It was a rag-tag group of former East Coast bankers, California businessmen and European immigrants that put Napa Valley on the map in the 1970s. Inspired by the most famous wines of France, these winemakers decided to grow the same grapes, and spent the 50s and 60s cultivating their fruit to make a killer Californian wine.

Wanting to sit at the cool kid’s table, California winemakers eyed the uber-famous red wines French wines from Bordeaux, which are made from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. For whites, they looked towards France’s Burgundy with their elegant and age worth Chardonnays. It took some trial and error but soon enough these “kids from the sticks” kicked a whole-lotta ass and made these grapes, along with California, world famous.

The 2008 Charles Krug Chardonnay comes from Carneros, just south of Napa Valley. This is NOT one of those over the top, punch you in the face with fruit, buttery, oaky, Chardonnays that everyone hates on. Hell no. Carneros has a cooler climate so the wine rocks a crisp acidity and has a freshness to it that begs to pour another glass. This is a standout wine from a great winery (the oldest in the area, in fact).

Drink liberally with oven baked fish, pasta with pesto, or pop a bottle while you cook and hang out after a long day.

* Come drink this wine at Wine Riot and learn from top class wine experts all about California Chardonnay and the other wines Charles Krug has to offer!