Chardonnay: rich and complex white

Swirl and taste: Green apple, pear, melon, creamy lemon, and sometimes pineapple, rounded out with butterscotch and vanilla.

Pair with:
Sweet shellfish
White-fleshed fish ― halibut, black cod (sablefish), sturgeon, mahimahi, tilapia
Chicken and turkey
Pork
Veal
Legumes
Winter squash
Corn
Nuts
Risotto and pasta
Cream and butter sauces
Mild Caribbean dishes with tropical fruit flavors

Find your style: California winemakers have traditionally made Chardonnay in a rich, buttery style by fermenting and aging it in oak barrels. Too much oak can cover up the fruit, so some winemakers are starting to substitute stainless-steel tanks for a leaner, crisper style.

Perfect recipe pairings
For oaked styles
• Mendo Crab Cakes
• Golden Squash with Sautéed shrimp
• Caramelized Fall Fruit Salad with Chicken
• Lemon-Oregano Chicken
• Roast Hens with Golden Vegetable Hash

For unoaked styles
• Chicken Fettuccine with Mushroom Brie
• Dungeness Crab and Winter Citrus Salad
• Mango-Shrimp Tostadas
• Tequila-Marinated Chicken Fajitas
• Caesar Salad with Fried Ginger