The 50 Best California Chardonnays of the 21st Century So Far

This wine hails from a vineyard in the West Oak Knoll area, in a location Matthiason calls one of Napa’s classic Chardonnay spots. The record warm year in 2015 made this wine riper and fuller than most vintages from Linda Vista. When we tasted it on release, it had gorgeous acidity and flavors of Granny Smith apple and ripe nectarine with a rounded finish.

Oakville Ranch has been making wine since 1989, drawing from vineyards planted in red volcanic soil. This Chardonnay was given soft notes of spice and a creamy mouthfeel from the 100 percent barrel fermentation in French oak followed by full malolactic conversion. Just over 1,000 standard bottles and a handful of magnums were made of this organically farmed beauty.

Marla and Geoff Bedrosian founded Domaine de la Rivière and completed their first harvest in 2017. Their wines have consistently garnered excellent scores with a variety of publications. We tasted the 2021 a few years ago and its heady bouquet and heft on the palate left an impression. It had aromas and flavors of lemon meringue pie, Anjou pear, lemon zest, and honeysuckle all wrapped in a creamy sheath and balanced acidity.

Grown in a certified organic vineyard by one of Sonoma’s pioneering organic producers, this wine was fermented in all new French barrels. There’s still plenty of life in it so lay it down for a few years or pop open now to enjoy its full texture and Golden Delicious apple, pie crust, and lemon zest flavors.

One of just two brick-and-mortar wineries in the Knights Valley AVA in northeast Sonoma, Knights Bridge was founded in 2006. Among its first releases, this beautiful estate Chardonnay showed off citrus and orchard fruit flavors wrapped in twin sheaths of acidity and minerality.

Only 672 bottles were made of this gorgeously bright wine that has flavors of Bartlett pear, ripe peach, and orange blossom. From one of the best vineyards in the Russian River Valley, you can feel the marine influence of the Pacific in every bracing sip.

Produced in an exceptional vintage with extremely low yields but incredible quality, this estate bottling from a prized Russian River Valley vineyard is the flagship wine of one of Sonoma’s premier grape-growing families. Citrus fruit and stony minerality sing on the palate of Bacigalupi Vineyards’ 2015 Estate selection.

Fans of mature Chardonnay may still find much to love in this bottle that showcases the ideal alignment of talented winemaking with a prime vineyard site. On release this 2014 from Patz & Hall showed notes of tangerine and lemon zest with soft touches of oaky spice.

This Private Reserve Chardonnay from Beringer shows the optimal ripening conditions of 2023 at their best. Fermentation in oak followed by eight months of barrel aging adds body and a note of vanilla to flavors of Golden Delicious apple and pineapple wrapped up in vivid acidity.

This winery was founded in Sonoma in 2011, and perched along the edge of Sonoma and Napa, it makes wines from both AVAs. The 2013 Hyde Vineyard selection is another stunning entry from one of Carneros’s best sites, this Chardonnay showed delectable flavors of Adriatic fig, Meyer lemon, orange blossom, and a hint of smoky spice when first tasted.

Winemaker Matt Dees produced fewer than 4,000 bottles of this stunning Chardonnay at Santa Barbara, Calif.’s the Hilt. Aged in 80 percent oak barrels and 20 percent steel, it offers full mouthfeel and flavors of lemon and dried Mediterranean herbs sprinkled with brilliant acidity and a touch of saline.

First planted with vines in the 1880s, Bouchaine is said to be the oldest continuously operating winery in Carneros. With a stated aim to “craft wines with the elegance of Burgundy,” they hit the nail on the head with this luscious Chardonnay.

We first visited Arista Winery over a decade ago and they have consistently been one of our favorite producers of excellent Pinot Noir, but we have recently come to love their Chardonnay, too. This delightful 2021 vintage is made from grapes sourced from the Ritchie Vineyard and has aromas of almond paste, white peach, and jasmine blossoms and flavors of lemon curd, tangerine oil, beeswax, and acacia honey.

Marchese Piero Antinori purchased his Napa Valley estate because the rolling hills there remind him of his native Tuscany. Named A26 for his daughters Albiera, Allegra, and Alessia—members of the 26th generation of the family winemaking dynasty—this high-elevation Chardonnay offers ethereal flavors of nectarine, lemon zest, and slivered almond.

Now under the ownership of Champagne’s Roederer Collection, the team at Merry Edwards continues its pioneering founder’s mission to craft exceptional terroir-driven Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. From a heritage site planted in 1975, this beautifully textured wine has flavors of ripe summer peach and nectarine, freesia, and a touch of lime zest on the bright finish.

Grown in a moderate season that offered near-perfect ripening conditions, this exceptional selection was crafted by winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown. It is silky on the palate and features pineapple, Bartlett pear, and vanilla flavors that coalesce in a lengthy finish.

A top-tier bottling from the historic winery established by one of the people who put Napa Valley on the map, this full-figured Chardonnay boasts flavors of Golden Delicious apple and honeysuckle paired with vivid acidity and touches of oak-derived spice.

Named for proprietor Ray Signorello’s mother Hope, this Chardonnay is naturally fermented and bottled un-fined and unfiltered to allow the purest expression of grapes to shine through. It is rich on the palate and has flavors of nectarine, rising bread dough, and yellow currant with a touch of almond in the creamy finish.

Established by winemaker Ehren Jordan in 1998, Failla focuses on cold-climate Pinot Noir, Syrah, and Chardonnay. This delectable example of the latter hails from an exceptional vintage, as evidenced by its crisp acidity and Granny Smith apple, Bartlett pear, and baking spice flavors.

Josephine Tychson, the first female winery owner in California, founded Freemark Abbey in 1886 and although it has changed hands it remains family owned. When tasted on release this wine had profound depth and intense flavors of yuzu, Granny Smith apple, Asian pear, and lemon zest.

Named after the French word for a young wild boar, Marcassin was founded in 1990 by husband-and-wife team winemaker Helen Turley and viticulturist John Wetlaufer. When first tasted, their 2011 Marcassin Vineyard Chard had a big, full texture and green apple, clementine, and white chocolate flavors.

This wine gets its name from Highway 116, which runs through the heart of Russian River Valley, home to the nine vineyards this wine was sourced from. Kosta Browne is widely regarded for its outstanding Pinot Noirs, but this Chardonnay shows it knows its way around the white side of Burgundy varietals, too. Upon release it offered brilliant acidity, chalky minerality, and an abundance of tropical fruit on the palate.

Situated 1,208 feet above sea level and just two miles from the Pacific Ocean, Camp Meeting Ridge is a perfect spot to grow Chardonnay, and the winemaking team at Flowers takes advantage, especially with this vintage. The hot, dry summer of 2021 helped this wine develop its distinct minerality, acidity, and vivid citrus profile.

With racy acidity and invigorating flavors of Gala apple and Anjou pear with a hint of vanilla, this Chardonnay from this outstanding Oakville winery is a prime example of Nickel & Nickel’s dedication to single-varietal wine from Napa’s best growing areas.

Now in their fifth generation and with 135 years of grape-growing history in Sonoma, the Martinelli family is still going strong. From a vineyard named for their uncle Tony, this Chardonnay exhibits flavors of nectarine, peach, and crème brûlée, and still has a couple of years of life left in it.

Called “one of the world’s greatest wineries” by renowned critic Robert Parker, Shafer Vineyards was founded in 1880 and acquired by the Shafer family in 1972. While known for their world class Cabernet, the Shafers and winemaker Elias Fernandez should be very proud of this lively and delectable Chardonnay. 

Donum has focused itself on crafting Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, and it only makes Carneros Reserve Chardonnay in exceptional vintages, thus it is considered the winery’s finest expression of its estate vineyards. Made in a limited quantity, the 2019 is simultaneously vivacious and opulent.

Winemaker James MacPhail and his wife Kerry like to refer to this wine as Magnolia Montrachet because the Tolmasoff Vineyard is planted with the Montrachet clone. Brilliant straw colored in the glass this stunning wine offers aromas of Anjou pear, candied orange peel, and a lifted note of beeswax. It has great acidity and minerality in the mid palate with flavors of tangerine, apricot, and white peach.

Raymond is owned by Napa Valley vintner and bon vivant Jean-Charles Boisset, who cut his winemaking teeth in the vineyards of Burgundy but has now made Napa Valley his home. We tasted his Raymond 2014 Generations Chardonnay in 2017 and were blown away by its silky texture, bold minerality, and balanced acidity preceded by decadent aromas of green fig, guava, marzipan, and freshly ground nutmeg.

This classic Napa Valley Chardonnay is aged for 10 months in 33 percent new French oak barrels, 19 percent concrete eggs, 5 percent puncheons, and 43 percent multiple use neutral French oak barrels, which are blended to make this delightful wine. It has aromas of green apple, Anjou pear, and vanilla that transition to full bodied flavors of honeydew melon, Fuji apple, and mandarin peel. 

Winemaker Greg Brewer is well known for his Diatom and Ex Post Facto projects as well as his work at Brewer Clifton winery. For this stunning Chardonnay he sourced grapes from the Perilune Vineyard known for its variety of soils ranging from beach sand to Botella clay and dramatic vineyard slopes. Perilune is brilliant straw colored and offers aromas of Indian spice box, lemon pith, ocean air, and Fuji apple. It is full bodied in the mouth with balanced acidity and flavors of pear, and green apple, with a touch of salinity in the finish.

Dutton Estate Winery’s history goes back to the late 1890s but today it is run by the sixth generation of Dutton women and sisters with Kyndall Dutton as the current winemaker. Tasted in 2017 Kyndall’s Reserve had Meyer lemon, guava, and Granny Smith apple aromas that enticed both of our noses while a full-bodied, rich, and creamy texture supported flavors of lemon curd, mango, pineapple, and lemon zest.

Alpha Omega has been on our radar for a long time, and we have tasted the new releases for many years but there was something about the 2021 that really intrigued both of us; perhaps it was pronounced acidity because of that year’s drought conditions. The beginning of the 2021 growing season benefited by late winter rains that created adequate ground water deposits, so once the rains stopped the vines produced excellent grapes with higher acidity. When we tasted the 2021 Chardonnay in 2024, it had aromas of white peach, green apple, citrus blossoms, and acacia honey with gorgeous bright acidity and flavors of loquat, cantaloupe melon, and brown baking spices.

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Hartford Court’s Far Coast Vineyard is a cool climate site in the middle of a California redwood forest. It’s about two hours north of the Russian River so it experiences reduced temperatures during the day and throughout the night. We tasted the 2014 in 2018 and thought it was drinking perfectly but felt it had a lot more time in the bottle if one decided to lay it down. We found aromas of Asian pear, freshly baked brioche, and tangerine pith that led to flavors of white peach, honeysuckle blossom, and mandarin orange peel.

Vintner Bill Foley founded Foley Estates in Sta. Rita Hills in the late 1990s and today the winery boasts 500 acres of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir vineyards. The winemaking team here has consistently crafted high quality, highly rated, and coveted bottles since the start. We particularly like many of the wines made today as well as those made in the early 2010s, so it was hard to choose, but after much debate we both agreed the 2014 was a stunner. We tasted it in 2017 and found aromas of white flowers, lemon zest, and pineapple with bright acidity accenting flavors of lemon, caramelized pineapple, and a touch of vanilla. 

Named for W.S. Keyes, who planted vineyards on Howell Mountain in the late 1800s, the grapes for this Chardonnay are sourced from altitudes of 1600 feet. The W.S. Keyes vineyard is one of the last blocks of Chardonnay vines existing on Howell Mountain, which makes this wine even more special. It offers aromas of toasted hazelnut, white peach, and citrus blossoms. Pronounced minerality and balanced acidity in the mid palate pave the way for flavors of Granny Smith apples, buttered brioche, cinnamon, and vanilla. 

Mayacamas is well known for building Cabernet Sauvignons capable of decades of bottle aging, and luckily the winemaking team applied the same principles to this Chardonnay. It opens with enticing aromas of white peach, green figs, and a touch of tropical fruits that transition to flavors of kumquat, Winesap apple, and a touch of vanilla in the long, complex finish.

Founded by Croatian-born Mike Grgich who made the 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay that took first prize in the 1976 Judgement of Paris, Grgich Hills Estate has been making delightful, well-made Chardonnay since they opened their doors in the late 1970s. We tasted the 2016 Chardonnay in 2020, and it had aromas and flavors of Meyer lemon, citrus blossom, saline, and fresh green figs with perfectly balanced acidity.

Founder Joe Heitz is well known for having produced the first vineyard-designate Cabernet Sauvignon in the late 1950s, but his legacy lives on with excellent wines made from both Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. While we love the big bold Cabs, we are also huge fans of this stellar Chardonnay. Aromas of mandarin orange peel, citrus blossom, and salt air draw you in for flavors of Key Lime pie, kumquat, and candied orange peel all tightly wrapped with zesty acidity.

Coming from the Italian phrase dolce far niente which translates roughly as pleasant idleness, this 2021 Far Niente Estate Chardonnay does much more than just pass the time. It excites your nose with aromas of honeydew melon, wet river rock, and lemon pith and your mouth with flavors of tangerine peel, peach, and freshly cut garden herbs.

Joe Rochioli Sr. emigrated with his parents to California in 1911 and began working at the Wohler Ranch in Russian River Valley at a young age before establishing his eponymous family winery years later. We have been big fans of Rochioli wines for decades and anxiously await each year’s new releases. We tasted the 2015 when it dropped and were immediately impressed. We found aromas of acacia honey, buttered toast, and tropical fruits that paved the way to flavors of pineapple, mango, and stone fruit with brilliant acidity in the mid palate.

Owner and winemaker Andy Peay has been turning out fantastic Chardonnays for decades, but we think his 2017 Estate Chardonnay really stands out as exceptional. It hails from the West Sonoma Coast and has aromas of toasted almonds, orchard fruit, and a slight touch of smoke with flavors of lemon curd, canned yellow peach, and honeysuckle blossom.

Carla and David Ramey founded their eponymous winery in 1996 and over time received many accolades, including David being referred to as “Professor Chardonnay” by Wine Spectator. The current Ramey winemaking team, led by Cameron Frey, sourced grapes from the Hyde Vineyard to make this ethereal 2018 Chardonnay. It has aromas of Gala apple, flint, green herbs, and toasted oak with flavors of toasted hazelnuts, marzipan, and Anjou pear.

Using grapes harvested from the Hyde Vineyard in the late summer of 2013, the winemaking team at Kistler produced a phenomenal wine that jumps out of the glass with aromas of white flowers, almond paste, and white peach that transition to flavors of Fuji apple, citrus blossom, and vanilla. Just another one of the fantastic wines from Kistler.

History buffs remember that the 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay made by Croatian born Mike Grgich took first place among the white wines in the 1976 Judgement of Paris. Matt Crafton is the current winemaker, and he was lucky enough to taste the 1973 in 2023 and told us that it is still going strong. Among Chateau Montelena wines from the last two decades, he feels the 2016 is one of his best and we most definitely agree. It has flavors of Granny Smith apple, tangerine peel, and vanilla that combine beautifully on the palate.

This stunning Chardonnay from the Santa Cruz Mountains is made by Ridge with grapes grown in their Monte Bello single vineyard in the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA, located only 15 miles from the Pacific Ocean with elevations from 1,300 to 2,700 feet. This delectable wine has aromas of citrus blossom and green apple with flavors of pear, tangerine zest, and lemon curd. A beautiful wine from a revered producer.

Owned by the Hyde family of Napa Valley and Burgundy’s de Villaine family (of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti fame), Hyde de Villaine is recognized as one of the best wineries utilizing Burgundian winemaking principles in Napa Valley. Their 2012 was tasted a few years after bottling and it offered flavors of lemon curd, Fuji apple, Anjou pear, and a touch of caramel in the finish.

After Pahlmeyer’s previous facility was consumed by the devastating 2020 Glass Fire, it opened a new facility on Atlas Peak Road, and this was the first vintage produced there. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Pahlmeyer’s 2021 Chardonnay won Best American White Wine of the Year for our 2024 Best of the Best awards. This bottle is an excellent example of the combination of terroir and talented winemaking. Full textured, it offers Bartlett pear, bergamot, butterscotch, and slivered almond flavors with gorgeous texture and an enduring finish.

In 2025, we selected Chalk Hill 2021 Founder’s Block Chardonnay as our Best of the Best winner in the American white wine category for good reason—it stood out head and shoulders among the hundreds of California Chardonnay samples we tasted. It has aromas and flavors of Gala apple, Bartlett pear, and nutmeg with great mouth feel and bright acidity. A stunning example of the quality we have come to expect from the Chalk Hill Winery, the Chalk Hill sub-AVA, the Russian River Valley AVA, and Sonoma County in general.

We received Kongsgaard 2001 Chardonnay as a Christmas gift in December 2004 and as staunch devotees of Burgundian whites we were both blown away by this Napa Valley gem. It had everything we loved about Chardonnay from Burgundy including aromas and flavors of lemon curd and white peach with bracing minerality on the palate. We hate to use the term “ah-ha moment,” but this was definitely one of those instances for us that highlighted the quality of well-made California Chardonnay.