Against my better judgment (which is usually bad, thus here I go), here are the top white wines that I tasted this year. In order to be considered, the wine had to be received as a sample, rated well into the “Outstanding” category, and earned a “Whoa” (or at least came really close). No attention was paid to price, region, or whether it had a ridiculously heavy bottle (although those B.A.B. might be excluded in the future).

Amazing wine, but not a sample.

2021 Cattleya Sauvignon Blanc Alma de Cattleya, Sonoma County, CA: Retail $22. Under DIAM5. I have been sampling Bibiana’s wines for a number of years now and they are all stellar. Chardonnay, Pinot, Rosé, and Cabernet are all fantastic year in and year out. But. The best and most consistent of the entire line just might be the Sauvignon Blanc. Much more in the Sancerre style with balanced fruit and acidity, this wine always seems to shine every vintage. This 2022 is no exception. Lemon and dried apricot paired with crushed seashell, an herbal note, and a distinct salinity, the nose really is fantastic. As is the palate with the aforementioned balance between all that fruit and a lip-smacking tartness. I have stated many times that I am no fan of the variety, but at around twenty bucks? This is an absolute steal. Outstanding. 93 Points.

2020 Chimney Rock Elevage Blanc, Napa Valley, CA: Retail $50. 78.5% Sauvignon Gris, 21.5% Sauvignon Blanc. A blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Sauvignon Gris, the first vintage of Elevator Blanc was back in 2004. According to winemaker Elizabeth Vianna, this ia a wine meant to age at least 5-15 years. Aged 1/3 new French oak, 1/3 neutral oak, and 1/3 stainless steel. Nice lemon fruit with a hint of oak in the glass along with lovely mineral notes. Wonderful fruit on the palate with a nice roundness but also brilliant acidity. Lengthy finish. Yowza. Outstanding. 93 Points.

2019 Donnafugata Passito di Pantelleria Ben Ryé, Sicilia, Italy: Retail $40 (375ml). Under cork. 100% Zibibbo. There are few wines on this planet that get me as emotional as one from Donnafugata. I have been fortunate enough to visit the winery on a couple of occasions and it is spectacular. The winery on the Western half of Sicily is beautiful, of course, but the people there are what makes the trip memorable. Warm, inviting, hospitable, and genuinely nice, what a treat. But it was not until I took the short plane ride to Pantelleria, the small island off the coast of Sicily, that I really started to understand the Ben Ryè. The island is breathtaking, between the vineyards, the caper farms, and the Mediterranean, what possibly could be more breathtaking? Perhaps this wine. Dark amber in color with aromas of caramelized orange peel, candied peach, and even a bit of natural cola, this wine is breathtaking even before the first sip. On the palate? Holy cow. Nutty, fruity, sweet, but not unctuous, tart, but not biting, rich but not overpowering. Whoa. I do not drink much sweet wine these days and this Ben Ryè might be the reason why–other wines just can’t match up. Extraordinary. 97 Points.

Every time I sip a wine from Donnafugata, I recall my time spent in Sicily…

2020 La Follette Chardonnay Zephyr Farms, Sonoma Coast, CA: Retail $60. Under cork. I was at a Houston steakhouse with winemaker Hugh Chappelle and before our wet-aged vs. dry-aged beef comparison, we popped this lovely Chardonnay with some corn ravioli and crab cakes. Light to medium color in the glass with plenty of lemon curd, lime rind, hints of celery seed, and touches of oak and vanilla. Wonderful. The palate, while quite tart, is also full-bodied with a voluptuous mouthfeel, subtle but still expressive fruit, and a mineral note on the finish. Hugh intimated that he is driven by the wines of Chablis and while few would mistake this as a wine from Northern Burgundy, it seems obvious that this wine finds a gorgeous balance between fruit and tartness. Outstanding. 94 Points.

2022 Linne Calodo The Contrarian, Paso Robles Willow Creek District, CA: Retail $68. This is becoming redundant, but the bottles from Linne Catoldo should be classified as environmental hazards. Yeesh. 47% Grenache Blanc, 35% Viognier, 18% Picpoul Blanc. Linne Catoldo winemaker/owner Matt Trevisan states this on the website: “Once upon a time, I swore I would never make a white wine—I didn’t have the equipment or the inclination.” And as far as I can tell, this is the only white (along with a rosé that I have not tried) among twelve reds. Well, Mr. Trevisan should consider adding a few more whites to the lineup as this is delicious. Sure, this is on the big side of white Rhône-style wines, but Trevisan does not seem to go as full-throttle with this wine as he did with the reds. Yes, there is plenty of fruit, but there is also nuance, and verve, and, dare I say “restraint” here that does not come through in the reds (although each of those that I tried could use some cellar time to mellow out a bit). I shy away from superlatives, but this is one of the best white Rhône blends I have tried outside of France. Just please consider using more responsible glass–no one still thinks that “heavy bottles” mean “great wine”. Most people just think “environmentally reckless.” Outstanding. 96 Points.

2019 Pellegrini Family Vineyards Chardonnay Olivet Lane Estate, Russian River Valley, CA: Retail $50. Heavy Bottle. 100% Chardonnay. Under cork. I have been sampling Pellegrini wines for a few years now and while all of the wines are quite good, I find the Chardonnays particularly compelling. And this Olivet Lane Estate might just be the best of the lot. Brilliant straw in the glass, with plenty of citrus, wet-rock, vanilla, and subtle oak. The palate is bright, fruity, and tart, but it also full, round, and weighty. This Chard seems to perfectly thread the needle between the un-oaked movement and the traditional California Chard oak bomb. If you can’t like, no, love, this Chardonnay, you probably should make the move to beer. Outstanding. 94 Points.

Another memorable wine, but…

2021 Tongue Dancer Chardonnay The Sly One, Dry Creek Valley, CA: Retail $59. Montrachet clone. 100% Malolactic fermentation. 100% concrete. This is now the fifth Chardonnay in the Tongue Dancer line and, well, I just might take credit for it (James and Kerry can protest all they want, but I know the truth). I told the dynamic duo that while their Pinot Noirs were absolutely fantastic, the Chardonnays (at the time there were two?) were otherworldly. Well, another three (?) Chardonnays later, we land on this first vintage of The Sly One Chardonnay (the Pinot precedes it by a couple of years). Whoa. While this might be indeed from the Montrachet clone, this is all Chablis for me. Sure, the full malo and concrete aging offer some roundness and body, but this is about two elements: the fruit and the acidity. The first is predominantly citrus with some yellow apple and even apricot while the second is zingy and balancing. There is certainly a creamy aspect to this wine, and it plays a secondary even tertiary role here, but it plays it oh so well. Outstanding. 95 Points.

2021 Tongue Dancer Chardonnay Pratt Vineyard, Russian River Valley, CA: Retail $48. Under cork. Wonderfully light bottle! This is now the fifth vintage of this wine that I have tried and it continues to amaze and delight. Light to medium yellow in the glass with the characteristic Tongue Dancer lemon curd, subtle mineral note, and even a bit of lychee. James MacPhail bristles when I call him a “Chardonnay Whisperer” but it is true; his Chards are among the best in Sonoma. Sure, he fancies himself a Pinot-guy, but his Chards? Whoa. No exception here. The fruit is the star, albeit briefly, followed by an intense tartness, some oak (although completely in line), and then a few waves of verve, this is what American Chardonnay should be. Outstanding. 96 Points.

I served the Chards with a shrimp pesto risotto and pan-seared scallops.

2020 Winner’s Circle Winery Chardonnay Bon Pari Estate, Russian River Valley, CA: Retail $75. Under cork. Light, responsible bottle. Medium straw in the glass with a lovely lemon curd tartness in with oak, sure, even slightly smoky oak, and a distinct salinity. The palate is rich (but not as rich as the 2019), but also reserved–this is more in line with Chassagne-Montrachet or even a Chablis Grand Cru. In other words, this is an incredible Chardonnay, with impeccable balance, juicy fruit, racy tanginess, and a boatload of verve. Yes, I prefer the 2019, but only slightly, and this 2020 confirms my contention the the Bon Pari Chards are every bit as good (if not better) than the more bally-hooed Pinot Noirs. Outstanding. 95 Points.

My White Wines of the Year

Last year in this space, I declared the 2017 Tongue Dancer Pratt Chardonnay as my white wine of the year. This year, Tongue Dancer Chards once again dominated the list (I could have added two [three?] more) and one of their wines, the new Pratt Vine Hill resulted in bare feet. I also decided to have another wine share the top spot since the Bon Pari Estate Chardonnay was perhaps equally mind-flowingly good

2020 Tongue Dancer Chardonnay Pratt Vine Hill, Russian River Valley, CA: Retail $65. Under cork. I have known James and Kerry MacPhail since the Spring of 2015 (I just checked) and in the subsequent (nearly) eight years, I have tasted several vintages and visited the winery at least a handful of times. At some point, I stated that while James considers himself a Pinot-whisperer (my term, not his), his Chardonnays might actually be better. At the time that I made that assertion (maybe in 2017?), I am pretty sure Tongue Dancer had just two Chardonnays. Both stellar, mind you, but that was it. Two. Now? By my count (which is suspect since I was only a math minor in college), they now have five and I think I need to start taking credit for that. This Pratt–Vine Hill Road is yet another new wine for the brand and it is simply amazing. 100% of everything (whole cluster press, barrel fermentation, French oak [33% new], malolactic fermentation) and holy mother of Jesus. One of the other “newer” releases is the “Ultra” and I thought that sat at the apex of Sonoma Chardonnay. Well, it might have to move over. Luscious fruit and subtle oak on the nose with vanilla, white acacia flower, and a distinct macadamia nut in the background. Whoa. The palate, as hard as it is to believe, is even better. Rich fruit in an intricate tango (see what I did there?) with the tartness, layers of complexity, an endless finish. I could go on for quite some time. Sensational. I think I need to try this along side the Ultra with some seafood risotto. Anyone want to join me? Oh and James? Your Pinots are killer, but your Chards? To die for. Extraordinary. 97 Points.

2019 Winner’s Circle Winery Chardonnay Bon Pari Estate, Russian River Valley, CA: Retail $75. Under cork. I have sampled a few of the Bon Pari offerings now, wines made by Fred Scherrer, known as a bit of a Pinot guru. The Pinots are fantastic, for sure, but the Chards, well, they are on another level. This is a case in point. Rich, even really rich on the nose, with intense lemon curd, vanilla, and certainly some oak. The palate is nothing short of magical and once again, as I have experienced with previous vintages of the Bon Pari Chardonnay, this just screams to me “Meursault” with its richness, body, and balance. Yowza. An incredible Chardonnay. Extraordinary. 97 Points.