In 1960 the total acreage of chardonnay planted in California amounted to 300.

Today this figure exceeds 100,000 and this makes it the most planted wine grape – either red or white.

When I first started to understand these wines, in the early 1980s, it seemed to me that winemakers were having some difficulty in reining in all the enthusiasm and excitement available to them. The reputation that this earned chardonnay was often one of too much fruit and too much oak influence. Old thoughts do not die easily, and I still occasionally have this opinion voiced to me but let me assure you that today’s Californian chardonnay can hold its own admirably.

I tend to think of pinot grigio and sauvignon blanc as sipping, or pre-dinner wines and more intense chardonnay as the one to enjoy the most during many meals. This is a generalisation and of course there are exceptions.

The Wine Enthusiast magazine placed our 2020 J. Lohr Riverstone Monterey Chardonnay on their annual list of the 100 best buys (48th place). The Somm Journal, with a score of 93/100 wrote, “Stones deposited by the Arroyo Seco River influence the vines growth in this cool growing area. The Mt Eden clone, known for tight clusters and concentrated fruit, makes its debut in this vintage, which was barrel-fermented and hand-stirred weekly for seven to nine months in American, Hungarian, and French oak, resulting in stunning clarity on the palate. Accented by perky acidity, earthiness strikes a chord with notes of fresh peach and tangerine. Vanilla nougat leaves a splash of texture on the toast finish.” $25.50 (Stock #7988).

Rodney Strong was the first to designate single vineyard sites in California and when I recently poured a glass of 2019Rodney Strong Chalk Hill Chardonnay from Sonoma, I could tell from the light and bright colour that it was going to be a hit with the other half of our household – and it certainly was.

Natalie MacLean in Canada felt this way about it: “Rodney Strong Chalk Hill 2019 chardonnay is fresh with aromas of lime, lemon zest and fresh cream. The wine is dry, medium-bodied and rounded on the palate with citrus zest, soft orange, ripe yellow apple, vanilla, buttery with a toasty oak spice finish. Lovely balance of fruit to natural acidity on this California chard from Sonoma County. In 1965, Rodney Strong was the first to plant chardonnay in what was later recognised as the Chalk Hill appellation in Sonoma County. Chardonnay food pairings: roast chicken in wild mushroom sauce, baked chicken in rose sauce, roast turkey. 90/100.” $29.90 (Stock #6488).

Put Gary Farrell, who has studied under legendary winemakers, and some of the finest Russian River Valley grape sources together and you end up with wines like 2019 Gary Farrell Russian River Chardonnay. This is rich and golden, yet vibrant and zesty. This beautiful orchestra of Russian River Valley vineyards offers up enticing aromas of ripe nectarine, honeysuckle, lemon grass, and freshly baked brioche. Flinty, briny, and spicy, the palate is full-bodied and rich, yet remarkably mineral-driven, with flavours of roasted Meyer lemon, grapefruit, ginger, and just a kiss of lightly toasted oak. The beautiful saline quality balances the tangy acidity and lingering spice. Everything is nicely integrated, from the tangy entry to the long oily finish.

The Wine Enthusiast scores it 94 points and prints: “This outstanding wine offers a full range of complex flavours, texture and depth, the grapes sourced from a who's who of sites, including Bacigalupi, Westside Farms and Rochioli. Gravenstein apple, Meyer lemon, tangerine and quenching acidity meld with a butterscotch accent and a balanced, rich texture.”

James Suckling adds, “Baked lemon, grapefruit and white peach mix on the nose. Medium-bodied with good presence and intensity. Bright, fresh acidity articulates the citrus and stone fruit as it washes over the palate. Drink now.” $45.25 (Stock #6479).

Carneros, the Spanish word for sheep, runs along the bottom of Napa and Sonoma Valleys as it hugs the cooling shoreline of San Francisco Bay. Its water and fog-cooled climate is perfect for pinot noir and chardonnay. The Winemaker of 2021 Frank Family Carneros Chardonnay has this to say: “A bright and balanced wine with vibrant aromatics of baked apple, white nectarine, and toasted oak. A lively entry of tropical fruit and citrus expands with notes of rich lemon curd and brioche bread pudding. Ample yet refined, this unmistakably Carneros wine finishes with a refreshing wave of acidity.”

Decanter magazine comments, “With fruit primarily sourced from the clay loam soils of the Lewis Vineyard, which sits adjacent to the San Pablo Bay, this cool-climate Carneros chardonnay shows engaging apple, pear and citrus fruit characters with rich, buttery brioche notes and a swirl of vanilla. Full-bodied with a creamy texture and a zap of bright acidity, it has a long, elegant finish.” $55 (Stock #6335).

Our 2020 Three Sticks Chardonnay sources its fruit from the legendary Durrell vineyard situated near the town of Sonoma. It is renowned for pinot noir and chardonnay, the latter vines are from old Wente clones grafted to 114 rootstocks, both also of the highest order.

With 93 Points the Wine Spectator comments, "A stunning, expressive wine, with perfectly ripe peach, melon and lemon curd flavours, plus notes of toasted, salted almond, a touch of toasted herbs and sleek, wonderfully refreshing acidity that gives freshness and length to the spicy finish. Drink now."

At 95 Points the Wine Enthusiast tells us the following: "From the producer's estate vineyard, the Three Sticks Chardonnay wine offers flavours of white flowers, Meyer lemon, melon and mineral that mingle effortlessly on the medium-bodied palate. Beautifully layered and balanced, it lingers in tones of nutmeg, crushed rock and lemon grass." Priced at $72 you might enjoy trying side by side with a fine white burgundy? (Stock #6136).

As the lovely chardonnays from Burgundy are under such price pressure at this time, and are also experiencing a supply problem, it is certainly worth trying some of these New World cousins.

• This column is a paid-for advertorial for Burrows Lightbourn Ltd written by Michael Robinson. He can be contacted at mrobinson@bll.bm. Burrows Lightbourn has stores in Hamilton (Front Street East. 295-1554) and Paget (Harbour Road, 236-0355). A selection of its wines, beers and spirits is available online at www.wineonline.bm