I’m looking to stock up on some Chardonnay for the summer months. Looking for something immediately drinkable. I love Ceritas and Rhys Chardonnay, but need to buy some in volume that are cheaper. Anyone have some recommendations in the $30 price range that are similar in style? Would even consider Chablis options.
Thanks.
2014 Servin 1er’s Chablis.
To me, two routes you could go here:
1). Oregon - a ton of great options at or near $30 - Brickhouse ‘Cascadia’ would be my first choice, then maybe Drouhin Arthur or a Walter Scott wine, im sure others will chime in.
2). 2014 Chablis - this vintage simply cannot produce a bad wine. You could purchase any village level for $20-$25 and be thrilled, or find some well priced PC’s at $30, too many choices to list any spefiic bottles.
My .02
Matthiasson Linda Vista seems to be a good match to your taste.
+1 on the Oregon options. While a lot of OR Chardonnays are more than $30, there are a lot of good ones for less.
Look at Vincent, Crowley, Haden Fig, and Eyrie for some of my faves. In addition to Dale’s picks. Also, Goodfellow Family Cellars(I make these wines). Our 2014s are excellent and the Willamette Valley is $24 retail, Durant Vineyard is $30.
I would also recommend checking in with Andy and Marcus at Avalon wine for their recommendations. They know the PacNW wines extremely well and are always up on current offerings for good Oregon Chardonnay.
Dale-thanks for the heads up on Chablis, I haven’t had anything yet from 2014. Although I do have a date with some Dauvisat on Monday that I am looking forward to even more now.
Paul Pernot Bourgogne Blanc at around $22. Understated and elegant with a hint of honey and roundness to offset the minerality and acid.
Or, if you prefer the more overt style of Cali Chard, Domaine Eden Santa Cruz Mountains chard @ $29. Still subtle and understated by Cali standards but with some nice richness.
And, to echo others above, it’s hard to go wrong with any of the 2014 Chablis.
Without a doubt. The '14 Chablis are really remarkable, as are the '14 Macon & Bourgogne Blanc - Most have come in with a good dollar exchange, so they are very fairly priced.
Thanks for the responses! I’ll look into some of these.
Pernot is good; Droin Chablis at about 22, or 1ers under 30; Chablisienne 1ers can be had under 25 (WHWC has 2012 Montmains for $25 today); Plenty of other good Chablis at these prices as well. I have also recently enjoyed, in a somewhat fuller Cote d’Or style, Carillon’s Bourgogne Blanc. Lafon’s Macons are very good as well, though I’d stick to 2012-2014 and avoid '15 as the basic Macon-Villages seems rather fat to me.
I have trouble sometimes with finding an affordable, unoaked/neutral oak, crisp (no Malo?) clean Chardonnay.
I do agree with the recommendations, yet I can’t find those locally, so shipping charges often push $25-30 into a higher price bracket. 
For that there are plenty of excellent Maconnais whites in the $12-20 range.
I also agree with the recs to the OP. Plenty of good Oregon and Chablis choices. With CA Domaine Eden is the most obvious, since it’s easy to find. Others exist, but it might be a bit of a snipe hunt.
For a new world option which is readily available, the Ramey Sonoma Coast and RRV Chards right at $30 are very good, albeit in a California kind of way, and certainly not Chablis kinda way. I also agree Domaine Eden is another strong California option.
I just had a 2014 Cameron reserve at $33 that was fantastic.
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Although I do have a date with some Dauvisat on Monday that I am looking forward to even more now.[/quote]
Marcus, do report back on this! I have some La Forest coming in next month that can’t get here fast enough. I know I know, they need a decade plus blah blah blah…
Agree with much of what’s been said.
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Oregon is target rich for QPR chard: Goodfellow, Vincent, Brick House, Cameron, Eyrie, among others all make $30ish examples.
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Chablis, especially 2014, would provide several options. I’d start with Billaud Simon.
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Good Bourgogne would also fit the bill. Dublere Les Millerands is always awesome and <$30.
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Lots of Cali appellation Chards would also be great: Wind Gap Sonoma Coast, LIOCO Sonoma County (formerly made by John Raytek of Ceritas to give you sense of style), Kutch SCM, Rivers Marie, etc.
Domaine Eden. I love the style and would drink it everyday if I could.
Justin - out of curiosity, you said you’re stocking up but you’re not limiting yourself to Chardonnay for the summer right?
Based on the wines you said you enjoyed, I’m assuming you aren’t a fan of the Rombauer style? Because if you or your guests are OK with those, that’s another option.
2011 William Fevre Chablis - £120 Pounds a case listed by U.K. merchant so I am sure you can get it for less than $30.
While I prefer this the least of all Cameron Chardonnays, you could get the 2015 Dundee Hills for $19/bottle from Vinopolis. You’d be well under $30/bottle after shipping, and you’d have an ‘in-the-know’ West Coast Chardonnay to show off to your friends in that piss-ass God forsaken state you live in.
Go Packers.
Next year, maybe JP will make more Willamette Valley Chardonnay, that’s my favorite wine value of all time (at less than half your stated price).
Good call. For $20, the Mt Eden Wolff Vyd chard is also great, maybe even crisper and more taut than the Domaine Eden.
Brittan from Oregon is a great one in that style for low $30s.