Yesterday’s perfect 100 point Classified certainly has its time and place in your rotation. But on the other end of the spectrum, we have something like THIS. A bargain-priced, honestly made, small production white to line up 24/7, 365 days of the year.

We’re cooling things from $245 all the way down to a breezy $18 a bottle today - WITHOUT taking a nosedive in quality, or pure alluring appeal. We’ve got range like Mariah Carey, from soaring highs to sultry lows.

Feeling owl-right? Read on!

In any given vintage, Russian River Chardonnay raw grapes could run you near what this bottle costs. Which explains the original release price of $52. And consider other Chards you’ll find on the shelf for under $20. Not one will complete. Which makes this a total outlier.

Crafted as the tiniest lot, by a truly boutique operation. As any small business owner knows, those days often stretch deep into the night. Hence, explains Bird of Night proprietor and winemaker Shane Keck, “I chose the image of a barn owl for my labels because I want the wine to represent who I am.”

And when his wines met our palates at a recent Friday panel, we knew there was more to the story. You see, Shane Keck learned the ropes at wineries that DEFINE greatness in the Russian River Valley and beyond: Cobb, Hirsch, Anthill Farms, and Martinelli. A-ha, we said, it’s obvious these delicious wines are made by someone who knows exactly what it takes to excel.

Employing a painfully slow “Champagne cycle” press, wild native yeasts, and neutral oak, the result is an electric, Burgundy-inspired masterpiece of tension, minerality, and texture. It’s a masterclass in minimal intervention, and we’ve secured the drop. In the glass, you’ll find a world-class Chardonnay that exudes a mélange of green apple, citrus, and melon, with a touch of lemon custard, culminating in a long, lively finish that dances on its tiptoes with bright acidity. Masterfully done, indeed.

At $18, this is not a deal, but an outrageous steal. Too bad they make a mere 3-4 barrels of each of their brilliant releases. We naturally snagged all they have of this, AND another vintage you’ll see rolling out once it sells out.

And sell out it will. It’s just a question of time.