Chardonnay is one of the most popular white grapes in the world. A lot of people dismiss the grape as producing wines that are over oaked, too buttery, or boring, yet it remains one of the most planted grapes in California and is grown throughout the world. The truth is, when done right, it can achieve a greatness that few varietals can reach. The trick is finding those wines worth drinking in the mass of wines on the store shelves. Of course, the first step is determining what one likes. Different people have different preferences. In addition, the circumstances matter. Is the wine intended for a dinner or to be drunk on the back patio as a cocktail? Or perhaps, is it to be cellared for a decade in the hopes that patience will be rewarded. Even the buttery, oaky styles of Chardonnay can be delicious under the right circumstances. With summer in full tilt, here is a list of some of my favorite Chardonnays over the last year or so.

With its tangled web of regulations tethering wine producers to "traditional" sales and marketing practices, wine is an industry seemingly ripe for disruption. Naked Wines, which connects the consumer and the winemaker via crowdfunding, may well be the disruptive force that (finally) shakes up the wine industry by giving consumers access to the artisan winemakers not typically found on the shelves of the local wine store or grocer, which are often dominated by wine conglomerates. I caught up with Naked Wines COO Benoit Vialle to discuss their unique business model.

The celebration for the Fourth of July is one of two holidays in which I advocate limiting ones wine choices to wines of the USA (Thanksgiving being the other). It’s a time to celebrate America. Perhaps that is a bit jingoistic, but there it is. And, in keeping with the spirit of the holiday, the wines consumed should offer fireworks! Sometimes that means spending a bit more on the wine, but it’s a time with friends and family and spending a bit more is worth it. With that in mind, here are ten wines that are on my list for this year’s celebrations (it is after all a three day weekend). All of these wines will work on their own, with food hot off the grill or watching fireworks.

With the start of summer, there is a desire for red wines that are not heavy, but refreshing and work with BBQ and other summer foods. At the same time, summer often means parties and larger gatherings, so wines need to be affordable when buying in quantity. Here is a list of some wines that fit...

Wine tasting is not merely the act of drinking wine, it is the total experience and that includes the physical space you are standing in when sampling Sauvignon Blanc or pondering Petit Verdot. Most wine tasting rooms seem like afterthought - a utilitarian, banal footnote to the wine itself. So...

The long winter has ended; summer is coming. For your drinking pleasure, here are my top ten Rosés to drink this summer. I know, I know. For the last decade it seems everyone touts rosés as the next big thing, but no one really drinks them. They look too much like that sweet white Zinfandel. I get that, but the best of the roses are delicious wines that work by themselves or with food. I am not putting down any vintages. My advice is to buy them from the prior year, maybe two years old, but, never buy anything older than that (with only a few exceptions).

The spring holidays are coming. Easter, Passover and the big one: Opening Day. These are all great occasions to open a nice bottle of wine with friends and family. Easter often features Brunch. What could be more classic than a Mimosa cocktail? The easiest way to make them, is to pour some sparkling wine into a glass and top it with an equal part (or maybe a bit more) or orange juice. Certainly, the better quality ingredients the better drink experience. A Mimosa with vintage Champagne and fresh squeezed orange juice is likely to be delicious. Most of us cannot really afford the time or money for that. Still, it’s a good idea to use good quality sparkling wine. Here are five that won’t break the bank.

The Wine List is a monthly feature by IntoWine contributor Loren Sonkin where he provides a list of seasonal wine recommendations designed to ensure your wine cabinet is sufficiently stocked with fantastic and unique wines. They tell me that Spring begins on March 21st. After this brutal winter, it can’t come soon enough. Of course, some of you live in warmer parts, but that still begs the question, what wines should I be buying now? Here are some suggestions. Spring brings a plethora of early vegetables, and my favorite among them is asparagus. This is traditionally a tough food to match with wine. Asparagus contains a chemical called methyl mercaptan which can make wine taste green or vegetal. First, a lot of times it depends on the preparation. Sauces will impact how well the wine matches the food, but if you like your asparagus, fresh and simple, perhaps steamed or roasted, don’t give up. I tend to choose a crisp, slightly green white wine such as Gruner Veltliner or, perhaps, an Albarino. Traditionally, these come from Austria and northwest Spain, respectively, but there are new world versions that are great as well.

IntoWine recently caught up with the Coravin System's founder, Greg Lambrecht, to discuss what the Coravin can do for you and to get the latest on this wine drinking invention and what affect it will have on the wine industry. What is the inspiration behind the Coravin System? As a medical device inventor with a passion for wine and innovative technology, I came up with the idea of the Coravin out of necessity. My wife Lee became pregnant with our second child and stopped drinking wine with me. I wanted a great glass of wine with dinner, but didn't want to commit to the whole bottle.

California Cabernets are some of the best wines in the world. Unfortunately, the pricing on many of them has gotten quite exorbitant. There are a plethora of great wines for $100 or more. Even at the $75 mark, there is no shortage of outstanding wines. So, for purposes of this list, these are my favorite five California Cabernets priced at under $25 per bottle. In addition, I only chose wines that are very consistent from vintage to vintage. Finally, I have avoided rare and hard to find wines for this list.