttery oak flavors that are well-integrated and lively through the finish. Ready now through 1997.

Full-bodied, excellent Chardonnay with lovely purity and overall balance.

Decadent buttery notes flank the ripe white fruit and spice flavors. Hints of mocha show on the creamy finish.

The 2017 La Crema Monterey Chard is also 88 McD with bouquet of peach, pear, pineapple with a hint of acacia. On the creamy palate, vanilla and French butter (not movie butter). I Bidenized the “French not movie” bit from Keith Beavers of VinePair - great line.

Rounded aromas of ripe pear, orange skins, poached apple and buttered toast with marmalade show on the nose of this bottling. Lemon rinds and dried apple slices arise on the sip.

The number of different La Crema Chardonnay appellations is impressive, including Monterey, Sonoma Coast and the Russian River Valley. Although these are all relatively cool growing regions, La Crema’s Chardonnays tend to be rich and ripe, with expansive aromas and flavors, no matter which region they come from or what the vintage might be. This 2016 Russian River Valley may be the boldest example I’ve yet tasted. Dark golden yellow in color, the wine exhibits all the boisterous energy and exuberance of a herd of wild horses. If you’re looking for a subtle and delicate white wine this one is not for you, but if you’re seeking forthright taste and texture do try La Crema 2016 Russian River Chardonnay.

Fresh and light aromas of lemongrass, Pink Lady apples, guava soda and a hint of pineapple make for a slightly tropical but clean approach to this bottling. It’s fresh on the sip with spritzy acidity and more tropical flavors of guava, mango, pineapple and tuberose.

Light smoky, toasty oak adds a flavor dimension amid white tree fruits and pithy citrus notes. Best on the finish, where the oak springs alive.

Toast, butter, lemon spray and a hint of smoke show on the nose of this widely available and reliable wine. It's fresh and zesty on the palate with lime peels and Meyer lemon juice, yet there are also creamy butter and blanched almond flavors to round out the palate.

88 points.

Year's Best US Chardonnay A golden, ripe chardonnay with coastal sea-spray tones held in a caramelized framework of new oak, this has a hazelnut-oil richness that will match Dungeness crab.

Offering up lots of fragrant peach blossoms, lemon curd, grapefruit and honeyed pears notes, the medium to full-bodied 2014 Chardonnay Kelli-Ann Vineyard delivers a pleasantly oily texture plenty of freshness, finishing with some spicy hints coming through.

A tasty, appellation-level offering, the 2014 Chardonnay (Russian River Valley) is soft, supple and open-knit, all qualities that make it an excellent choice for drinking over the next few years.

The 2014 Chardonnay Nine Barrel (the best nine barrels in the cellar) sees an additional six months of barrel age in neutral French oak following the first nine months. This wine exhibits more butterscotch, honeysuckle and roasted nuts in a more Burgundian style, with good acidity and slightly more oak. Drink it over the next 3-4 years.

The 2014 Chardonnay Saralee's Vineyard offers good depth and balance throughout. Orange blossom, hazelnut and spice are nicely delineated in this pretty, mid-weight Chardonnay from La Crema.

Weighted toward smoky, toasty oak, with a charry edge overriding the creamy pear, apple and melon notes. Time may bring the elements into a more harmonious balance.

I enjoyed the Chardonnays, especially the outstanding value, the 2014 Chardonnay from Sonoma Coast. A heck of a Chardonnay for $23.00, with notes of tropical pineapple and caramelized orange, this elegant, crisp, medium-bodied wine sells for a song. It is 94% barrel fermented, aged in 15% new French oak, American oak and bottled after eight months. The amazing thing is that there are 710,000 cases of this terrific value. Drink it over the next year.

Starting with an appealing mix of crisp apples and creamy oak in the nose and adding an intriguing minerally twist to its fairly deep and otherwise very like-minded flavors, this easy-to-like, mid-sized offering is nicely rounded in feel and charged with the freshness of youth. It does not bristle with acidity but is spry and lively all the same, and we highly recommend that it be enjoyed sooner than later.

High-toned Meyer lemon and edgy minerality give this coastal wine a freshness on the palate, along with a complexity of fennel and apple. Juicy and medium bodied, it picks up a fullness on the texture as it goes, while remaining balanced and pleasing.

Clean as a whistle, mid-density in weight and volume and evident if moderate oakiness lifting its mix of ripe and slight green apple fruitiness, this wine is exactly what a $20 Chardonnay should be. It is somewhat rounded in texture with enough youthful energy for balance, and it demands no further aging to be rewarding in the near term yet can age a bit if that is your wont.

This well-known California brand is gently dipping its toe into Oregon. This is a sturdy, well-crafted effort with an interesting mix of kiwi, lime and pear fruit, wrapped in biscuity barrel flavors. Seamlessly smooth, it offers enough acidity to keep everything balanced.

Offers an elegant display of subtle creamy oak, white peach, nectarine and melon notes. Ends clean and pure. Drink now.

The 2012 Chardonnay Arroyo Seco offers lovely immediacy. Apricot, butter and floral notes inform a supple, easygoing Chardonnay to drink now and over the next year or two.