Rutherford Ranch is another example of a high volume producer that consistently delivers a fantastic product.  As a wine enthusiast (not capitalized), I love nothing more than finding a small producer that produces an incredible product that’s completely under-the-radar.  The problem is, one of two things generally happen.  1.) The small producer starts buying more grapes and becomes a bigger producer with lower quality or 2.) They get discovered and prices skyrocket.  Bottom line: it’s great to find some go-to lables that produce wine in such a quantity that it’s easy to get a hold of and has a high level of consistency.

My Short List of High Value/High Volume Producers (sticking to the U.S. here):

• Hahn Estates (All)
• Beringer (Regular, Reserve)
• Mondavi (Regular and Reserve, but not “Private Selection”)
• Columbia Crest (All)
• Talbott (All)

Add to that list, Rutherford Ranch, because this Chardonnay is a proven value as is their Cabernet.  The Chardonnay is textbook for Napa, displaying aromas of tangerine, honey, bread and smoke.  It has a nice texture and a persistence that’s impressive for an $11 wine, likely due to the barrel fermentation that occured for part of this wine.

Rutherford Ranch’s Napa Chardonnay received 88 points from Robert Parker.  It makes a perfect pairing for any grilled fish or chicken or all alone for that matter!  I made pan seared Atlantic salmon cakes with an arugula salad with goat cheese and candied pecans.  Perfect.

Buy Here: Rutherford Ranch Napa Chardonnay $10.95

Wine Advocate 88 points

“Offers up aromas of nectarines, orange blossoms, and peaches”

Loyal readers probably remember the incredible San Simeon Chardonnay.   It was one of the first wines I wrote up and LA Wine Co. sold literally thousands of bottles of it.  Maddalena has produced a Chardonnay in a similar style at an equally amazing value.

If you are looking for Chardonnay values, look outside of Napa and Sonoma and toward the south.  Monterey’s cool climate is perfect for growing Chardonnay grapes and with less name prestige than its neighbor to the north (Napa, not Canada), the prices are considerably lower.

The 2009 Maddalena Chardonnay pours a golden straw color and has a beautiful nose of smoke and honey.  The honey texture continues on the palate with a smooth, caramely, melt-in-your-mouth warmth accented by smoky oak and balanced acid.  It’s the perfect wine for a crisp Fall night – or any night for that matter.

In researching this wine, I discovered why it’s so much like San Simeon: It’s made by the same company.  They certainly have the Chardonnay formula down.  Maddalena takes Chardonnay value of the year so far and LA Wine Co’s lowest price in the country according to Google Shopping makes it that much tastier!

Buy Here: 2009 Maddalena Chardonnay $9.95

Paul Hobbs makes wine from the very best vineyards in California.  Think names like Hyde, Stagecoach, To-Kalon and Dr. Crane.  He has numerous 100 point ratings and has established himself as perhaps the top winemaker and consultant in California and beyond.

But what happens to all of those expensive grapes he buys that don’t quite make the cut for his $100+ wines?  I’ll give you a hint.  He doesn’t just throw them away.  He makes them into his Crossbarn series of wines.  You might call Crossbarn a second wine, but that wouldn’t really do these wines justice.  The Crossbarn series are on par with most wineries top tier productions, but Hobbs just holds himself to a higher standard.

I’ve had a number of vintages of both the Chardonnay and the Cabernet and each impress every time.  For the most recent vintage, 2008 for the Cab and 2009 for the Chard, Hobbs lowered the price and upped the quality.  Both come in under the $30 mark, an impressive feat for a producer whose Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard Cabernet retails for $139.95!

Parker gave each of these 91 points making them undeniable values – one thing Paul Hobbs isn’t always known for…

Buy Here:  2008 Paul Hobbs Crossbarn Cabernet Sauvignon $29.95

Robert Parker 91 points

“A terrific bargain in Napa Cabernet, the 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon CrossBarn (100% Cabernet Sauvignon; 5,782 cases produced) is a cross Napa Valley blend. It possesses a dense ruby/purple color in addition to a brilliant perfume of smoked herbs, sweet creme de cassis and blackberry fruit, incense and hints of charcoal and herbs. Savory, broad and expansive on the palate, this full-bodied, supple-textured effort is a classic Napa Valley Cabernet that is silky enough to be drunk early in life and over the next 10-15 years.”

Buy Here: 2009 Paul Hobbs Crossbarn Chardonnay $22.95

Robert Parker 91 points

“A stunning bargain is the 2009 Chardonnay CrossBarn, which was aged in 75% stainless steel, was put through 100% malolactic, and 15% was barrel fermented in order to provide a subtle hint of spice. Made in a steely, Chablis-like style, it offers up full-bodied tropical fruit notes intermixed with hints of honeysuckle and crushed rocks. Drink this 4,000-case beauty over the next several years.

What’s better than sitting outside on a warm evening with a cool glass of Chardonnay?  For me, not a heck of a lot, especially when that cool glass is from La Crema, who makes one of the best values in California Chardonnay hands down.  All of their Chardonnays are really good year after year and this, the lowest priced in their lineup, still shows as a premium wine.

This wine actually reminds me of the 94 point Beringer Private Reserve Chardonnay in a lot of ways.  It’s oaky and buttery, yet balanced with a persistent acidity – a truly impressive expression of California Chardonnay.  The round mouthfeel combined with crisp pineapple flavors tell me that this isn’t a one trick pony like a lot of Chardonnay in this price range.  I’ve found that most Chards in the under $20 category are very one dimensional, either huge oak bombs, or all citrus flavors with no texture.  Not the case here.  This wine goes through 50% malolactic fermentation which gives it the rich oily mouthfeel while retaining the citric acid that keeps everything in balanace.  It all finishes with nice length and purity.

La Crema is worth seeking out.  That’s really saying something for a wine priced at $13.95 – a price that is actually so good there are retailers selling half bottles for more!  I just found my new house Chardonnay.

Buy Here: 2009 La Crema Chardonnay Monterey $13.95

Robert Parker 90 points

“More tropical aromas of pineapples, orange marmalade and honeysuckle jump from the glass of the 2009 Chardonnay Monterey. Fifty percent of this cuvee was put through malolactic fermentation and it came in under 14% alcohol, not unusual in a cool year such as 2009. It exhibits abundant fruit, medium body, good depth and a seductive style. Enjoy it over the next several years.

La Crema is an excellent value winery owned by Jess Jackson with an impressive group of winemakers, including Melissa Stackhouse.”

I love finding a house Chardonnay that drinks totally guilt free because it’s cheap and tastes great. The problem is, the more great Chardonnay you taste, the harder it becomes to find a daily drinker! I’m discovering that this is a problem with all kinds of wines. Drinking great wine resets your standard for what you consider a good wine. Luckily, despite this not-so-tragic phenomenon, I’m still finding great values in the under $10 value range all the time.

We enjoyed the Lander-Jenkins 2009 Chardonnay in the back yard on a warm Friday evening. This wine is perfect for such a setting. One thing the French have been doing for hundreds of years (besides retreating), is blending grapes for added complexity. Complexity is not something usually found in an $8 domestic Chardonnay, but Lander-Jenkins blends in 5% Muscat for a little sweetness and flavor variation. It’s a really nice touch in this rich, oaky Chardonnay which also has flavors of almond and honey.

This wine is made by Rutherford Wine Company, who are best known for the Rutherford Ranch Cabernet, which is also a fantastic value. If you’re looking for a new daily drinker Chardonnay, look no further. This is a case-worthy $8 value!

Buy Here: 2009 Lander-Jenkins Chardonnay $7.99

Kendall-Jackson, a.k.a. KJ, somehow got a reputation for making grocery store wine.  If this is grocery store wine, then I’ll live in the aisles because this is outrageously good – at any price.  There is a tendency to confuse high volume producers like Kendall-Jackson with bulk producers.  Those that take that stance are missing some incredible wines and, more importantly, incredible values.  Most KJ wines are estate grown, meaning they are in charge of every step in the wine producing process from growing to harvesting to bottling.  This is handcrafted wine that can hold its own and BEAT many wines 3 times the price.

From their own vineyards in Monterey and Santa Barbara, this wine is created from the top 3% of their Chardonnay lots!  Suddenly the advantages of being a high volume producer are becoming more apparent.  Much like the reserve programs of Mondavi or Beringer, only the very best vineyards/grapes/barrels from their extensive wine programs go into the reserve wines.  In the words of Charlie Sheen, Kendall-Jackson is winning.

A rich buttery style defines the Grand Reserve Chardonnay, which was aged in 69% French oak, of which 25% was new.  A smokey nose leads into a rich palate of lemonade and mango.  The finish is exceptionally long, with citrus and tropical fruit lingering on for 30 seconds or more.  I can’t say enough good things about this $15 wine.

Parker gave it 90 points.  I think it has an added depth and complexity to warrant 91.  Either way it’s a screaming, case-worthy value.

Buy Here: 2008 Kendall-Jackson Grand Reserve Chardonnay $14.95

Robert Parker 90 points

“The 2008 Chardonnay Grand Reserve, which comes from their vineyards in Monterey and Santa Barbara, is a richer, fuller wine with loads of tropical fruit and honeysuckle. It is crisp, full-bodied, and again, an impressive wine to drink over the next several years.

The lowest level of the Kendall-Jackson empire, the Vintner’s Reserve series, goes from strength to strength. For consumers hoping to maximize their dollar value, these serious wines are consistent choices. Their Chardonnay has always been good, but dramatic increases in quality have taken place in the Pinot Noir, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon programs.”

Sean Minor is making some exceptional wine at prices so low I literally don’t know how he does it.  I say “he” because, yes, Sean Minor is actually a real person.  His Cabernet took the under $15 Value of the Year award on this blog and deserves every bit of a 90 point rating (it received a still very impressive 87 from Wine Spectator).

Mr. Minor has impressed me again with his value priced Chardonnay- an absolute steal at $8.99.  That’s steal not steel, as this Chardonnay shows the trademark buttery texture and toasty flavors of malolactic fermentation and oak aging.  That said, it’s not over the top, and strikes me as very balanced in both acidity and texture.  Sort of like an apple dipped in honey.

Sean and his staff at Four Bears Winery have produced an impressive product that effectively articulates everything this blog is about: high quality wine at value prices.  More importantly Sean is doing a great job marketing and promoting his wines from the ground up by posting a thank you on this blog after our review of his Cabernet, and personally responding to every message on the company’s Facebook wall.  Some other larger (and likely less profitable) wineries should take note.  Well done Sean!

Buy Here: 2009 Sean Minor Four Bears Chardonnay $8.99

Cakebread is probably the most famous name in domestic Chardonnay.  It’s the wine business people drop $100+ on at restaurants when they are trying to impress clients and the wine I buy to celebrate my wife’s birthday.  The Cakebread name is synonymous with luxury and quality.  When you order Cakebread, you know you are going to get a great Chardonnay with remarkable consistency from vintage to vintage.

So when I opened a bottle of Cakebread’s 2009 Chardonnay to celebrate a friend’s engagement, I was a little surprised at what I tasted.  Not because the quality was anything different- the wine was fantastic.  I was surprised because what I tasted was a departure, although not a dramatic one, from the rich, oaky style Cakebread is known (and sometimes criticized) for.  As one who enjoys both citrus focused stainless steel Chardonnay and the buttery, oak and honey focused barrel aged version, I won’t get into the debate about which style is better.  Wondering if my taster was off, I emailed Dennis Cakebread, who has been nice enough to contribute his thoughts in the past, to see if he could offer any insight.

He confirmed my observations that the ’09 had less oak, saying “We did back off on the amount of new oak used as we noticed the ’08 was more oak focused than we prefer”.  But what I perceived as less malolactic fermentation (turning crisp citric acid to buttery lactic acid), was more a function of a culmination of factors than a change in winemaking style.

Cakebread (the man not the wine) said “The 2009 has about 7% malo while the 2008 actually had no malo.  A lot has to do with the growing season and how the acids and pH’s come together”.  He goes on to cite variations in “growing season, crop size, berry size, cluster weights, weather just before harvest, how even was the set,  how was the spring, was the winter wet, when in the growing season did we get heat spikes” as factors contributing to the overall style.  Make no mistake about it, Cakebread is still making rich, complex Chardonnay that many consider to the the benchmark of the varietal in the U.S.  Consider the 2009 vintage a small step toward satisfying emerging trends while still sticking to their overall winemaking ideals.  This vintage is absolutely another in a long line of Cakebread fantastic Chardonnay.  If you haven’t tried Cakebread in a while, maybe it’s time to give it another shot.  If you have always enjoyed the wine, as I have, I think you will be pleasantly surprised by the updated style.

Special thanks to Dennis Cakebread for his commentary for our readers.

Buy here: 2009 Cakebread Chardonnay $34.95

Tonight was the second attempt with my new pasta maker, and this time called for a white wine pairing.  I’ve long been impressed with Syrah bottlings from Qupé so I picked up a bottle of their 2009  Bien Nacido Vineyard “Y” Block to drink with Sicilian fettuccine with roasted tomatoes.

It’s exceptionally rare to find a single vineyard Chardonnay made with this precision and cost (25% new oak barrels) for under $20.  Plus, Qupé clearly takes pride in their wines and I like supporting wineries like that.  After all, with a few exceptions, wineries are just small businesses trying to put a great product in front of customers while making a profit.  The majority fail at both points, and while I can’t speak to their profitability, I can tell you  Qupé has a great product.

As previously mentioned on Nickel and Dime Wine, the central coast and specifically Santa Barbara County is a breeding ground for Chardonnay values.  The source of this wine’s grapes,  Bien Nacido Vineyard, is world renowned for growing super premium cool climate grapes like Syrah, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.  That vineyard, combined with expert winemaking produces a full bodied Chardonnay that’s both rich and buttery yet focused and clean at the same time.  Oak is present, but it’s perfectly in balance with nice acid.

This wine sells for between $15 and $20 most places and, according to Google shopping, LA Wine Co. has the lowest price by far.  Today’s takeaway: good grapes + good winemaking + good pricing = a perfect Thursday night.  Now when mom asks you what you learned today, you have an answer.

Buy Here: 2009 Qupe “Bien Nacido – Y Block” Santa Maria Chardonnay $12.95

What is it with Monterey Chardonnay?  Something about the cool climate produces Chardonnay with complexity and richness but with a cutting acid that keeps everything in balance.  The 2008 Bernardus Chardonnay is one of the best examples I’ve had this year, and at $16.95 it’s a great value from one of Chardonnay’s best regions.  In fact, 2008 seems to have been a better Chardonnay vintage in Monterey than it was in Napa and Sonoma.

That crisp acid and rich oak made this wine a perfect accompaniment to one of my favorite easy dinners, Sicilian pasta.  I attempted to do a video of how to make this pasta.  So the video wasn’t too long, I chopped everything in advance and preheated the oil in the pan.   Unfortunately I got the oil too hot and nearly caught my kitchen on fire.  I’ll attempt the video again, but in the meantime,  here’s how to make this simple, 20 minute dinner:

Sicilian Pasta Recipe

Finely chop three cloves of garlic and a small handful of fresh herbs (I like to use thyme, oregano and basil from my garden).

Cook your pasta (I like to use penne or bow ties) and drain the water.

Open a small tin of anchovies, drain the olive oil into the pasta and stir.  Set aside.

Lightly cover the bottom of a hot pan with olive oil and add the anchovies.  Chop the anchovies up with a rubber spatula until they melt completely into the olive oil leaving only very small pieces.

Add the garlic and 5-6 pinches of chopped fresh herbs to the hot oil and remove from the heat.

Add the pasta into the pan and mix until it’s coated with the oil/anchovy/herb mix.

Dress with red chili flakes, Parmesan cheese and the rest of the herbs to taste.

This pasta is delicious, healthy and perfect with a crisp Chardonnay.  Don’t let the full can of anchovies deter you from trying this.  If you like the amount of anchovy flavor in Caesar dressing, you’ll like this pasta.  And if you like Chardonnay, you’ll like this wine!

Buy Here: 2008 Bernardus Chardonnay $16.95

Wine Spectator 92 points

“Bold, rich and layered, with a medley of smoky fig, toasty oak, hazelnut and roasted marshmallow flavors that are pure, focused, intense and concentrated, with a long, persistent finish. Drink now through 2015. 22,380 cases made.”