[KevinTodd]

Chardonnays are as varied in flavor profile as much as every other varietal wine.

It all depends on where the grapes are grown, how they are vinified and ultimately the winemaker's direction as to the style of the finished product.

Yes, California was once the land of the buttery, oaky Chardonnay but while there are still many of those out there, the bulk of the non-commodity wineries have now reverted to the less-manipulated style that replicates a cleaner finish, like Burgundy.

What creates the buttery, creamy texture in Chardonnay is actually secondary fermentation, or malo-lactic fermentation. Upon innoculation with specific strains of yeast, the remaining malic acid (think green apple acidity) is converted to lactic acid (think dairy acid).

Oak (especially new oak) is used with much greater restraint now than say even 5 years ago--trends change.

Thank God, by the way. Those of us in the business couldn't wait for the flabby, over-oaked and over-manipulated Chardonnays to finally go away.

Anyhoo--stainless fermentation has absolutely nothing to do with butteriness or oakiness---on the contrary stainless is used for exactly the opposite reason, to retain fruit character,--plus as the tanks are jacketed with glycol they can then be temperature-controlled better--which is crucial in starting the aforementioned secondary fermentation.

Tons of great choices out there for you. Ask your local winemonger to assist--he or she will be happy to do so and you can attend tastings as well to further discover what you like.

BTW--The Cakebreads are great people that make great Napa wines--probably too expensive for most people for everyday drinking, but still some of the best out there.

Others I like:

Frog's Leap
Jordan
Benziger
Grgich Hill
Joseph Phelps
Imagery
Fritz Cellars
Stag's Leap Winery
Cuvaison

(And as for Clos du Bois--go for the second tier--which is their Alexander Valley fruit--these grapes come from directly across the street from the Jordan estate and it is serious bang for the buck)


Cheers!