Foxglove Chardonnay

Foxglove Chardonnay is a 100% unoaked, stainless-steel-fermented Chardonnay from California's Central Coast at 13.8% ABV in a 750ml bottle. Awarded 91 points by Decanter Magazine and named among the New York Times' best wines under $20, this bottling has earned a reputation for punching well above its price tier with razor-sharp acidity and pristine fruit character.

Quick Facts: ABV: 13.8%  |  Origin: Central Coast, California  |  Style: Unoaked Chardonnay  |  Producer: Varner Wine (Winemaker Bob Varner)

Production & Heritage

Foxglove is the value label from Varner Wine, helmed by winemaker Bob Varner in California. The fruit is sourced primarily from Santa Barbara County (97%) with a small portion (3%) from Paso Robles, both within the broader Central Coast AVA. What makes this Chardonnay unusual in its category is a deliberately non-interventionist winemaking approach: the juice is fermented in stainless steel tanks at a cool 14.5°C over three weeks using Lallemand D-254 yeast — a Burgundy isolate chosen for its ability to preserve aromatic complexity. Crucially, the wine undergoes no malolactic fermentation and sees zero oak contact, allowing the natural acidity and varietal expression of the fruit to remain completely unmasked.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with yuzu and fresh citrus zest before giving way to greengage plum and ripe pineapple. Subtle white floral notes emerge with time in the glass, adding a delicate perfumed layer.

Taste: The entry is juicy and bright, led by crisp green apple and tangerine. At mid-palate, yellow stone fruit and caramelized pineapple fill out the body, which feels surprisingly rich and slightly oily despite the absence of oak. A mineral backbone runs through every sip, keeping the fruit flavors focused and precise.

Finish: The finish is surprisingly long for an unoaked white, with lingering notes of Meyer lemon, light grassiness, and a flinty mineral edge. It closes clean and thirst-quenching, inviting another glass immediately.

How to Drink Foxglove Chardonnay

Serve well chilled at around 8–10°C. This Chardonnay rewards straightforward drinking — pour it into a standard white wine glass and let the aromatics develop for a few minutes. Its bright acidity and lean structure also make it a strong cocktail and spritz component. A White Wine Spritzer highlights its citrus-forward personality without overwhelming the fruit. A Hugo Spritz variation (substituting this for Prosecco) gains depth from the wine's stone-fruit richness. And a Kir made with crème de cassis plays beautifully off the icy minerality and tangerine notes.

Best For

• Weeknight dinners where you want a serious wine without a serious price tag
• Warm-weather entertaining — patio pours, barbecues, and seafood spreads
• Introducing someone who "doesn't like Chardonnay" to unoaked styles
• Building a case of versatile, food-friendly house whites

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Foxglove Chardonnay taste like? Foxglove Chardonnay delivers bright citrus, green apple, and tropical pineapple flavors with a mineral backbone, finishing clean and refreshing. There is no oak or butter character — the profile is lean, pure, and fruit-driven.

How does Foxglove Chardonnay compare to Mâconnais white Burgundy? Both share a commitment to expressing Chardonnay through a mineral-driven, unoaked lens, and reviewers have noted that Foxglove competes with Mâconnais bottlings at twice its price. The key difference is terroir: Foxglove shows more overt tropical fruit from its Central Coast origins, while Mâconnais wines typically lean toward citrus and chalky minerality from Burgundian limestone soils.

Is Foxglove Chardonnay good for people who dislike oaky Chardonnay? Absolutely — this is one of the best entry points for anyone who avoids Chardonnay because of heavy oak, butter, or vanilla flavors. The entirely stainless-steel production means the wine tastes of pure fruit and mineral, with no wood influence at all.

Where is Foxglove Chardonnay made? Foxglove Chardonnay is produced by Varner Wine in California's Central Coast AVA, with fruit sourced from Santa Barbara County (97%) and Paso Robles (3%).

What foods pair well with Foxglove Chardonnay? Grilled shrimp or prawns benefit from the wine's citrus acidity cutting through the char. Raw oysters echo the flinty mineral character. A ceviche or poke bowl mirrors the bright tropical notes. Chicken salad with green apple plays directly into the fruit profile. And soft goat cheese provides a creamy counterpoint to the wine's lean, zesty frame.

What sizes does Foxglove Chardonnay come in? Foxglove Chardonnay is available in the standard 750ml bottle format.

Is Foxglove Chardonnay worth the price? Foxglove positions as a value-tier Chardonnay that consistently over-delivers — earning 91 points from Decanter and 90 points from Vinous, scores rarely seen at this price level. It represents one of the strongest quality-to-value ratios in unoaked California Chardonnay.

Why Foxglove Chardonnay?

In a market flooded with heavily oaked, butter-soaked California Chardonnays, Foxglove stands as a deliberate counterpoint. The decision to skip both malolactic fermentation and oak aging is not about cutting costs — it is a stylistic commitment to varietal transparency, executed with a Burgundy-origin yeast strain that adds aromatic nuance without masking the fruit. The result has earned critical recognition from Decanter (91 points) and the New York Times, placing Foxglove alongside wines that cost considerably more. For anyone seeking a Chardonnay defined by precision rather than power, this Central Coast bottling makes a compelling case.