($10): This Chardonnay is about as good as it gets for the price. McManis Family Vineyards has been — and continues to be — a leader in well made inexpensive wines.  River Junction, essentially McManis Family’s personal AVA since they are the only commercial winery there, is located west of Modesto at the junction of the San Joaquin and Stanislaus Rivers and is cooler than the rest of the Central Valley.  Their Chardonnay conveys abundant fruit flavors, but is not heavy overdone or aggressive.  A “friendly” wine, you could easily have a glass before dinner, but it has sufficient body and acidity to hold up to a roast chicken.
87 Michael Apstein Aug 12, 2014