4 | Wine | Chardonnay, 86 to 90

This statewide blend stands up well against far more expensive Chardonnays. It's rich and crisp in acidity, with tropical fruit, pear and peach flavors, as well as a generous coating of oak and buttercream. Easy to find, with nearly 11,000 cases produced. Best Buy."

"This beautiful, hand-harvested effort reveals clean notes of poached pears, honeyed citrus and tropical fruit. Medium-bodied with loads of fruit as well as purity, a beautiful texture, and a subtle note of wood, it will provide plenty of pleasure if consumed over the next year."

"Polished, lively and refined, with pretty white peach, floral and oatmeal notes that come together smoothly and linger on the finish."

"Deceptively complex, tight and vibrant, with a slow rise of citrus-laced mineral, green pear and honeydew melon notes that build on the finish, where a touch of nutmeg adds dimension."

"Pronounced citrus aromas of grapefruit and kumquat with an undercurrent of lime leaf and green apples. Light to medium-bodied, the palate shows very good balance, with expressive citrus flavor, lively acid and a medium-long finish."

"There is also a salty sea breeze character reminiscent of the crushed oyster shell-like note my colleague David Schildknect often detects in Loire Valley whites. This crisp, fresh, medium-bodied Cotes Catalanes exhibits lots of earthy/terroir characteristics. Readers should think of it as a brisk, zesty, authoritatively flavored Chardonnay from the cool, alluvial soils on the banks of the Aigly River." -Robert Parker

"A faint lactic note on the nose, along with grapefruit, flowers and spearmint. Good cut to its grapefruit and mineral flavors. Finishes fresh and firm."

"Toasty tropical aromas lead to a spicy, savory, well-balanced, lengthy Chardonnay that is an excellent value meant for drinking over the next 2-3 years."

"The 2010 Chardonnay Grand Reserve emerges from the glass with lemon, minerals, white flowers and subtle French oak. The Grand Reserve impresses for its length and textural elegance, both of which are remarkable for a wine made on this scale. Estate owned vineyards in Santa Barbara and Monterey are the sources for the fruit."

"Full yellow-gold color. Aromas of peach, apricot, tangerine, honey and brown spices show an exotic character suggesting a bit of botrytis. Juicy and concentrated but a bit aggressively oaky on the palate, showing ripe stone fruit flavors and a slight umami saline character. Finishes with a bit of alcoholic burn."