2011 Big House Wines Unchained Chardonnay

Delicate nose of sour apple and pear. We tasted flinty notes of gravel along with juicy pears. The bright acidity on this unoaked Chardonnay finishes beautifully. A little bit of heat on the back-end, but it diminishes quickly when the long finish takes over. It's not particularly complex, but for the price tag you can't go wrong!!
Body: light to medium
Approx. Cost: $10
Food Pairing: pasta with pesto; roasted chicken

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2009 Kendall Jackson Chardonnay Vintner's Reserve

Nice color in the glass, almost a grassy straw color. The aromas were a little faint, but smelled of wet rock and cedar.

Its acidity is good, great even. It shows forward oak, and a really great mineral flavor. It lacks any fruit that would balance the wine better. It is smooth, yet crisp--excellent mouthfeel. However, there's an overwhelming fiery alcohol that engulfs your mouth before and after swallowing. If you can get by this, it's not a bad oaked Chardonnay. For the price, you aren't taking any risks--give it a whirl.
Body: Medium
Approx. Cost: $10
Food Pairing: Roasted chicken, potato leek soup!

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2009 Hunt Country Vineyards Chardonnay

We're always on the lookout for a good Chardonnay--oaked or not! They pair very well with a boat-load of dishes! What we find most of the time is way too much oak or way too much fruit.

This Chardonnay from Hunt Wines smelled awesome from the glass, although it's pineapple, pear and citrus aromas led us to believe it was going to be another fruit bomb. Never safe to assume, these lovely fruit flavors were accompanied by grassy notes and a touch of vanilla/oak! It had great mouthfeel--very rounded and creamy along with some good acidity for balance. Great stuff, and for being only about $12, it's Awesome stuff!

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2006 Smoking Loon Chardonnay

This was a pretty good Chardonnay for $8; its probably your best bet under $10. It has very strong oak flavor, very smooth, and full bodied. Our only reservation about this wine is the finish. Once it's swallowed, there is no lingering after taste whatsoever. Better than a bad finish, but even so... We'd like to see wines to last a little longer. We saw this chardonnay as a little flat and 1 dimensional. This is why it came in 3rd. Otherwise, it's a serviceable party wine.

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2008 J. Lohr Riverstone Chardonnay

We had a 2008, but the label was torn off, so I had to snag a different picture.This was our favorite. Well balanced with a long finish, this chardonnay had great toasted oak flavor and medium-full body. It had a great balance of acidity and buttery smoothness sure to satisfy anyone!! Definitely give this one a try.

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2008 Four Vines Naked Chardonnay

This unoaked chardonnay was fermented in 100% stainless steel. It isn't your typical chardonnay, with fruit (peach and pear) and light bodied crispness. Again, not your typical chardonnay, so might satisfy those who like more acidic light wines. Not bad, not great, though.

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