Franciscan oakville, Jordan, cakebread, in price ascending order.
We had this at Sense of Yountville a few weeks ago. I thought it was acceptable as an emergency white wine on a steakhouse wine list. My wife thought it was absolutely undrinkable and the worst wine of the entire session, with the possible exception of one $125 Cali Cab that had the bitterness of a tab of asprin stuck in your mouth.
Jen absolutely ADORES Rombauer Chardonnay. It is essentially the equivalent to her of a great, aged Chave is to me. Yet when I bought her a 2010 bottle - after warning her months earlier that Napa/Sonoma 2010’s are dangerous (as I saw many of the vineyards firsthand) - she had two sips, and POURED THE BOTTLE OUT. It was completely disjointed, tasted of chemicals, and it wasn’t flawed, just bad.
First of all, I’ve met your wife. You married up and she has an appreciation of sports you can only dream of.
Second, you can’t spell either.
I doubt Jorge has a desire to appreciate sports…
I can’t think of anything original but the best suggestions so far taste wise, IMO, are the Lafond and the Foxglove. The Foxglove might even be a bit light on the oak for Jen.
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Wicked Cool!
Todd, if it doesn’t have to be CA chard, how about something from the Maconnais? Lots of the Macon wines use enough oak to make your wife happy, with acidity that will probably keep you more happy than anything in the price range in CA. A few I like: Rijckaert Les Vercherres, Chateau de Fuisse Les Brules, Bret Bros Les Quarts.
How about Navarro’s Mendocino Chardonnay ( not the premiere reserve) or their table white, I think it’s around $10-11 a bottle with a case discount and they were running a one cent shipping deal also.
Everything I’ve had from Navarro has been a tremendous QPR, but I’ve never tried their Chard - good suggestion
Try the Catena Chard from Argentina. It fits your profile across the board.
Look for some 2009 Bon Homme St Veran. Eventually she will learn to like the taste of grapes vs. oak.
She’ll like the roundness and you like the lack of oak.
We have friends that drink nothing but Rombauer, even in bad years. By the case, magnum, imperial. I like to poke fun at the female half of this pair, calling her choice of wine “cougar juice” and she always responds - You don’t want to get laid tonight???
Hell Todd can’t hurt to keep a few bottles around just in case of emergency!
You’re right…the original title of the thread lacked the word “transitional” though he did make that point in the body of the post. My Scott suggestion was in the vein of a cheaper version of the Rombauer profile. It’s anything but transitional between Rombauer and more “acceptable” chardonnay.
Todd, I have to warn you though…a Rombauer cougar, errr woman, is not likely to go for a “transitional” chardonnay (as in transitioning AWAY from her beloved Rombauer). She goes for Rombauer…and then there is red wine. Oh sure…there is the occasional sauvignon blanc or pinot gris and perhaps even a riesling that she will tolerate for a glass or 2…but mostly it’s Rombauer. Be prepared for the face she will make as you try to wean her off Rombauer…that sour, puckered face. And, if you serve it to her without telling her what you are trying to do…prepare for…“this isn’t Rombauer!..where’s my Rombauer!”
Cupcake chardonnay is nasty stuff. You will NOT enjoy it.
I would give the Mount Eden Wolff Vineyards Edna Valley Chardonnay a try. It can be had for under $18 and it’s sufficiently rich that it might fit the bill.
Here’s an idea: Take Jen to Burgundy for a week. She’ll never drink Rombauer again! 
FTW!!!
I just drank one of these Sunday, how did I NOT think of that??? It is a perfect fit for this, IMO.
Y3 Chard. $23 here so likely $15 in CA. I sell a lot of it to the “Cougarjuice” crowd wanting something a little less expensive/oaky/buttery. It’s well balanced and somewhat palatable. I do not like oaky white wine.
Cameron Hughes lot 280. This will do the trick.
So Todd, what did you buy, and did it do the trick?