Chardonnay still queen of the white-wine world

Picture / Greg Bowker

Some people will go to enormous lengths to undermine the popularity of chardonnay - some have even set up the so-called anything but chardonnay club (ABC).

But it is still the wine style that most drinkers - in bars, restaurants and in supermarkets - opt for. ABCers would be far better off changing their chant to: Anything but bad chardonnay. Here is a list to ensure you give the duds a miss and opt for the best chardonnays under $20.

2004 Bensen Block Gisborne Unoaked Chardonnay $16-$17

The Bensen Block wines are a new range. They're named after a Gisborne vineyard where the grapes come from and which are vinified by Brent Laidlaw. This is worth buying - not only for its appealing price but the fact that it's unoaked. This serves to enhance the fresh, slightly citrusy tastes in this light, slightly creamy-tasting chardonnay. Screwcap.

Food match: Hot roasted salmon with fresh lemon and mayonnaise.

22003 Georges Duboeuf New Generation GD White $16-$17

The father-son duo Georges and Franck Duboeuf have created this brightly floral new-generation range of wines with fruit flavours to the max which taste very chardonnay-like. That said, this is a fresh, crisp, lightly citrus-tasting white wine (a chardonnay and sauvignon blanc blend) and great value at this price.

Food match: Roast chicken smeared in Moroccan spices.

22004 C J Pask Roys Hill Unoaked Chardonnay $16-$17

The title of best-chardonnay region is constantly under debate but Hawkes Bay is definitely one of the top three regions in the country, and wines such this luscious lemony tasting white attest to this. Winemaker Kate Radburnd is arguably better-known for making great merlots than chardonnays but her trump card here is producing a budget-priced white with exceptional balance of everything. Screwcap.

Food match: Edam cheese.

22004 Esk Valley Black Label Chardonnay $19-$20

Hawkes Bay winemaker Gordon Russell has allowed the grapes in this wine to express themselves with finesse, purity and unfettered freshness - so the wine has gorgeous balance. Don't expect bigness or creamy flavours but look instead for gorgeous, linear, citrus tastes and a lingering, delicious finish. It is definitely one of the best chardonnays under $20. Screwcap.

Food match: Kapiti goat's cheese before it turns too gooey; an hour after it's out of the fridge.

22004 Kim Crawford Unoaked Chardonnay $18-$20

Winemaker Kim Crawford fashions a vast range of top-quality New Zealand wines, usually at extremely affordable prices. This chardonnay is testament to that and to the fact that big whites can stand on their own without the need for oak. I love this fresh, citrusy, pure-tasting chardonnay. It's rounded, soft, smooth and lingering after every mouthful. Screwcap.

Food match: Pistachios and other salty nuts.

22003 Matua Valley Settler Series Chardonnay $11-$12

This is mass-made chardonnay at its best. While it boasts clean, bright, fresh flavours the colour is a delicious buttery yellow and the taste is soft, citrusy, rounded and full-on. Chardonnay lovers will find its value hard to beat. I like its clean style. Screwcap.

Food match: Your favourite salty snacks. This is a casual-drinking wine.

Montana Reserve Marlborough Barrique Fermented Chardonnay $19-$20

This is easily one of the top five chardonnays under $20 in New Zealand at the moment. It's characterised by crisp freshness rather than the more overt buttery taste of most chardonnays. I love the beautifully integrated oak character which enhances the wine's fleshy, white-peach and nectarine flavours.

Food match: Panfried monkfish with ratatouille. 

2004 Ngatarawa Chardonnay $15-$16

Wines such as this consistently good chardonnay show why Hawkes Bay is home to more of the country's top chardonnays than any other region. While this wine has all the appealing, creamy hallmarks of everyday chardonnay, it is also a well-balanced tropical fruit-driven wine tempered by vibrant acids on the finish. And at this price it is exceptional value. Screwcap.

Food match: Mushroom quiche with a light crust. The eggy taste and texture works well with this full-bodied white.

2004 Saint Clair Unoaked Chardonnay $18-$19

This is the freshest, most flavoursome and fruit-driven Saint Clair wine this year and unlike many Marlborough dry whites it is not lacking in ripeness or verve.

The length of flavour at the end of each mouthful is also satisfyingly impressive. I like it a lot. Screwcap.

Food match: Fresh sushi.

2004 Vidal Wines Hawkes Bay Unwooded Chardonnay $17-$18

Love the packaging - foil around the screwcap does a lot to confer a quality image - and the wine is good too.

A far better-than-average drop at this price. It offers light, ripe, stone-fruit tastes such as ripe peaches and nectarines. It is an everyday rather than special-occasion chardonnay and good value for money, offering more than most at this price. Screwcap.

Food match: Singapore chicken or poached chicken with chilli and all the trimmings.

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Chardonnay is the second-most-widely planted grape in New Zealand, and is the world's most famous white wine. It is now better-known for its grape variety name, rather than for its greatest expressions, which are top white Burgundy from the region of the same name in France. Winemakers and grape-growers love chardonnay because it is relatively easy to cultivate in a wide range of climates and soils. However, in hot climates it loses its fresh edge, tending towards flabby, overly soft white wines - hence many cheap chardonnays are not always cheerful in taste. There is also a pink mutation of the chardonnay grape called chardonnay rose and a highly perfumed chardonnay blanc musque grape.

Chardonnay can be one of the most versatile wines to match with food, working well with a wide range of meats, mostly white, from lighter dishes such as fish and chicken to more substantial dishes such as pork. However, oaked chardonnays can be trickier to match so keep it simple - try something such as french fries with aioli.