2002 Mount Eden Estate Chardonnay

Wine buffs on the prowl for a Burgundian-style Chardonnay made in California may have long lost hope of finding a bottle for less than $70. You can pretty much forget Napa and Sonoma. But the Santa Cruz Mountains, where winemaking goes back to the 1860s, still has a few jewels. Mount Eden’s Estate Chardonnay, from a mountain vineyard first planted in the 1940s, is one of them.

Minerally and crisp, the 2004 comes on strong with delicious, focused fruit, a light touch of oak and a finish that positively loiters. Its tightly knit structure and superb balance mean this is one Chardonnay that drinks well with food. Shellfish are a natural -- oysters, shrimp, steamed mussels -- but also Dungeness crab, wild salmon and anything else that swims.

Quick swirl

Region: Santa Cruz Mountains

Price: About $35

Style: Burgundian

Food it goes with: Shellfish, Dungeness crab, wild salmon, fish in sauce.

Where you find it: Available at fine wine shops and retailers.

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-- S. Irene Virbila