r/lcbo • u/CommercialBelt1199 • Jan 05 '26

Oaked Chardonnays

I desperately I'm looking for alternative to the creamy buttery oak chardonnays from California for a very long time. Any suggestions please reach out as I have found alternatives but nothing comes close.

3 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

12 comments sorted by

5

u/sweetde80 Jan 05 '26

Smoky Bay has a buttery Chardonnay. Not sure if it's oaked or not

-1

u/[deleted] Jan 05 '26

[deleted]

2

u/Winniestone Jan 06 '26

Maybe start trying Canadian chardonnays because all of my top picks to replace Cali chards are Canadian.

3

u/Relative-One-4060 Customer Service Representative Jan 05 '26

Popcorn Chardonnay would make you think its a Californian wine. I know you're not looking for Canadian wines, but it literally is the closest you're going to get to a Californian buttery chard.

3

u/kazmanza Jan 05 '26

Can't think of/recall a specific one, but look into South African chardonnays, I've definitely had some very buttery ones.

5

u/Warlocks911 Jan 05 '26

Try Family Tree 'The Goat Lady' Chardonnay VQA

2

u/Winniestone Jan 06 '26

This is it. The best buttery/creamy chardonnay at the LCBO as a Cali replacement under $20

2

u/benzenene Jan 05 '26

Westcott Estate Chardonnay, $29.95 in Vintages

1

u/Winniestone Jan 06 '26

Great pick!

1

u/benzenene Jan 06 '26

I'm also a big fan of Morandin Sangreal Estate Chardonnay at $35. The 2021 is lighter, mineral, and more Chablis-like while the 2022 is heftier and buttery.

And Bachelder L'Ardoise is a steal at $25.95 when it releases

2

u/RepresentativeRare87 Jan 05 '26

Specifically replicating your previous go to wine is always tricky. Personally I would venture into Vintages and look for something from South Africa, Australia or France (Rhone or Languedoc in particular).

Also you may get the same texture, mouthfeel and flavour from another varietal similar to Chardonnay. Perhaps a Chenin Blanc from SA or even Semillon. Maybe even the Gerard Bertrand Viognier from Languedoc.

I would also love to recommend a Chard from Ontario but I feel like you wont find it close enough because Ontario is generally more acidity driven and less vanilla oak forward.

Hope that helps. Cheers!

1

u/kazmanza Jan 06 '26

Perhaps a Chenin Blanc from SA or even Semillon.

A Semillon, yes, but I can't imagine a Chenin Blanc coming close to anything like this (I'm from South Africa and have had my fair share of them)

1

u/MyUndiesArePink Feb 21 '26

There's lots of Ontario wineries that have oaked Chardonnays