Like sauvignon blanc, Chile has made a name for its high-street chardonnays. Most are fruity and dependable, yet the downside of this is that they might be a little predictable and homogenous in style. Nevertheless, plenty of Chilean chardonnays are rich, full, buttery, and generous, underlining ripeness adorned with toasty oak and moderate acidity. Chile’s top chardonnays give out engaging mineral and limy fruit characters, some linear and textured austerity with tangy acidity – something that might remind you of Chablis. With the two opposite ends of the country’s wine regions exploiting new terroirs over the last couple of years, Chile’s chardonnay wonderland is just beginning to open up.

Read more: TOP 100 WINES OF CHILE 2020

In the southern regions, the cool and wetter climate from Itata to Malleco Valley gives the vines a longer growing season and brings more stone fruit and green citrus characters to chardonnays. The wines often have a more composed feel, with more zest and elegance underpinned by refreshing acidity. Many are starting to show the potential of the climate and terroir. Pandolfi Price was one of the producers who stood out this year with its Larkün and Los Patricios chardonnays. This is the same with its outstanding pinot noirs from Itata. Francisco Baettig, the winemaker of Errazuriz, also started to make some fascinating chardonnays (and pinot noirs) in Traiguén, in the deep south in Chile’s wine atlas, where he brings a Burgundy sensibility to this rich yet fine Chilean chardonnay.

On the other end of Chile, in the arid and dry Limarí (where vineyards are close to the coast and climate is moderated by the maritime influence and summer morning fogs), chardonnay intrigues with their subtle, mineral complexity and texture. The precious limestone clay soils have helped this area become the new hub for Chile’s most tangy chardonnays and spicy but delicate pinot noirs. The top chardonnays effuse subtle complexities in a bright yet more mineral way, binding a sunny generosity with flavors and weight to create a taut texture. Many wines from Limarí’s most revered Quebrada Seca area (where the limestone soil is most prominent) have a delicious zest with a chalky and saline character. Producers like Concha Y Toro (whose great recent release of 2018 Amelia chardonnay received 94 points), Tabali, Maycas de Limarí, and Undurraga have some exciting bottlings from here.

Today, Casablanca and San Antonio Valley are still the strongholds for chardonnay, pinot noir and syrah. And they continue to show the whole world how Chile has triumphed in more delicate grape varieties. While Chile is on its way to mastering chardonnay after its syrah and pinot noir renaissance, value, diversity and consistency are still the merits of the vast majority of Chilean wines.

Below we’ve selected seven bottles of Chilean chardonnay retailing around $15. The country today now deserves serious consideration if chardonnay is on your Christmas wine list.

– Zekun Shuai, associate editor in Beijing