Recommendations for a Chardonnay under £15???

[Conky]

I've not got a great knowledge of wine, but I do like the Chardonnay taste. Does anyone have a recommendation for a bottle under £15 ?
If its easily available I'll promise to try it and give it a write up.

Alan

[KillerB]

Cloudy Bay Chardonnay is a little more than that but is a cloassic honey and lemon chard, made extremely well.

If you find a White Burgundy they are frequently Chardonnay biut beware in case you get an Aligote which is trash. Chablis is always Chard but pay close to your proce level or it could be junk.

Australian Chardonnay is a minefield of good, bad and Conky-a-like. Peter Lehmann can always be relied upon for acceptable wines as can Brown Brothers but I don't know their Chards.

[Jay P]

I'm not much of a chardonnay fan, but a few that I have liked are:

Mount Eden (US~$15), and their "Saratogga Cuvee" (US~$30)
Talbot (US~$30?), unfiltered
Hestan 2003 and 2004 (US~$40?), unfiltered

The Hestan is a white that makes me think it's a red, really surprising when you first take a sip, and a lot more chewy than most.

Jay

[DRT]

Alan,

I don't do white wine but Jo does. Tesco do a "Tesco's Finest Chabis" which is around £10-£12 and often on affer at 50% off. Give it a go and let me know what you think. If you tell me it's crap I'll feel better the mnext time Jo sits drinking it with Soda

Derek

[Conky]

I found Cloudy Bay. Usually around £20. A bit steep for a casual sitting. I'll look for it on offer.
Cant find Jay's suggestions yet, but going to keep looking. May be Canadian Labelling.
Chablis does my head in generally. Because its French they double the price. Like Alex said, it only starts getting pleasant at £15 plus, when you can find new world Chardonnays that are better. I cant afford the top end of the market, were I'm assured the French do excell.
I'll gtive the Tesco's one a go, but with fingers crossed.

Alan

[DRT]

Alan,

My understanding is that all Chabis is Chardonnay - I may be wrong

Derek

PS: get over the French thing, it's been a while since they invaded and they play a much more attractive game of rugby that the English

[RonnieRoots]

Haven't tasted it for a while, but d'Arenberg used to make a decent chardonnay that was around ┚¬10 here. Another good one is Mulderbosch, which is around ┚¬12-15.

And not chardonnay, but more or less in the same style and Portuguese (thus making a beautiful link to this forum) are Castello d'Alba Branco Reserva and CARM Branco (both around ┚¬9-10). This recommendation is BTW shameless commercial, because I import these wines into the Netherlands (only the Portuguese ones, that is).

[KillerB]

Mulderbosch is more likely to cost £12 - 15 here, sadly. Think I have a bottle actually. Neil Joubert also makes a Chardonnay but I'm not generally a big fan of his stuff.

Chablis is made from Chardonnay and you can get some bargains.. So is Meursault but if you find one under £15 it will be negociant and not really worth it.

Italy makes some good ones up in the North but can't name any off-hand.

[Conky]

Cloudy Bay Chardonnay is a little more than that but is a classic honey and lemon chard, made extremely well.

The 30% offer at Tesco's also included this offer. Of course the Cloudy Bay wasn't Chardonnay, but its inclusion suggests they are good wines. Do you agree? Would this be an interesting treat?

Alan

[KillerB]

If it's not the Chardonnay but it is white, it is Sauvignon Blanc and it is a classic. Nose of lychees and a mass of flavours in the mouth - grapefruit, lychees, flowers, everything. Drink it young and enjoy it. It is a much zestier wine than the Chardonnay but great in the Summer.

I pay just under £15 for the CB NZ SB (see SC's glossary on WS)

[RonnieRoots]

The Cloudy Bay Sauvignon is always lovely!