Super Early Bird Ends
October 31, 2024
Judging
Date
May 19, 2025
Winners Announcement
June 10, 2025
Chardonnay is one of the world’s most popular white wines. These grapes grow amazingly well in all types of climates, and the light flavors of the fruit juice allow winemakers to create a style that is unique to both the region and winery. With so many wonderful examples of the wine, it is difficult to determine the best Chardonnays on the market. Here we have tried and have succeeded in bringing you the best 7 Chardonnays To Buy In 2020
[[relatedPurchasesItems-41]]
2018 Cannonball ELEVEN Chardonnay by Cannonball Wines is lush and expressive. Cannonball Wines have crafted a Chardonnay that offers something a little different – balance. You can taste the flavors of poached pear, lemon curd, yellow plum, and toasted almond.
The color of 2018 Cannonball ELEVEN Chardonnay is luminous, lightly golden straw derived both from the grapes themselves and the toffee toast of the oak in which the wine was fermented. On the nose, it has aromas of nuanced oak, baked sourdough pie crust, toasted bread, caramel, and peeled Granny Smith apples emerge from the glass and lead to a palate that enters full-bodied and toasty with notes of roasted almond and lemongrass tea. Luscious honeycomb and sweet butter creaminess deliver a satin-like palate presence that is moderated by a fresh mineral acidity on the finish.
Chardonnay grapes, in 2018 enjoyed the balmy late summer days and the temperate weather enhanced the development of pome and white-flesh fruit characters in Cannonball Wines.
In order to preserve the elegant fruit character, the winery employed French oak to enhance the natural caramel, toffee, and toasted bread notes in the wood.
FOOD PAIRING: Perfect with seafood, chicken, and your favorite cheeses.
2018 Cannonball ELEVEN Chardonnay won a Double Gold along with “Wine Of The Year By Varietal,” “White Wine Of The Year BTG,” at the Sommeliers Choice Awards held on Aug 12, 2020.
2018 Estate Chardonnay by Chalone Vineyard is crisp and refreshing with a beautiful golden hue. It opens up with nuances of stone fruit, wet rock and a hint of oak. This Burgundian style Chardonnay boasts a unique minerality and exceptional complexity derived from mature vineyards coupled with ancient limestone that runs through the Chalone AVA.
FOOD PAIRING: Pair this Chardonnay with creamy lobster mac and cheese topped with crunchy, golden bread crumbs.
2018 Estate Chardonnay won a Double Gold at the Sommeliers Choice Awards held on Aug 12, 2020.
Chardonnay by Poundstone Wines has flavors of pear, apple, honey, vanilla, cinnamon spice, and ripe melon. The richly textured palate and complexity of the wine leads to a well rounded, balanced finish.
By handpicking and sorting the fruit, the team at Poundstone is able to choose the highest quality grapes from the vineyard. The clusters undergo a second sorting after arriving at the winery. Then they are gently pressed. The wine is finished in 60% new French Oak and neutral barrels. Then the Chardonnay is aged on the lees, stirring bi-monthly, and undergoes 70% malolactic fermentation. We bottle after 10 months of aging. Chardonnay by Poundstone won a Double Gold at the Sommeliers Choice Awards held on Aug 12, 2020.
2018 Chardonnay Hamer Olsen by Pennyroyal Farm has a potent nose of lemon verbena, flavors of lemongrass and baked nutmeg, and long finish will have many saying “Chardon-yay!” It is grown in a premier block at the farm and made from limited barrels selected exclusively for Pennyroyal.
2018 Chardonnay Hamer Olsen won a Gold medal at the Sommeliers Choice Awards held on Aug 12, 2020.
2018 Chardonnay by Trefethen Family Vineyards has aromas of lemon and lime which are complemented by a touch of apple blossom and white peach. Subtle notes of toasted oak frame the palate which features more citrus flavors and hints of apple and pear. The lively acidity brings great balance and the finish is refreshing and smooth.
Chardonnay was Trefethen Family Vineyards’ first international success, helping to put not only Trefethen but Napa Valley on the map. Defined in the vineyard and refined in the cellar, this wine reflects the cool climate of the estate in the Oak Knoll District, showcasing the signature characteristics of brightness and balance.
FOOD PAIRING: The bright citrus notes of this wine make it a perfect match for shellfish and tarragon. Try a simple dish of salt and pepper shrimp or caramelized jumbo scallops over rice. Also, try adding tarragon to fresh goat cheese and enjoy with your favorite torn bread.
2018 Chardonnay by Trefethen Family Vineyards won a Gold medal at the Sommeliers Choice Awards held on Aug 12, 2020.
2017 Maison jussiaume Blanc de Blancs by Maison jussiaume wines is pale gold with slight green highlights. This wine has fine and persistent effervescence. On the nose, 2017 Maison jussiaume Blanc de Blancs is pure, concentrated and expressive, with aromas of fresh Apple, Pineapple and Ruby Pomelo. On the palate, this wine is dynamic, vibrant, elegantly textured revealing citrus and stone fruits aromas.
2017 Maison jussiaume Blanc de Blancs won a Gold at the Sommeliers Choice Awards held on Aug 12, 2020.
2018 Hope's Cuvee Chardonnay by Signorello Estate is a gorgeous wine with striking richness and depth. Citrus peel, lemon custard, apricots, honey and subtle floral notes give this wine a complex bouquet. 2018 Hope's Cuvee Chardonnay is more generous on the palate with a creamy texture, balanced acidity which is well representative of the opulent vintage. The wine finishes with a saline minerality framed in notes of French Oak, hazelnut and spice.
2018 Hope’s Cuvee is a single vineyard block wine that has been historically bottled for the last 35 years. The 5-acre parcel of Chardonnay was initially planted in 1980. The fruit is picked in 4 different picks based on vine age, clonal differences and maturity profile. The grapes are sorted, whole-cluster pressed and fermented in oak barrels with native yeast. Based on the lots and the acidity, the wines are further developed through the malolactic process. Sur lie aging with occasional stirring for 8 months in 50% new French oak provides texture and depth with evolution in aromatics. The wine is unfined and unfiltered to preserve the wine’s density and concentration.
2018 Hope's Cuvee Chardonnay won a Gold medal at the Sommeliers Choice Awards held on Aug 12, 2020.
2025 Sommeliers Choice Awards submissions is now open for domestic and international wines. Enter your Wines to get the introductory offer that is on till September 30, 2024.