It’s Time to Revisit Chardonnay (Yes, Chardonnay) With These Under $20 Bottles

When it comes to Chardonnay, people either seem to be die-hard fans or staunch supporters of the Anything-But-Chardonnay movement. No matter which side you fall on, you can’t deny this grape’s popularity. After all, it’s one of the most widely-planted varieties in the world. 

For what it’s worth: we think Chardonnay is well worth your while. 

“I think it is the most misunderstood varietal on the planet,” says Tonya Pitts, the wine director at the San Francisco restaurant One Market and a Wine Enthusiast writer-at-large who reviews wines from California, among other regions in the United States. “Wine drinkers often say, ‘I don’t like or drink Chardonnay.’ My rebuttal is, ‘You haven’t tasted one you like yet.’”

This grape can produce wines that run the gamut from tropical and fruity to flinty and earthy on the palate. It’s also somewhat of a shapeshifter. Chardonnay can lend itself well to oak aging, resulting in wines that display vanilla and toasted tones. And if the grape undergoes malolactic fermentation? These wines will typically have a creamy and buttery mouthfeel. In other words, there is a Chardonnay for everyone.

What Makes a Good Chardonnay?

There are many Chardonnays available today—from unoaked bottles fermented in stainless steel to opulent and oaky versions and everything in between—but there are some similar qualities that make or break a bottle.

“I look for balance, flavor profiles and typicity,” Pitts says. No matter the style, “I am seeking out the best expression that can captivate the palate of the wine drinker, deliver the spark in the eye and the head nod.”

Case in point, a 2022 vintage from Lodi winery Gen5  has “freshness, bright fruit and zippy acidity that set it apart,” Pitts says. “It’s great on its own or with a meal.” 

Meanwhile, a 2022 bottle from Buttercup, a producer in the Central Valley of California, “delivers tropical fruit flavors with brash minerality,” Pitts describes. “It says beachside with tropical fruits, sea salt and sunshine. At that moment, it could be a vacation getaway for someone.” 

There are also crowd-pleasing qualities to look for. “A properly made Chardonnay, especially for a wider segment of the drinking public, involves pairing bright, refreshing acidity with slightly warmer, more luxurious flavors that this rich-but-racy variety delivers,” says Matt Kettmann, a Wine Enthusiast writer-at-large who reviews wines from California.

He remarks that a 2022 bottle from J Lohr has those qualities plus “the magical third component: a mineral streak of wet stone, drawing the earthy nature of wine into the heart of the equation,” he says. 

Finding Your Next Favorite Bottle of Chardonnay

One of the best ways to figure out what tastes good to you is simply to open up a bottle. “There are so many different flavor profiles and expressions,” Pitts says. “Once you find one that appeals to you, another world opens up.”

Luckily, you don’t need to spend very much money to do so. No matter if you’re just starting to explore the variety or simply want to support a well-developed Chardonnay habit. We rounded up our favorite bottles under $20 below.