Our panels recommended 314 US chardonnays this year. Here’s a selection of great wines from Oregon and Washington that outperformed all others for their price, reviewed by Patrick J. Comiskey in our October 2021 Edition.
Acrobat
2019 Oregon Chardonnay
90 | $13
This juicy chardonnay has scents of white flowers and a salty texture, all in the service of pear and almond flavors.
Canoe Ridge
2019 Horse Heaven Hills Expedition Chardonnay
88 | $16
Balanced and simple, this leads with pineapple flavors offset by brisk acids. It’s even keeled. For lemony roast chicken breast.
Chateau Ste. Michelle
2019 Columbia Valley Mimi Chardonnay
90 | $20
Simple, straightforward, juicy and charming, this chardonnay is high toned with apple and lemon scents. Light and fresh.
Chateau Ste. Michelle
2018 Horse Heaven Hills Canoe Ridge Estate Chardonnay
90 | $20
This chardonnay has a rich scent of chopped pineapple, cut slightly by citrus. It’s satisfying, delivering a lot of weight and body for the price.
Del Rio Vineyards
2019 Rogue Valley Chardonnay
88 | $20
Impressively bright and racy, this wears its lean apple flavors supported by a light mineral texture, tense and a touch nutty, for sliced chicken.
Duck Pond
2019 Willamette Valley Chardonnay
89 | $16
Impressively bright and racy, this wears its lean apple flavors supported by a light mineral texture, tense and a touch nutty, for sliced chicken.
King Estate
2019 Willamette Valley Chardonnay
91 | $21
With its scents of pear and lees shadings from (mostly) neutral oak barrels for aging, this reads like a chardonnay from a pinot gris master—which it is. The flavors are fulsome and satisfying, ripe pear and pie crust, a hint of hazelnuts to lend complexity. And a steal for the price.
Pike Road
2019 Willamette Valley Chardonnay (Best Buy)
90 | $18
Pike Road is a recent side project of the Campbells, a pioneering Oregon family who founded Elk Cove Vineyards in 1974. This is a lean chardonnay with scents of white flowers and pear, a spritz of lemon on the palate and a slightly nutty finish. Classic Willamette and surprisingly elegant for a great price.
The wines on this page were chosen by our editors, from our tastings for the October 2021 edition. After our editors made their selections, we offered wineries the opportunity to promote their award with a bottle image and brand links.
Patrick J. Comiskey covers US wines for Wine & Spirits magazine, focusing on the Pacific Northwest, California’s Central Coast and New York’s Finger Lakes.
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This story appears in the print issue of October 2021.
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