Mount Eden Vineyards Estate Chardonnay is consistently one of the finest from California. But this one from the winery’s Saratoga line ― designed to showcase the Santa Cruz Mountain terroir ― is a real find at this price. The fruit is right there in the first sip. Light on the oak, the 2007 Saratoga Chardonnay carries a gentle lilt of citrus and a touch of anise. Like its big brother, it is Burgundian in style, grace in a glass.

● Region: Santa Cruz Mountains

● Price: About $23 to $28

● Style: Lean and focused

● What it goes with: Copper River salmon, lobster and crab.

By S. Irene Virbila, Los Angeles Times

(McClatchy-Tribune Information Services)