I spotlighted a red wine from Heron several weeks ago in this column, then had the chance to taste their chardonnay with a friend recently. As is the case with the merlot, the chardonnay displays quality, balance and finesse well beyond its price tag. A selection of fruit from three prominent California chardonnay regions is matched with a thoughtful barreling program that creates a stellar glass of wine. As I wrote some weeks ago, Heron has long been in my peripheral vision as a small cult wine favored by folks who work in the restaurant business.

Run by its namesake female winemaker, Heron's first offerings in 1994 were from France, with a quick broadening to California varietals. The domestic labels are small production with a focus on balance and value. A Heron label sourced in Spain is due to hit the shelves this year. I, for one, will be working my way through each label in their line this spring because of the outstanding quality-to-price ratio I have seen on the two products I have sampled recently.

The sunny yellow color is a fitting match to the lemon-infused aroma that dominates the nose; if the nose could be transformed visually into a fruit bowl, it would have two pears, a peach, an apricot and three or four lemons in it. These scents morph into flavors on your tongue, with the other fruits catching up and running shoulder to shoulder with the citrus impression. A toasty oaken vanilla spice intertwines masterfully with the fruit and mature acid. Fifty percent of the juice was fermented in new and one-year-old French oak-an expensive proposition for an $11-a-bottle offering. The finish is refreshingly lean yet long. I'd be happy to pay $17 or $18 a bottle for this Chardonnay.

Craig Pierce is club house manager of Baker Hill Golf Club. He can be reached at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it