All you lovely people who crave rich, luscious, powerful Chardonnay - today is for you! Mind you, this is a $40 Chardonnay that sure drinks above its class however on Wine Spies, and today only, you can steal it for just 19 bucks. That’s what most tasty Chardonnay goes for by the glass these days.

The venerable Crossbow bottling from the Shannon Ridge family of wineries is back with a freshly released bottling of Russian River Valley Chardonnay. And yes, it’s another astounding value. Maybe you scored some of the Pinot we sold a while back. In that case, you already know what this label represents.

Most sub-$20 Chardonnays can be fairly one-dimensional. Of course, Shannon Ridge knows how to build remarkable complexity into their wines, while keeping the prices sensible. We’ve been lucky to feature many wines from their portfolio over the years, and their entire collection seems to over-deliver.

The color is brilliant white gold with reflections of hay and dandelion. Pineapples, pears, lemon curd, and buttery croissant are some of the aromas that waft from the glass. One sip and quality wakes the palate up with layers of rich citrus cream, bergamot, guava, and puff pastry complexities. The finish is floral with honeysuckle and jasmine, with juicy acidity and tropical fruits prolonging the experience. It would sing with Fettuccine Alfredo or Piccata, chicken or veal. Serious QPR here!

Joy Merrilees is a master in her art and science with inspiring winemaking experiences around the globe. She started at Steele Wines in Lake County, and fascinatingly ended up being in charge there again when Shannon Ridge recently acquired Steele! In between stints in the Pacific Northwest, and all-around New Zealand gave Joy an international perspective, returning her pursuit of excellence in California, whereby fine-tuning gloriously ripe fruit to impeccable balance is obviously her calling.

Fall is here, you NEED more Chardonnay in your life especially at this price, make your moves.