Hello Chardonnay lovers! I've launched Channel Memberships! Click the 'Join Button' to see the perks. I'm most excited about a monthly Live Stream Hangout/Tasting for those who join the Grand Reserve tier! Thank you so much: www.youtube.com/@drmatthewhorkey/join
I am far more a red drinker, but my wife is strictly a chardonnay fan thus leading me down a path of finding the ideal chardonnay for her palate. Having tried nearly 60 CA chards, one of the best values we found is from the Russian River area of CA: River Road Reserve Un-Oaked Sur Lie Aged Chardonnay (approx $17 USA). Classic citrus/lemony initial tartness yet fresh, smooth & buttery with a long finish. Our favorite CA chardonnays: 2020 Robert Young Estate Clone 17; 2020 Meyer Family Cellars Elke Vineyard, Ettore Pure 2019. All three are considerably more pricey
When I first started my wine journey, I thought I didn’t like Chardonnay, so we asked the Sommelier at our local amazing French restaurant to send us half a dozen Chardonnays that he thought showed the full range of styles for Chardonnay. Turns out I liked them all, and I LOVE Chardonnay in lots of instances! The best wine I’ve ever tasted was also in that box - Premier Cru Côte de Lechet Chablis from Daniel-Etienne Defaix. My favorite Champagne is also all Chardonnay - Doyard Blanc de Blancs, and I’ve had incredible bottles from Australia and Italy as well; Mount Eden and Montelena from CA are also great! But for budget I love Chardonnay from Argentina, (Zuccardi Q and Zolo make some great cheaper bottles) and nothing beats House of Brown unoaked out of CA for the money!
Agreed! We did an anti ABC night at my house for the ladies in the neighborhood (we have regular wine nights together) and I showed them varied styles of Chardonnay and how to pair them with foods. Their favorite thing was buttery Chardonnay (we did Mondavi) with buttery popcorn! Chardonnay is so versatile!
I used to be team ABC, but now more firmly on team AAC, ha! It is a wine that can be made in so many styles that you can find one to please just about any kind of wine drinker. I tend to prefer leaner and more minerally ones; while my wife likes more buttery and vanilla ones. So we have a bit of variety in our house. Interestingly, I tasted one Enate's Chardonnay's from Somontano and I was pleasantly surprised, as I didn't know Spanish Chard could be so good. Kendall Jackson's Chard was better than I expected and it wasn't over done, a bit on the heavier side but still balanced. Central/Eastern Europe are getting better at Chardonnay and the good ones remind me of a Macon Villages or the exceptionally great ones of a Montagny or a Rully. I like Hungarian Chard fermented and aged in local oak, as there is more mid-palate density and texture. I think I agree that generally new oak works better with white wines than red ones. I am looking forward to the barrel fermented whites tasting. Cheers and great video!
Try Chardonnays from Navarra, Spain; for example Castillo de Monjardin, Pago de Cirsus, Nekeas, Viña Zorzal, Bodegas Otazu, Chivite, etc., etc. Almost all of these bodegas produce an unoaked version and an oaked version, some of them are fermented in oak tanks. I have lived here in Spain for over 35 years, but I was raised in Northern California near Napa and Sonoma, and am very familiar with California Chardonnays.
Randomly Chahalem used WA fruit for that vintage due to issues with their usual Oregon fruit, but I also thought the bottle was super consistent and showed really well. Drank it last year down in OR and loved it
My favorite white wine is from the Burgundy region of Graves in France and you can find great bottles just under $20 and rated over 90 plus. Outstanding and pretty complex for the price.
The age old question when producing chardonnay . To 'wood' or not to 'wood'. I personally prefer other whites to chardonnay but do rather like the creamier buttery aspect that can be achieved via battonage. Nice work Matt !
Another great video! Love these blind taste videos and would also love a video on Port's. Would love to know some recommendations and even a blind taste!
I’ll be in Chablis in a few weeks, and plan on tasting (and drinking) lots of Petit Chablis. William Fevre is a favorite, but not easy to find in the States.
Almost always go with unoaked; either Cru ($17) or Bliss ($13), but Ca'Momi ($16) somehow managed to turn that buttery vanilla into tangerine, which I really enjoyed.
I am on the ABC train HARD unless it is of high quality, like a Chablis or Burg. It is really about balance and most Chards out there are just not! Otherwise, I prefer Riesling, SB, or almost any other white that is unoaked or oaked with balance like some White Bords. Great video!
Chardonnay is fine. A friend opened a Coche Dury meursault Perrieres a few weeks ago. While drinking it I thought to myself “this is excellent but I’d rather he opened a clos ste hune”. Of course I kept this thought to myself. And of course I was extremely grateful for the opportunity to taste the wine. My point is even the greatest Chardonnays fail to thrilll me the way great Riesling does. Except for great blanc de blancs champagne.
Damn basic chardonnays at a decent quality in germany start at around 8€. Good quality stuff for example from the Pfalz are around 12-20€. Even good Chablis at the german/french border is 14-20€
I find Chardonnay extreme: it can be the best thing in the world (great Burgundy or Arbois), but it's also the most awful, cheap, vanilla-oaked BS you can find. It's the polar opposite of Sauvignon Blanc, a wine that is almost never great but almost never disappoints. From what I have been able to find, the best value for money are in Macon (a region of Burgundy, you can find these for less than 20$ in the US) and in Long Island, NY, which makes excellent, Burgundy type Chardonnay for 25-30$ a bottle. Still, while Burgundy is expensive, it is much better value in Chardonnay than in Pinot Noir. CA offers great Pinot Noir at interesting prices (especially the coastal regions like Monterrey and Santa Barbara), but the CA Chardonnay suck in general, often even when they are expensive. In Burgundy it's kind of the reverse, the reds are too expensive but the whites are still relatively good value for money.
Any producers in particular that you like for White Burgundy or from Long Island? I've been searching for awhile and have enjoyed some Chards from Willamette Valley OR but haven't tasted much from Burgundy or the East Coast.
@@evanspiteri3576 For Long Island, I like Pellegrini Vineyards, Wölffer Estate and Channing Daughters (the last one often does blends, many of which are great). For Burgundy I would need to check my cellar, can't remember exactly by memory!
@@fredericperrin3279 Thank you so much for the reply, I'll check them all out. Wanting to get into Burgundy but the pricing looks outrageous. I also have no experience with the region so It's hard to know what to look for for "value".
@@drmatthewhorkey Oh absolutely! The fact that something strange happens and you still stand by your results is imo the pillar of your format. The fact that this happens in one video actually elevates ALL of the videos in your catalogue in my opinion.
@@drmatthewhorkey I think you underestimate yourself. You are one of the 5 most successful wine youtubers there are. This means you are not only normalizing honesty by blind tasting but also setting a vital standard. I am proud to see your channel grow as a wine lover, because I wish not only for your personal success(which you deserve) but also the improvement to the entire industry that channels like you, KB MW and 'Wine for the People' represent.
Airen…….for brandy, sherry, and for blending. (Thank you WSET training!!). I’m an A. B. C. guy, always buy Chardonnay. 😎. We just did a Chardonnay tasting for my group. They all had to come from New Zealand. Had one that was good for $20.
Hunting for good Chardonnay can be a expensive and disappointing venture, much like Pinot Noir for reds. Recently I had an excellent Austrian Chardonnay (labeled Morillon) from Lackner-Tinnacher, the Ried Flamberg. A highlight during a recent trip to Vienna. There it retails at around 35-40€. I also tried the Ried Eckberg from the same producer, also very good and costs around 22-25€.
@@drmatthewhorkey Yep, it's a thing over here. I'm putting my snob hat on but there are some really crappy names that sum up modern society. Chardonnay is a classic.
@@drmatthewhorkey right, but is it common? I feel like I’ve had a few $40 Sonoma chardonnays that are bright and clean, but the acidity kind of tastes like lemon juice. It’s not really integrated. I’m just curious if it’s a secret sauce practice that no one would actually admit to.
Chardonnay is fantastic when done in a proper manner. Too many Chardonnay is done in a manipulated fashion…in other words the way the sales department wants it made🤮.
KJ Chard is my standard. I frequently try others, but If I spend $25-$50 I want to know I’m getting something better than KJ and more often than not, I don’t. Unlike some others, my Chardonnay coming from a supermarket does not bother me at all. I also spent a lot learning that Chard coming from foreign countries and with names I can’t pronounce correctly does not ensure better wine. When dining out, if KJ is available that’s what I order. It’s consistent, predictable, and pleasing to my palate.
I wish you were a little more honest with your tastings. We both know that Kendall Jackson is a recipe wine or as some say created by science. People like it so much because you can find it in almost any restaurant.
As someone who lives in the Willamette Valley, what is the point of purposely mispronouncing it? Why not just mispronounce everything and get everyone annoyed if you are going to go that route.
@@sirthalface I didn't even mention his mispronunciation of Chehalem because that was more understandable for someone not from Oregon. Willamette is not hard to pronounce correctly, and he does know how to say it but chooses not to. Why not start calling Champagne Cham-PAG-knee or Rioja RYE-o-jay or Sonoma SON-o-may and see what reactions he can get from people.
Hello Chardonnay lovers! I've launched Channel Memberships! Click the 'Join Button' to see the perks. I'm most excited about a monthly Live Stream Hangout/Tasting for those who join the Grand Reserve tier! Thank you so much: www.youtube.com/@drmatthewhorkey/join
I am far more a red drinker, but my wife is strictly a chardonnay fan thus leading me down a path of finding the ideal chardonnay for her palate. Having tried nearly 60 CA chards, one of the best values we found is from the Russian River area of CA: River Road Reserve Un-Oaked Sur Lie Aged Chardonnay (approx $17 USA). Classic citrus/lemony initial tartness yet fresh, smooth & buttery with a long finish. Our favorite CA chardonnays: 2020 Robert Young Estate Clone 17; 2020 Meyer Family Cellars Elke Vineyard, Ettore Pure 2019. All three are considerably more pricey
Nice!! Two different preferences in the house can mean more open bottles
When I first started my wine journey, I thought I didn’t like Chardonnay, so we asked the Sommelier at our local amazing French restaurant to send us half a dozen Chardonnays that he thought showed the full range of styles for Chardonnay. Turns out I liked them all, and I LOVE Chardonnay in lots of instances! The best wine I’ve ever tasted was also in that box - Premier Cru Côte de Lechet Chablis from Daniel-Etienne Defaix. My favorite Champagne is also all Chardonnay - Doyard Blanc de Blancs, and I’ve had incredible bottles from Australia and Italy as well; Mount Eden and Montelena from CA are also great! But for budget I love Chardonnay from Argentina, (Zuccardi Q and Zolo make some great cheaper bottles) and nothing beats House of Brown unoaked out of CA for the money!
Chardonnay can be so loveable! One of the world’s great grapes
Agreed! We did an anti ABC night at my house for the ladies in the neighborhood (we have regular wine nights together) and I showed them varied styles of Chardonnay and how to pair them with foods. Their favorite thing was buttery Chardonnay (we did Mondavi) with buttery popcorn! Chardonnay is so versatile!
Sha-Hay-Lem .. sorry, but it's also a style I prefer as I get older .. less butter, more steel
Steellleeey Riesling! 🤤
I used to be team ABC, but now more firmly on team AAC, ha! It is a wine that can be made in so many styles that you can find one to please just about any kind of wine drinker. I tend to prefer leaner and more minerally ones; while my wife likes more buttery and vanilla ones. So we have a bit of variety in our house. Interestingly, I tasted one Enate's Chardonnay's from Somontano and I was pleasantly surprised, as I didn't know Spanish Chard could be so good.
Kendall Jackson's Chard was better than I expected and it wasn't over done, a bit on the heavier side but still balanced.
Central/Eastern Europe are getting better at Chardonnay and the good ones remind me of a Macon Villages or the exceptionally great ones of a Montagny or a Rully.
I like Hungarian Chard fermented and aged in local oak, as there is more mid-palate density and texture. I think I agree that generally new oak works better with white wines than red ones. I am looking forward to the barrel fermented whites tasting. Cheers and great video!
Serbia is a country that I believe does the variery exceptionally well
Try Chardonnays from Navarra, Spain; for example Castillo de Monjardin, Pago de Cirsus, Nekeas, Viña Zorzal, Bodegas Otazu, Chivite, etc., etc. Almost all of these bodegas produce an unoaked version and an oaked version, some of them are fermented in oak tanks.
I have lived here in Spain for over 35 years, but I was raised in Northern California near Napa and Sonoma, and am very familiar with California Chardonnays.
Was just at some of those estates back in Nov… there is a Navarra video on the channel
I do like Chardonnay and a wine that's tart. Hopefully, I'll be able to find that Chehalem that you recommend.
Thanks for tips.
🙏🙏🙏
Randomly Chahalem used WA fruit for that vintage due to issues with their usual Oregon fruit, but I also thought the bottle was super consistent and showed really well. Drank it last year down in OR and loved it
It is delish!
My favorite white wine is from the Burgundy region of Graves in France and you can find great bottles just under $20 and rated over 90 plus. Outstanding and pretty complex for the price.
The Graves is awesome. I love White Bordeaux
The age old question when producing chardonnay . To 'wood' or not to 'wood'.
I personally prefer other whites to chardonnay but do rather like the creamier buttery aspect that can be achieved via battonage.
Nice work Matt !
🙏🙏
Another great video!
Love these blind taste videos and would also love a video on Port's. Would love to know some recommendations and even a blind taste!
There are a few videos on the channel about Port! I love it too
I’ll be in Chablis in a few weeks, and plan on tasting (and drinking) lots of Petit Chablis. William Fevre is a favorite, but not easy to find in the States.
Niceeee have fun
Almost always go with unoaked; either Cru ($17) or Bliss ($13), but Ca'Momi ($16) somehow managed to turn that buttery vanilla into tangerine, which I really enjoyed.
It’s all good if you like it
Bread & Butter 2021 is quite enjoyable. I tried it in my recent WSET 2 course
As long as you like it!
@@drmatthewhorkeylol
At these prices I like most South African Chardonnays; and Spanish from El Coto Finca Carbonera and Bodegas Arzuaga Fan D'Oro
😮😮
I am on the ABC train HARD unless it is of high quality, like a Chablis or Burg. It is really about balance and most Chards out there are just not! Otherwise, I prefer Riesling, SB, or almost any other white that is unoaked or oaked with balance like some White Bords. Great video!
Riesssslinngggg!!!
Chardonnay is fine. A friend opened a Coche Dury meursault Perrieres a few weeks ago. While drinking it I thought to myself “this is excellent but I’d rather he opened a clos ste hune”. Of course I kept this thought to myself. And of course I was extremely grateful for the opportunity to taste the wine. My point is even the greatest Chardonnays fail to thrilll me the way great Riesling does. Except for great blanc de blancs champagne.
Ohhhh CSH 🤤
Damn basic chardonnays at a decent quality in germany start at around 8€. Good quality stuff for example from the Pfalz are around 12-20€. Even good Chablis at the german/french border is 14-20€
Yes!! In the EU though, USA prices aren’t as friendly
I find Chardonnay extreme: it can be the best thing in the world (great Burgundy or Arbois), but it's also the most awful, cheap, vanilla-oaked BS you can find. It's the polar opposite of Sauvignon Blanc, a wine that is almost never great but almost never disappoints. From what I have been able to find, the best value for money are in Macon (a region of Burgundy, you can find these for less than 20$ in the US) and in Long Island, NY, which makes excellent, Burgundy type Chardonnay for 25-30$ a bottle. Still, while Burgundy is expensive, it is much better value in Chardonnay than in Pinot Noir. CA offers great Pinot Noir at interesting prices (especially the coastal regions like Monterrey and Santa Barbara), but the CA Chardonnay suck in general, often even when they are expensive. In Burgundy it's kind of the reverse, the reds are too expensive but the whites are still relatively good value for money.
Your last line is TRUTH!
Any producers in particular that you like for White Burgundy or from Long Island? I've been searching for awhile and have enjoyed some Chards from Willamette Valley OR but haven't tasted much from Burgundy or the East Coast.
@@evanspiteri3576 For Long Island, I like Pellegrini Vineyards, Wölffer Estate and Channing Daughters (the last one often does blends, many of which are great). For Burgundy I would need to check my cellar, can't remember exactly by memory!
@@fredericperrin3279 Thank you so much for the reply, I'll check them all out. Wanting to get into Burgundy but the pricing looks outrageous. I also have no experience with the region so It's hard to know what to look for for "value".
Shows how different people are. I keep trying, but hardly ever find a Sauvignon blanc I like. Much better luck with Chards.
You seem to have wines which you score highly in general, I like that in this one you had some which were not so good.
Thank you! It does happen
Interesting, Im a big fan of the Enate. Strange to see it score so low I wonder if its bottle variation or a vintage issue?
Yes I know me too but that is what happens sometimes in blind tasting
@@drmatthewhorkey Oh absolutely! The fact that something strange happens and you still stand by your results is imo the pillar of your format. The fact that this happens in one video actually elevates ALL of the videos in your catalogue in my opinion.
🙏🙏🙏 just keeping it real… A rarity in wine media IMO
@@drmatthewhorkey I think you underestimate yourself. You are one of the 5 most successful wine youtubers there are. This means you are not only normalizing honesty by blind tasting but also setting a vital standard. I am proud to see your channel grow as a wine lover, because I wish not only for your personal success(which you deserve) but also the improvement to the entire industry that channels like you, KB MW and 'Wine for the People' represent.
That Vintners Reserve cost me $12 here in Arkansas. I prefer the Columbia Crest Grand Estate Chardonnay though to be honest in that price range.
😮
Yes, limestone hill from south Africa
😮😮😮
I'll try almost any unoaked Chardonnay.
Check Germany and Northern Italy for great under €20,- finds.
@robdielemans9189 a good thought, thank you!
👍🏼💪🏼
Airen…….for brandy, sherry, and for blending. (Thank you WSET training!!). I’m an A. B. C. guy, always buy Chardonnay. 😎. We just did a Chardonnay tasting for my group. They all had to come from New Zealand. Had one that was good for $20.
There are some very good dry Airens being made too
Are you certain Airen is used in Sherry.? That’s the first I’ve heard of it and I just completed Level 3.
@@adamg.manning6088I’m pretty sure it’s used as the one of the neutral spirits in the fortification process.
@@adamg.manning6088I’m pretty sure arien is used as on of the grape spirits used to fortify sherry.
@@adamg.manning6088I’m pretty sure airien is used as a grape spirit to fortify sherry.
Hunting for good Chardonnay can be a expensive and disappointing venture, much like Pinot Noir for reds. Recently I had an excellent Austrian Chardonnay (labeled Morillon) from Lackner-Tinnacher, the Ried Flamberg. A highlight during a recent trip to Vienna. There it retails at around 35-40€. I also tried the Ried Eckberg from the same producer, also very good and costs around 22-25€.
I do love the Austrian name for Chardonnay!
Is the most planted Ugni blanc? Or was Airen? Or are those the same thing? Lol...
it's Airén, but no one really hears about it as a wine grape. Apparently it's not even great as a wine grape and used for other things.
@@andrewbennett6089 Its used for brandy just like ugni blanc, thats why I was wondering if they were names for the same variety
@@itsmederek1 It looks like no, they are different grapes
They are not the same. Airen was often used in blends but there are some very good examples being made!
Ever since people started naming their daughters 'Chardonnay' I've had a bit of a problem. 😖
What??????!!!!
@@drmatthewhorkey Yep, it's a thing over here. I'm putting my snob hat on but there are some really crappy names that sum up modern society. Chardonnay is a classic.
😮 🤯
How often are California growers-even good ones-adding citric acid?
It’s legal in every wine country and many regions to correct acidity
@@drmatthewhorkey right, but is it common? I feel like I’ve had a few $40 Sonoma chardonnays that are bright and clean, but the acidity kind of tastes like lemon juice. It’s not really integrated. I’m just curious if it’s a secret sauce practice that no one would actually admit to.
A LOT more common than most know
It's not under $20 dollars, but a great California Chardonnay in the richer style is Mt. Eden. Highly recommended!
Love it! And the Cab
@@drmatthewhorkey Me too! I would love to see you do a video on the Santa Cruz Mountains wine region. The wines can be outrageously good.
Big fan of them too
Hard to get a good Australian Chardonnay for under $30 AUD.
👍👍
Aussie wines aren’t cheap
@@drmatthewhorkey
No they are not.
And Aussie whisky is very expensive.
Chardonnay is fantastic when done in a proper manner. Too many Chardonnay is done in a manipulated fashion…in other words the way the sales department wants it made🤮.
😮😮😮
Hm... you can buy a lot of perfect, tasty Chardonnay in Hungary in the most Supermarket under 10$!!!
igen!
@@drmatthewhorkey I'm so sorry, forgot even, you are really the best!!!! 😀 You know everything ... ;-)
Def NOT everything hahah
Surely the most planted white grape variety in the world is Sauvignon Blanc
It’s Airen from Spain
@@drmatthewhorkey huh well the more I know then
KJ Chard is my standard. I frequently try others, but If I spend $25-$50 I want to know I’m getting something better than KJ and more often than not, I don’t. Unlike some others, my Chardonnay coming from a supermarket does not bother me at all. I also spent a lot learning that Chard coming from foreign countries and with names I can’t pronounce correctly does not ensure better wine. When dining out, if KJ is available that’s what I order. It’s consistent, predictable, and pleasing to my palate.
At the end of the day a lot of people like it - there’s a reason that it’s popular
Too buttery and salty for me
😮😮
I wish you were a little more honest with your tastings. We both know that Kendall Jackson is a recipe wine or as some say created by science. People like it so much because you can find it in almost any restaurant.
He tasted blind, liked the wine. How is that dishonest? He even said others poopoo the stuff, but he likes it.
I tasted blind, that’s what happens
As someone who lives in the Willamette Valley, what is the point of purposely mispronouncing it? Why not just mispronounce everything and get everyone annoyed if you are going to go that route.
👍🏼
Good lord relax it’s not that serious
Lighten up Francis
@@sirthalface I didn't even mention his mispronunciation of Chehalem because that was more understandable for someone not from Oregon. Willamette is not hard to pronounce correctly, and he does know how to say it but chooses not to. Why not start calling Champagne Cham-PAG-knee or Rioja RYE-o-jay or Sonoma SON-o-may and see what reactions he can get from people.
Crocodile's Lair Chardonnay by Bouchard Finlayson 🇿🇦 is great value
😮😮😮😮🙏🙏