Drink Californian Chardonnay before you die!
Why? Californian Chardonnay, along with Californian Cabernet (and the help of a wee English fella), changed the wine world forever ... and for the better.
Ten Second Summary
- What it is: Chardonnay from California — most famously Napa, Sonoma, the Santa Cruz Mountains, Monterey, Santa Barbara and the Sonoma Coast.
- Why it matters: A Judgement of Paris Chardonnay — Chateau Montelena 1973 — beat some of France’s best white Burgundies in a blind tasting in Paris in 1976. The world of fine wine was never quite the same again.
- Tastes like: Everything from crisp citrus, green apple and mineral freshness to richer styles with ripe peach, tropical fruit, butter, cream, vanilla and toasted oak.
- Buying shortcut: For history, start with the Judgement of Paris Chardonnay wines ↓. For drinking now, go straight to the best Californian Chardonnay producers ↓.
- Best with: Roast chicken, lobster, scallops, creamy pasta, pork, richer fish dishes, and — if you’re leaning into the buttery style — popcorn and a movie.
- When to drink: Most are best within 2 to 7 years, but the very best Californian Chardonnays can age beautifully for a decade or more.
| Californian Chardonnay country: the New World white wine that helped change the fine wine world forever | © Chateau Montelena |
What's on this page
- Why Californian Chardonnay is bucket list worthy
- The Judgement of Paris Chardonnay that changed everything
- Bottle Shock, Stephen Spurrier and the wee English fella
- What does Californian Chardonnay taste like?
- The Judgement of Paris Chardonnay wines
- Best Californian Chardonnay producers and bottles
- How to choose a good Californian Chardonnay
- Best Californian Chardonnay FAQ
1. Why Californian Chardonnay is bucket list worthy
Up until the late 70s, the world of fine wine meant Europe, the Old World, with France at the apex. This was all changed by an English wine merchant — the late Stephen Spurrier.
He’d heard there were good wines coming out of California, so he went to see for himself. More than pleased with what he tasted, he brought back a selection of Cabernet Sauvignons and Chardonnays to taste blind against some of France’s best offerings.
The tasting became known as The Judgement of Paris — it was held in Paris, after all. Needless to say, the Californian wines triumphed, and the world of fine wine opened up to include more than just Europe.
Chateau Montelena — a Californian producer despite its French-sounding name — came out on top for the Chardonnay. So, grab yourself a bottle of that if you can. If not, try Chalone Vineyard, which came third, or Spring Mountain Vineyard, which came fourth.
That is why best Californian Chardonnay is not just a shopping phrase. It is a proper bucket list wine category. This is not merely white wine. This is one of the wines that helped prise open the doors of the old European wine hierarchy and let the New World swagger in wearing sunglasses.
2. The Judgement of Paris Chardonnay that changed everything
Time Magazine’s George M. Taber was stationed in Paris at the time and reported on the event. The resulting four paragraphs published in Time magazine in June 1976 are sometimes said to be the most significant news story ever written about wine.
Taber went on to write a book about the event, Judgment of Paris: California vs. France and the Historic 1976 Paris Tasting that Revolutionized Wine, which is a very interesting read.
The Chardonnay result was especially delicious. The French judges were tasting blind. They did not know which wines were French and which were Californian. And yet the winning white wine was not from Burgundy. It was Chateau Montelena Chardonnay 1973 from Napa Valley.
To be clear, the point is not that Burgundy suddenly became rubbish. Burgundy remains Burgundy. The point is that Californian Chardonnay proved it belonged on the same table. More than that, on that day, it sat at the head of the table.
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| Chateau Montelena Chardonnay 1973: the Judgement of Paris Chardonnay that helped change the wine world forever | © Chateau Montelena |
3. Bottle Shock, Stephen Spurrier and the wee English fella
There’s a movie too! Going by the name of Bottle Shock, with Alan Rickman playing Stephen Spurrier.
It’s good, but does take more than a bit of poetic licence and is not as historically accurate as the book. Still, it is an entertaining and easy watch even for the wine novice — especially if watched with a glass of Californian Chardonnay in hand.
The real story is better than the movie, because the real story is less tidy. Stephen Spurrier did not set out to destroy French prestige. He was a wine merchant with curiosity, taste, and just enough innocence to put Californian wine in front of French judges and let the glasses do the talking.
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| Bottle Shock: best watched with a bottle of Californian Chardonnay. |
4. What does Californian Chardonnay taste like?
Californian Chardonnay is not one single thing. That is part of the joy and part of the confusion. At its best, it can be rich, generous, layered, age-worthy, and deeply satisfying. At its worst, it can be over-oaked, over-buttered, over-alcoholed and about as subtle as a pineapple wearing perfume.
The classic old-school Californian Chardonnay style is ripe, full-bodied and luxurious, often with peach, melon, pineapple, butter, cream, vanilla and toasted oak. This is the style that made a lot of people fall in love with Chardonnay — and made a lot of others run screaming towards Sauvignon Blanc.
But many of the best Californian Chardonnays today are more restrained. They can be bright, citrusy, mineral, saline, and even Burgundian in shape, especially from cooler regions such as the Sonoma Coast, Santa Cruz Mountains, Santa Maria Valley, Santa Rita Hills and parts of Monterey.
So, what is California-style Chardonnay? Broadly speaking, it is Chardonnay with Californian sunshine: ripe fruit, texture, generosity and flavour. The best examples also have balance, freshness and enough restraint to make you want a second glass. That last bit is important.
5. The Judgement of Paris Chardonnay wines
The 1976 Judgement of Paris Chardonnay tasting included six Californian Chardonnays and four white Burgundies. Since this page is about the best Californian Chardonnay, let’s start with the Californian wines — the wines that did the damage.
1) Chateau Montelena Chardonnay 1973
The winner. The bottle that became the headline. Chateau Montelena Chardonnay 1973 beat the French whites and gave Californian wine its “we are not mucking around” moment. If you want the purest historical bottle in this category, this is it.
Find Chateau Montelena Chardonnay on Wine-Searcher
2) Chalone Vineyard Chardonnay 1974
Chalone came third in the Judgement of Paris Chardonnay tasting. It is one of the great names in Californian Chardonnay history and a brilliant alternative if Chateau Montelena proves too hard to find or too hard on the wallet.
Find Chalone Vineyard Chardonnay on Wine-Searcher
3) Spring Mountain Vineyard Chardonnay 1973
Spring Mountain Vineyard came fourth, which is rather impressive when you remember the wines were up against serious white Burgundy. Another proper Judgement of Paris Chardonnay name to know.
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4) Freemark Abbey Chardonnay 1972
Freemark Abbey is better known by many wine drinkers for Cabernet, but it was there in Paris for the Chardonnay tasting too. It deserves its place in any historically minded Californian Chardonnay line-up.
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5) Veedercrest Vineyards Chardonnay 1972
Veedercrest is one of the more obscure names from the tasting, but that almost makes it more interesting. This is the sort of bottle that appeals to the wine nerd, the historian and the collector of vinous oddities.
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6) David Bruce Winery Chardonnay 1973
David Bruce was also part of the Californian Chardonnay team in Paris. It may not have the fame of Montelena, but being in the room matters. Some wines make history by winning; others make history by showing up and proving they belong.
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For context, the French white Burgundies in the tasting included seriously grand names: Meursault Charmes from Roulot, Beaune Clos des Mouches from Joseph Drouhin, Batard-Montrachet from Ramonet-Prudhon, and Puligny-Montrachet Les Pucelles from Domaine Leflaive. In other words, California was not playing against the reserves.
6. Best Californian Chardonnay producers and bottles
Here are the Judgement of Paris legends plus a few other top Californian Chardonnays worth putting on your bucket list. Click through to find a bottle near you.
1) Chateau Montelena Chardonnay
The obvious place to start. Chateau Montelena’s 1973 Chardonnay won the Judgement of Paris white wine tasting and became the bottle that made the wine world sit up, blink twice, and realise California was not just making cheerful sunshine booze.
Today, Chateau Montelena Chardonnay remains a genuine bucket list Californian Chardonnay: historic, age-worthy, and still capable of delivering that lovely balance of richness, freshness and quiet confidence.
Find Chateau Montelena Chardonnay on Wine-Searcher
2) Chalone Vineyard Estate Chardonnay
Chalone Vineyard came third in the Judgement of Paris Chardonnay tasting, and it remains one of the great historic names of Californian Chardonnay. It tends to offer a more savoury, mineral, structured expression than the caricature of big buttery California Chardonnay.
Find Chalone Vineyard Estate Chardonnay on Wine-Searcher
3) Spring Mountain Vineyard Chardonnay
Spring Mountain Vineyard came fourth in Paris and deserves far more attention than it usually gets. It is one of those names that serious wine lovers should know, especially if the phrase Judgement of Paris Chardonnay gets your pulse moving.
Find Spring Mountain Vineyard Chardonnay on Wine-Searcher
4) Kistler Vineyards Chardonnay
Kistler is one of the benchmark names for premium Californian Chardonnay. The wines are often rich, powerful and polished, but the best examples have the balance and detail needed to stop all that generosity from becoming too much of a good thing.
Find Kistler Chardonnay on Wine-Searcher
5) Marcassin Chardonnay
Marcassin is cult Californian Chardonnay territory. It is rare, expensive and very highly regarded. This is not your Tuesday night chicken wine unless your Tuesdays are considerably more glamorous than mine.
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6) Ridge Estate Chardonnay
Ridge is one of California’s great wine producers full stop. Its Chardonnay, especially from the Santa Cruz Mountains, is a brilliant option for those who want Californian fruit with structure, freshness and a little less gloss.
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7) Stony Hill Chardonnay
Stony Hill is a classic name for a more restrained, age-worthy style of Napa Chardonnay. If your idea of the best Californian Chardonnay is less butterball and more tension, freshness and quiet complexity, this is a producer to know.
Find Stony Hill Chardonnay on Wine-Searcher
8) Hanzell Chardonnay
Hanzell is one of California’s most respected Chardonnay producers and has long been associated with elegant, long-lived wines. This is Chardonnay with pedigree, not just volume.
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9) Ramey Chardonnay
Ramey makes some of California’s most consistently impressive Chardonnays. They are generous without being silly, polished without being boring, and usually very satisfying indeed.
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10) Sandhi Chardonnay
Sandhi, from Santa Barbara County, is a terrific modern Californian Chardonnay producer for drinkers who want freshness, precision and energy. If the phrase “California Chardonnay” still makes you think only of butter and oak, Sandhi is a good corrective.
Find Sandhi Chardonnay on Wine-Searcher
11) Aubert Chardonnay
Aubert sits firmly in the plush, high-end, highly sought-after Californian Chardonnay camp. The wines can be powerful, ripe and luxurious, but they are also made with serious intent. A bucket list bottle for lovers of the richer style.
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12) Liquid Farm Chardonnay
Liquid Farm is a strong pick for those chasing a more mineral, restrained, Burgundian-leaning style from California. It shows that Californian Chardonnay does not need to shout to be heard.
Find Liquid Farm Chardonnay on Wine-Searcher
7. How to choose a good Californian Chardonnay
The trick with Californian Chardonnay is knowing what style you want. If you want rich, buttery, creamy and oaky, look for fuller-bodied wines from warmer areas or producers known for a more luxurious style. If you want crisp, mineral and restrained, look for cooler-climate regions and producers that talk about freshness, tension, whole-bunch pressing, native yeast, older oak or minimal intervention.
A good Californian Chardonnay should have balance. That is the boring word that matters. Fruit is good. Oak is good. Butter can be good. Creaminess can be good. But if all you taste is oak and butter, you are drinking a furniture polish smoothie.
Look for wines with fruit, acidity, texture and length. The best examples should feel complete. They should have enough flavour to be Californian and enough freshness to make you want another sip.
As a simple buying shortcut:
- For history: Chateau Montelena, Chalone Vineyard, Spring Mountain Vineyard.
- For richness and luxury: Kistler, Marcassin, Aubert, Ramey.
- For elegance and age-worthiness: Hanzell, Stony Hill, Ridge.
- For freshness and modern restraint: Sandhi, Liquid Farm.
And if you are still unsure, remember the Len Evans principle: you have only so many bottles left. Do not waste too many of them on dull Chardonnay.
8. Best Californian Chardonnay FAQ
What is a California-style Chardonnay?
California-style Chardonnay usually means a riper, fuller-bodied Chardonnay with generous fruit and, often, some oak influence. Classic examples can show peach, melon, pineapple, butter, cream, vanilla and toast. Modern cooler-climate versions can be much fresher, with citrus, apple, mineral notes and more restraint.
What is a good California Chardonnay?
A good California Chardonnay should have balance: ripe fruit, freshness, texture and length. For historic bucket list bottles, start with Chateau Montelena, Chalone Vineyard and Spring Mountain Vineyard. For top modern producers, look for names such as Kistler, Hanzell, Ridge, Ramey, Sandhi, Aubert, Marcassin and Liquid Farm.
What are the best California Chardonnays?
Some of the best Californian Chardonnays include Chateau Montelena Chardonnay, Chalone Vineyard Estate Chardonnay, Kistler Chardonnay, Marcassin Chardonnay, Ridge Estate Chardonnay, Stony Hill Chardonnay, Hanzell Chardonnay, Ramey Chardonnay, Sandhi Chardonnay, Aubert Chardonnay and Liquid Farm Chardonnay.
Is Californian Chardonnay sweet or dry?
Californian Chardonnay is almost always dry. It can taste rich, ripe or even slightly sweet because of fruit ripeness, oak, vanilla, butter and creamy texture, but the wine itself is generally dry rather than sweet.
Why is California Chardonnay so buttery?
The buttery flavour often comes from malolactic fermentation, a winemaking process that converts sharper malic acid into softer lactic acid. Oak ageing can add vanilla, toast and creaminess, which can make the wine feel even richer and more buttery.
What is the most buttery tasting Chardonnay?
The most buttery Chardonnays usually come from producers that embrace full malolactic fermentation, ripe fruit and noticeable oak. Some Californian Chardonnays are made in this rich, creamy style, but not all of them are. If you want butter, look for tasting notes mentioning butter, cream, vanilla, toast, brioche or baked apple.
What are the three types of Chardonnay?
A simple way to think about Chardonnay is: crisp unoaked Chardonnay, richer oaked Chardonnay, and sparkling Chardonnay. Californian Chardonnay is most famous for still oaked wines, but the state now makes everything from lean and mineral to lavish and buttery.
What is the difference between Australian and California Chardonnay?
Very broadly, Californian Chardonnay often leans into ripe fruit, texture and generosity, while Australian Chardonnay can range from rich and peachy to very lean, citrusy and reductive, especially from cooler regions. The best examples from both countries are balanced, complex and well worth drinking.
How do you tell a good Chardonnay?
A good Chardonnay should taste balanced rather than clumsy. Look for fresh acidity, clear fruit, well-integrated oak if oak is used, pleasing texture and a finish that lasts. If it tastes only of butter, vanilla and alcohol, it may be impressive for one sip but tiring by the glass.
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