2016 Talley Vineyards Estate Chardonnay is sold out.

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Our #1 Chardonnay

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2016 Talley Vineyards Estate Chardonnay 750 ml

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  • Curated by unrivaled experts
  • Choose your delivery date
  • Temperature controlled shipping options
  • Get credited back if a wine fails to impress

Talley’s Chardonnay Outlier Steals the Show

Talley’s Chardonnay Outlier Steals the Show

We sell a lot of Chardonnay here at Wine Access, from case-buy offers perfect for everyday sipping to the kind of cellar-worthy standouts that can evolve for decades. Which makes it that much more remarkable that the Talley estate-grown Chardonnay is the #1 rated under-$40 Chard in Wine Access history.

The best sommeliers in the country have caught on, too: It’s graced the wine lists at Eleven Madison Park, Gramercy Tavern, and more. We actually once asked our friend, Wine Enthusiast’s #1 Sommelier in America, what he thought about Talley’s Chardonnay, and he couldn’t have been more effusive: “When you serve a bottle of Talley Chardonnay to a white Burgundy drinker, they think they’re sipping Meursault—albeit at a fraction of the price.”

And critics including Stephen Tanzer and Robert Parker agree: No under-$40 estate-grown American Chardonnay has garnered so many 90- to 95-point scores.

The 2016 is even better. With fruit from the Rincon and Rosemary vineyards, this flagship bottling from Talley is a deliciously clear evocation of the unique calcareous clay soils and cool maritime climate of the Arroyo Grande appellation. Smoothed out by Old World-inspired winemaking, it’s clear why Talley put the Central Coast on the map: Their signature Chardonnay leverages coastal energy with a smooth, creamy texture from barrel fermentation. In the end, their 2016 Chardonnay seems to have more in common with Meursault than classic California Chardonnay.

Vinous practically said as much in their effusive review, praising the wine for its “excellent clarity” and “sexy floral overtone,” as well as a palate that offers “vibrant Meyer lemon, pear and honeysuckle flavors and a sneaky touch of fennel.” Jeb Dunnuck said that the 2016 “is certainly worth your time and money and is a great intro to the wines from this terrific estate.” It is, he went on, a “balanced, undeniably delicious Chardonnay that’s perfect for drinking over the coming 4-5 years.”

If you can wait that long. Because really, it’s drinking brilliantly right now.