Best Chardonnays Under $15

I think we all know that you don’t have to spend a lot of money to get a great bottle of wine. That is probably most evident when you are talking about Chardonnay—America’s most popular wine choice. Chardonnay outsells other white wines three to one, so given that, you know there are some great bargains to be had.

Chardonnay is pretty tricky to nail down because people’s preference for the grape tend to be in two different camps: 1)the oaky, heavy, malolactic, buttery, almost 30-weight viscosity lovers and 2)the fruity, slight or no oak, no malolactic (thus not much viscosity) lovers. Knowing which style you tend to lean toward will be helpful in choosing the best wine…let's face it, even if you spend just a few dollars on a bottle of wine you don’t like, you still end up with a bottle of wine you don’t like. It’s not a bargain if you don’t like it, right?

So for under $15 there are some real gems that I love to drink and have available when guests come over. During the summer months a nicely chilled Chardonnay with some prosciutto-wrapped melon hits the spot! And where do you find these great values? Always check your local paper for sales in the wine aisle. Just the other day a gourmet grocery store in my neighborhood that usually has their wine marked up fairly high put an ad in the paper with some nice wines on sale. One wine in particular was normally $22 and it was marked down to $15. So be vigilant and take notice of sales. I would also highly recommend shopping at large stores such as Costco and Beverages and More, where wines are usually priced very competitively (Costco is the largest wine retailer in the U.S., so they get some great deals to pass on to you).

Here are some favorites to try!

Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay, California- $12.00 This wine is America’s favorite overall Chardonnay. It sells more than any other Chardonnay in the marketplace. Aromas of baked apple and pear are very evident. The American oak used imparts nice vanilla tones in the nose and continues on to the palate. Since so much of this wine is made every year, you can count on continuity in the flavor year after year.

Canyon Road Chardonnay, California- $9.99 This winery's tasting room used to be open to the public but has closed and moved; but the wines are still being produced. Canyon Road is the inexpensive sister winery to Geyser Peak Winery in Sonoma County. Canyon Road’s wines are not only still terrific for the price; they conistantly win awards in the industry in wine competitions. Their Chardonnay is no exception. This wine is on the non-oaked side of things…they do use oak, but not very much, so if you are a fruity Chardonnay drinker this one is for you. Bright citrus notes of lemon meringue and juicy apple are really evident in this one.

Charles Shaw Chardonnay, California- $1.99 Oh come on, you know this had to show up somewhere! There is a trick to drinking this wine—there is SO much of it made from different fruit sources that different lots of this wine will taste different. But even with that being said, this wine sells like hotcakes. And for $15 a case why not if it’s decent, right? I’ve used it in blind tastings, it’s definitely “quaffable” and it has received medals in competitions as well. But be careful…if you find a bottle you like go back right away and buy some because a couple months down the road the blend could change on it and not taste as good as you remembered.

Fetzer Vineyards, Valley Oaks- $8.99 A nicely balanced wine. The winemaker puts only one-third of the wine in oak, so it does have some vanilla/toast quality, but it’s followed up with a very fruit-forward taste and finish. Lemongrass and herbal qualities seem to come through, with some slight warm spices on the palate too.

Jekel Vineyards, Jekel Vineyards- $10.99 This wine has hit the shelves running. This winery, owned by a large wine conglomerate, has produced many award-winning wines in economical price categories. This Chardonnay is a great example of tropical fruit and warm climate growing conditions. Notes of peach, bananas, and coconut are definitely on the forefront of this wine. It’s fat and lush and a great sipping wine.

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