Chardonnay is one of the world’s most popular and coveted wines. As a Burgundian native, Chardonnay quickly earned a reputation for its finesse, elegance, and ability to distinctly reflect the region’s terroir. Today, drinkers clamor to get their hands on bottles from the region, where they’re labeled white Burgundy or Bourgogne Blanc. While Chardonnay is now grown all over the globe — it’s the world’s most planted white wine variety — its prestige can often lead to some steep price tags.
That doesn’t mean that all high-quality Chardonnay is inaccessible, though. To identify which bottles offer great value for the price, we asked sommeliers from across the country to name some of their favorite bang-for-buck Chardonnays. From Sonoma County Chards with Meyer lemon notes to crisp and lean German expressions, here are the best bang-for-your-buck Chardonnays, according to the pros.
The best bang-for-your-buck Chardonnay, according to sommeliers:
- Pierre Girardin Bourgogne Blanc Éclat de Calcaire
- House of Brown Chardonnay
- Lioco Sonoma County Chardonnay
- Porter Creek “George’s Hill” Old Vine Chardonnay
- Weingut Donnhoff Chardonnay S
- Koehler-Ruprecht Chardonnay Kabinett Trocken
- Wines from Marsannay Blanc, Auxey-Duresses, and Mâconnais
- Domaine Zind Humbrecht Chardonnay “Zind”
- Lady of the Sunshine “Chene Vineyards” Chardonnay
- Howard Park “Miamup” Chardonnay
“For value and quality, I often look to Burgundy and the entry-level bottlings from top producers. While these domaines are known for their prized grand cru vineyard sites, their more modest wines often give you a glimpse of the winemaker’s style and showcase fruit of remarkable quality without the high price tag. Take for example, Pierre Girardin’s Éclat de Calcaire. Though it doesn’t even carry village-level status, it’s made with fruit from Meursault sites and delivers finesse and character well beyond its classification.” —Lina Goujjane, sommelier & co-owner, Kiko, NYC
“House of Brown makes a Chardonnay that feels modern, vibrant, and is very kind to the wallet. It’s a wine that has this really fun vibrant personality in that it is approachable and bright. It’s a perfect reminder that quality California Chardonnay doesn’t have to be $40 to $50.” —Amy Racine, beverage director and partner, JF Restaurants
“Lioco Sonoma County Chardonnay. I have bought this bottle so many times, it’s hard not to reach for it. It shows off Sonoma perfectly with a core of Meyer lemon, a touch of cream, and a salty, bright finish that makes this fantastic for $25. I drank this while shucking oysters into Tomales Bay. Leave it to a former beverage director (Kevin O’Connor of Spago Beverly Hills) who is finally using their taste buds for good rather than evil to kill it on value.” —Jacob Brown, beverage director, Lazy Bear, San Francisco
“I like this one as I am always a fan of Burgundy, especially white Burgundy. But sometimes finding great white Burgundy in the ‘bang-for-the-buck’ price range isn’t always possible. If I lean into the Sonoma side of the spectrum, I have always been dumbfounded at what quality the Porter Creek ‘George’s Hill’ Old Vine Chardonnay has to offer. I love the visceral memories that instantly pop into my mind of great Meursault when this wine is enjoyed in a blind tasting. It makes all the sense in the world when it is revealed that winemaker Alex Davis was classically trained in some of the finer domaines in Burgundy and has spent the last three decades honing his craft in the Russian River Valley. Coming from vines almost a half-century old, this is some serious juice and bang for the buck.” —Daniel Cools, beverage director & sommelier, Juniper & Ivy, San Diego
“German Chardonnay flies under the radar and is often a wonderful, wallet-friendly alternative to Chablis. I’ve had so many crisp, lean, and vibrant Chardonnays from reputable producers all over Germany, but I really love the Donnhoff and Koehler-Ruprecht of Nahe and Pfalz, respectively.” —Camille Lindsley, wine director & owner, HAGS, NYC
“For my Burgundy lovers, look to more obscure regions in Côte d’Or like Marsannay Blanc, Auxey-Duresses, or to most of the wines within the Côte Chalonnaise or Mâconnais. Otherwise, Bourgogne Blancs from notable vignerons tend to be baby versions of their village wines using younger vines. Can we also talk about Germany or Austria? Oh, and Alsace! I was recently reintroduced to Zind Humbrecht’s Chardonnay ‘Zind.’ Damn, that is one tasty Chardonnay for such a good price. [For] Central Coast or Santa Barbara County, Lady of the Sunshine ‘Chene’ Chardonnay is a prime example of the new-wave winemaking in California that is all terroir-driven, about freshness, and tends to be ‘Old world’ in style. Fresh, mineral, and absolutely stunning for the price you pay.” —Tira Johnson, beverage director, We All Gotta Eat
“My favorite value-driven Chardonnay comes from the most remote wine region in the world, the Margaret River in Australia. Surrounded by untouched forests and the Indian Ocean, this now trendy wine region is exposed to a unique microclimate that allows the natural acidity of Chardonnay to shine. For only $19 retail, you can try Howard Park ‘Miamup’ Chardonnay. It’s still a classic representation of New World Chardonnay with the use of French oak and malolactic fermentation, but the wine remains bright and zippy. Seek a bottle and you’ll be kicking yourself for not giving wines from the Margaret River a try sooner.” —Dylan Estey, head sommelier, Hawksmoor Chicago, Chicago
