Toffee aromas and on the palate rich notes of ripe apple and melon. Lush texture, yet balanced. Nice length. 3½ stars.

A textbook ripe chardonnay from a terrific producer, this wine has pineapple and citrus notes with an unctuous round texture in the mouth. Toasty oak is barely discernible. Fantastic!

Jackson Family Wines has another winner in the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from Cambria Wine Estate. The 2015 Katherine Vineyard Chardonnay is the dream of the perfect “California Chardonnay” – buttery, vanilla flavors yet restrained and balanced. The secret is the barrel aging and judicious use of new French oak... The estate is owned by Katie and Julia Jackson, and located in the coastal Santa Maria Bench of Santa Barbara, where all the best wines come from. When I taste Jackson Family wines, I often wonder how they can deliver such great quality at an affordable price. These are two great wines to try.

Wines of the Week This Chardonnay has been a favorite of my tasters for many years. The fruit comes from Katherine’s Vineyard (named for Jess Jackson’s daughter, Katie) in the Santa Maria Valley. The wine offers aromas of orchard blossom, white peaches, wet-stone minerality and pear. On the palate, flavors of apple, pear and pineapple invite the taster to pair with Asian dishes or fresh seafood such as halibut or lobster.

Asian Chardonnay Masters of 2018: Master Another top-medal winning wine from the blind tasting is Jackson Family Wines’ Cambria Benchbreak Chardonnay 2015 from California’s cooler-climate Santa Maria Valley. This smoky and leesy Chardonnay is laced with citrus notes, lemon peel, toastiness and a pleasant struck-match whiff, a result of hydrogen sulphide during fermentation. The wine, harking back to a more classic Chardonnay style, impressed the judges enough to take home a Master.

This wine, formerly known as Julia's Vineyard, comes from a single estate vineyard planted to six different clones. That clonal diversity results in complex aromas of pink Texas grapefruit, lemon peel and white peach with citrus blossom and talcum powder. On the palate, apple, pear and citrus are bolstered by savory brown spices and an underlying minerality. It's amazing that, despite the large production of this chard, Cambria is able to maintain the varietal integrity of the wine. Bright, textured and engaging, it's a go-to chardonnay for all occasions. If you see it on a restaurant's wine list, pull the trigger and everyone at your table will be happy.

A fine Chardonnay. The 2015 Benchbreak is extremely aromatic and complex, with intense lime, white peach, orange blossom, hops, and spicy oak aromas/flavors, crisp acidity, and a very persistent finish. Will develop with modest aging. 4+ stars, excellent.

Cambria Winery in Santa Maria creates world-class pinot noir and chardonnay... The estates vineyards for this Jackson Family Wines gem are certified sustainable by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance. It is a beautiful, oaky chardonnay with grapefruit, peach and apple flavors with a hint of mineral and spice.

Lemon and apple on the nose. Lots of lemon and apple, and a touch of tropical fruit, on the palate. Smooth and creamy with subtle oak, good balance and long finish. Very good.

2015 West Point Chardonnay features orange blossom and lemon zest with hints of honey and graham cracker on the nose, the company reports. It has a bright acidity and a creamy mid-palate texture, with notes of creamsicle, honeysuckle, and oak on the finish. It pairs well with dishes such as Tortilla Española.

Christmas on the Foxen Canyon Wine Trail ... don't miss it! If you like stainless steel Chardonnay that’s layered and lively, head to Cambria Winery for the Fog Tide Chardonnay. It’s also one of my favorites.

Wine+Food pairing recommendation

2015 Fog Tide Chardonnay contains aromatics of honeysuckle, lemon zest, wet stone, and pineapple. It’s bright and lively with layers of tropical fruit, white peach, and a hint of crème brûlée. This wine pairs well with steamed clams.

The 25 best wines from California for summer sipping Offered as part of a program that raises money for women working for justice in the world, this wine from Byron’s next-door neighbor Cambria shows lime zest, a hint of lemon, popcorn and sandalwood on the nose. Citrus, apples, white peach and fascinating hints of brine dominate the mid-palate. It’s less tropical fruity than many chardonnays from this region, and aging sur lie has given it a pleasing fullness.

This wine from California’s Santa Maria Valley was known for many years as “Katherine’s Vineyard” and is now designated Benchbreak for geographic features found in the estate vineyard. Crafted in an easygoing style, this Chardonnay has been a perennial favorite with my tasters. Look for aromas and flavors of apple, pineapple and citrus zest with round notes of toasty oak and vanilla.

A flinty smoke aroma greets the nose first on this well-priced bottling from the Jackson family, with roasted Marcona almond, toasted brioche and seared lemon also showing. A bright energy bolsters the palate, where Meyer lemon ripeness gains pencil shavings and chipped oak flavors in the midpalate.

From Riesling to Pinot Noir, savour B.C.’s best wine varieties If the idea of warm cinnamon toast with a couple dollops of apple-and-quince compote sounds like your thing, then pour yourself a big slug of this showstopper.

Denise Shurtleff has spent nearly two decades on the Cambria estate, making her intimately familiar with the fruit that flourishes there. That includes the 15 different blocks of chardonnay grapes that were farmed individually and blended to make this fruit-forward wine. Citrus and pineapple flavors race across the palate and lead to a clean, refreshing finish.

Citrus, pineapple, peach, grapefruit and nectarine on the nose with hints of French oak barrel (14 percent new) spices. On the palate, what comes into focus is citrus, roasted pineapple, white peach and yellow apple with a touch of baking spices like cinnamon and cardamom. It becomes increasingly complex and more textured on mid palate, showing what cool climate Santa Maria Valley chard is all about. Rich and full bodied (14.5 percent alcohol), it's fresh, bright and full of energy. A never fail chard for all seasons.

Much of the chardonnay fruit that grows on the Cambria estate in the Santa Maria Valley dates back to the 1970s and, since 2009, has been cultivated sustainably. This brilliant wine is teeming with green apple and ripe tropical flavors, like pineapple. Generous acidity and a lovely spicy thread add character. Fresh fish off the grill or a bevy of aperitif cheeses will make a perfect match. Another standout chardonnay by longtime winemaker Denise Shurtleff.

Notes of apple, melon and toasty oak. It has bright acidity and good balance. At this price point, it will please chardonnay-lovers on a budget, and even appeal to less devoted chardonnay drinkers.

This wine comes from one of California’s truly unique vineyards on the Santa Maria bench in Santa Barbara County. Each of 15 different blocks of Chardonnay are farmed individually, allowing nuances of fruit to emerge. Lots are blended to create this inviting wine featuring citrus, white peach and apple with notes of vanilla and spicy oak.

Both the vineyard management and winemaking have become more refined over the years, so much so that this has become the quintessential go-to Santa Barbara County chardonnay in stores and on wine lists all over the country. And this vintage is particularly a great representative. On the seductive nose, aromas of citrus, white peach, apple and apple pie spice; it's fresh and breezy but seemingly promises complexity, too. The flavors are of ripe yellow apple, citrus (particularly Meyer lemon), mango and kiwi with butterscotch, clove and cardamom in a supporting role. Mostly aged in French oak (14 percent new), it has just enough wood to add an intriguing spice element that envelopes and embraces the fruit flavors. Lush and creamy finish, too.

A bright chardonnay with zesty citrus notes. White peach and pineapple are in the mix. Its layered flavors makes it appealing. A steal for the price.

Very reasonably priced, this Santa Barbara County chardonnay has simple lemon/lime aromas with peach and apple flavors.