Great Chardonnay from Washington State

If you are in the market for a lighter bodied, refreshing Chardonnay that won’t bust your wine budget, look to the northwest for the 2011 14 Hands Chardonnay Washington State.  The 2011 14 Hands Chard qualifies as a remarkable value, one worthy of this Chapter’s Value Wine No. 2, at the big box retail price of merely $12!   April’s edition of Wine Spectator showered praise on the 14 Hands Chardonnay, designating the domestic white beauty as a Best Buy and bestowing a very credible 89 rating on the wine.  This is a very balanced and nuanced white wine, showing hints of both lime and pear on the nose while showing spice on the finish, and generally giving one the impression of a much more expensive Chard.  It pairs beautifully with a light shrimp or crawfish dish, as well as baked chicken.  At this asking price, even before a quantity discount a clever wine sleuth can bring home a full case of the widely-available 2011 14 Hands Chardonnay for a touch under $150, indeed a bargain.   Chardonnay fans, what are you waiting for?