There’s More to Oaked Chardonnay Than You Think

Chardonnay is the most widely planted white grape variety in the world. It is also the one most often associated with “oaky” flavor because it takes so well to oak, whether it spends a year in barrel or just a few months. 

While there is an enduring stigma surrounding oaky Chardonnay—it’s too heavy, it’s too high alcohol, it’s drenched in butter—there are plenty of oak-fermented and -aged Chardonnays that are worth getting excited about. 

“Of course, the oak must be used judiciously, but very few quality wineries are throwing 100% new American oak at overripe Chardy the way they did back in the 1980s and ’90s,” says Christina Pickard, Wine Enthusiast writer at large who reviews wines from New York, Australia and New Zealand. “Those days are long gone, and it’s time the stereotypes died with them.” 

When it comes to Chardonnay, however, oak still remains a bit understood. “Oak has long dominated the conversation around Chardonnay when in reality, it is more than just the barrel that makes this rich creamy and oh-so-divisive style,” says Pickard. “Malolactic fermentation and lees stirring play huge roles, as does yeast (whether native or cultured). That being said, ’oaked’ has come to be shorthand for a certain full-bodied style of Chardonnay.” 

In warmer climates like Australia, for example, where the sunshine easily ripens grapes into something fruity and fleshy enough to stand up to the technique, Pickard is loving “the complexity and layers that oak and other texture-building techniques bring to the wines,” she says.

While oaked versions are likelier to offer that creamy, full-bodied richness, there are plenty of Chardonnay bottlings that go beyond “buttery.” For outstanding (and unexpected) oaked Chardonnays from around the world, look to these top-rated bottles. 

Wine Enthusiast recommends:

Samuel Louis Smith 2023 Spear Vineyard Chardonnay (Sta. Rita Hills)

Clean and austere aromas of seared lemon and delicate honey meet with subtly tropical hints of ginger and lemongrass on the dynamic nose of this bottling. The palate is tense and vibrant, showing waves of white melon and Asian pear as the vivid acidity pushes deep into the finish. 96 points — Matt Kettmann

$50 Samuel Louis Wines

Innumero Wines 2023 Bootlegger’s Hill Vineyard Chardonnay

This sultry and complex Chardonnay packs a punch with aromas of lemon blossom, Anjou pear, and Meyer lemon on the nose. The palate is absolutely electric, alive with acidic vibration and flavors of lemon curd, passion fruit, sweet cinnamon and pineapple sage that dance and dive for over a minute. Editors’ Choice. 95 points — Tom R. Capo

$65 Grand Cru Custom Crush

Xanadu 2023 Chardonnay (Margaret River)

Bright crystalline citrus, peach and white floral notes open. Something more mineral, like crushed stones and chalk dust, comes next, and a whisper of something more lactic below. The palate offers a wonderful zing of vibrant acidity, tamed by some slippery texture. Juicy fruit and gentle spice flavors prickle on the long finish. Delicious now, but still young. There’s several decade of life left in this beauty. 95 points — Christina Pickard

$29 Sommstation

Kumeu River 2023 Coddington Chardonnay (Kumeu)

A benchmark New Zealand wine that should have a place in every Chardy lover’s collection, this vintage of Coddington is especially gorgeous. A tightrope walk of briny seashell and smoke characters with bright lemon and stone fruit. The palate is poised, elegant, linear, with racy, citrusy acidity that slices through the textural weight. It’s a complete and utterly drinkable wine now. But it’d be a shame not to wait. This will evolve beautifully over the next 10-20 years. Cellar Selection. 97 points — C.P.

$70 K&L Wines

Domaine Le Clos Jordanne 2021 Le Grand Clos Chardonnay (Short Hills Bench)

At first, this wine is steely and unyielding. With some glass swirling, a beautiful aromatic tapestry of French lemon-scented laundry powder, oak spice and melon wrapped in Prosciutto unfurls. Then bright, juicy acidity opens the floodgates, with flavors of lemon zest, wet slate and filberts washing over the palate. Try everything you can to find this wine. Editors’ Choice. 95 points — Michael Alberty

$53 Shop Wine Direct

Williams Selyem 2022 Olivet Lane Chardonnay (Russian River Valley)

Big tropical vibes happening on the nose of this vibrant Chardonnay. Aromas of pineapple, mango and mixed citrus explode from the glass, while the palate brings flavors of apple, spiced pear and slate across a plush midpalate and a long, cinnamon scented finish. Editors’ Choice. 95 points — T.C.

$100 Total Wine

Giant Steps 2023 Tarraford Vineyard Chardonnay (Yarra Valley)

Tarraford is exuberantly and unashamedly Aussie in all the best ways. It’s bright and lemony, underscored with toast, flint and salt. There’s length, poise, complexity and a seamless balance of freshness, texture and flavor. Set to age, this is delicious right now, too. An excellent example of how far the Yarra and Australia in general has come with this variety. 95 points — C.P.

$103 Arlington Wine

Domaine Laroche 2022 Les Clos (Chablis)

Complex and layered, this wine strikes a beautiful balance between power and elegance, with ripe citrus, white wildflowers, and earthy white mushroom aromas. Its freshness is stunning, with bright acidity highlighting alluvial stone and mushroom notes, finishing with a fine saline edge. Stunning demonstrating it has all the potential to evolve gracefully with time. 95 points — Anna-Christina Cabrales $220 Wine.com

Domaine Anderson 2021 Navarro-Fairhills Chardonnay (Anderson Valley)

This is a series of small Chardonnay productions from Domaine Anderson. These Chardonnays are a study in sites. This one is a cold climate, with some warming elements spattered across the vineyard, creating a high-energy stone fruit mélange, orange crème brûlée, and mineral on the nose. The flavors on the palate are youthful apple, white grapefruit, white nectarine, almond slivers, and a long supple finish. Pair with sautéed lobster risotto. 95 points — Tonya Pitts

$50 Domaine Anderson

Ernest 2022 Hawk Hill Chardonnay (Sonoma Coast)

Aromas of green apple, almonds, white flowers and lemon pith jump from the glass on the nose of this elegant and aromatic Chardonnay. The palate delivers a wave of lemony acidity with flavors of juicy Anjou pear, fresh linen, lemon blossom and pineapple sage dancing across the finish. Editors’ Choice. 95 points — T.C.

$75 Ernest Vineyards

Domaine de la Rivière 2020 Flora Marie Chardonnay (Russian River Valley)

Toasty, flinty aromas mingle with those of fresh pear and citrus peel on the nose of this wine. On the palate, the wine is dazzlingly complex, with juicy citrus and stone fruit, distinct chalky minerality and barrel spice elements all mingling across a long and generous finish. Editors’ Choice. 95 points — T.C.

$65 Domaine de la Rivière

More Chardonnay Coverage:

• Still not convinced about oaky Chardonnay? Try these bright, crisp unoaked Chards.
• The color of your Chardonnay says a lot about how it was made—we explain why. 
• How does a California Chard earn a perfect 100-point score? Slow, steady winemaking.
• PSA: There are plenty of excellent Chardonnays under $20.
• Get to know Chardonel: Chardonnay’s rich, hardy and crisp hybrid grape.

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