Chardonnay

English sparkling wine has long been the “next big thing” for European insiders—but with the 2018 Gusbourne Estate Blanc de Blancs, it’s finally fulfilling its promise. The stunning sparkler earned a scorching 97 points from Decanter’s World Wine Awards, where it took home one of the coveted “Best in Show” honors—earned after judging against wines…

Knowing our friend Halpin’s penchant for achieving the impossible, it should come as no surprise that he was able to source Chardonnay from a producer who is arguably the most-celebrated and lauded in all of Sonoma County. In the last 15 years, the Chardonnays alone from this legendary winemaker have pulled down more than 100…

Earth has 18 million acres of vineyards—and some of the planet’s purest, most vibrant Chardonnay comes from the 61 acres of Les Clos, the oldest and most famous Grand Cru in Chablis.  France’s iconic white-wine producers jostle for rows of gorgeous vines at Les Clos, and in the incredible 2018 vintage—one that Decanter suggested could…

Keller Estate’s La Cruz Chardonnay is a perpetual Wine Access favorite. Full, lush, and powerful, it’s a star with classic California style. Each year, Kosta Browne– and Merry Edwards–trained winemaker Julien Teichmann crafts this tribute to Keller’s stunning vineyards in the heart of the prestigious Petaluma Gap. Keller Estate is the premier winery in the…

The Sta. Rita Hills AVA has often been labeled as an “up and coming,” “need-to-know,” appellation, but one sip of Lafond’s 93-point 2018 SRH Chardonnay is all you need to know that the region has fully and spectacularly arrived.  This is a stellar release from one of Sta. Rita Hills’ most influential forerunners, a benchmark…

This is a true friend-of-a-friend find, the kind of tip that’s accompanied by a hushed tone, a “let’s keep this circle small” tone. But after we tried this luminous, single-vineyard Chardonnay, we knew Lagana was simply too good to keep from Wine Access members.  They’re producing some truly exceptional Walla Walla Chardonnays, and this 2018…

For 15 years, LIOCO has sourced the best fruit from Sonoma and the Russian River Valley, and today is making Chardonnays that put them in the realm of Littorai, Hanzell, and Patz & Hall. That quality is what has made LIOCO a favorite at Michelin-starred restaurants around the country, and a staple in our cellars too. …

Legendary investor Joel Greenblatt made his name by identifying spinoff companies as a unique source of value on Wall Street, but he realized it would take time for the market to properly value the new ventures.  The same thing happens with wine: Just look at the Bourgogne Côte d’Or AOC, created only in 2017. Bourgogne…

Ever since Luna Vineyards opened their doors with a young John Kongsgaard as their winemaker, they’ve made some of the best Chardonnay in Napa. Before he was famous for his own 100-point Chardonnay bottlings, he developed Luna’s style into the envy of their neighbors, with bold, brassy bottlings that flaunt big fruit and rich textures,…

Vintage Champagne: We’ve always considered it one of life’s true luxuries—and therefore about the furthest thing from common. But if any bottle proves it can be both, it’s the 2018 M. Brugnon Blanc de Blancs.  This is the long-awaited follow-up to the 2015 and 2017 vintages, two sell-outs that together earned a staggering 4.5 stars…