Wine of the week: Domaine de Bernier Chardonnay 2020

This $10 French chardonnay is a revelation – even for those of us who have all but given up cheap chardonnay

The Wine Curmudgeon has all but given up on chardonnay that costs less than $15 a bottle. It’s either sweet or crammed full of fake oak or undergone the buttered popcorn treatment – or, shudder, features some combination of all three.

So know that the Domaine de Bernier chardonnay is a revelation, a stunning French wine that is a reminder of what cheap wine should be – professional, varietally correct, and devoid of focus group shenanigans.

That means the Domaine de Bernier Chardonnay 2020 ($10, purchased, 12%) combines the best the best qualities of French chardonnay (round and full and green apple and pear fruit) at an unbelievable price. It’s not even especially simple, which is usually about the best we can hope for in this kind of wine these days. There’s a fair amount of subtlety going on, if I can mix my adjectives, and the finish is especially long and crisp.

So how is this wine this cheap? The grapes come from the Loire, hardly known for chardonnay, which helps keep the price down. In addition, the producer and importer understand pricing in a way too many others don’t. Price it right, sell it out, and enjoy the results.

Highly recommended, and almost certain to show up in the 2023 Hall of Fame and to make the shortlist for the 2023 Cheap Wine of the Year.

Imported by Vineyard Brands