We taste-tested 396 glasses of chardonnay--all for you. So the next time you’re buying white wine, you don’t have to wing it. Chardonnay is the best-selling type of wine in the U.S. and, thanks to a shift away from the heavy oak-flavored style, it’s becoming easier to find a great chard that complements rather than overwhelms a meal. But before you start imagining a lab full of drunken technicians, you should know that we worked with two top wine experts in the business. They sniffed and sipped to see how each bottle stacked up against recognized criteria of excellence for chardonnay. Chards can have aromas of tree fruit, such as apples and pears; citrus fruit or tropical fruit; plus woody, vanilla, or buttery notes. The bottles below are grouped by wine style and price. Plus, check out our tips for picking the perfect wine for dinner.

Alamos The wines of Catena Mendoza--Argentina 2004, $10	Edna Valley Paragon San Luis Obispo 2004, $14
Beringer Napa Valley 2004, $16	Kendall-Jackson Grand Reserve Monterey-Santa Barbara 2004, $20

Fresh and fruity Goes well with Thai, Indian, and Indonesian cuisine; pizza; chicken wings; and other lightly fried foods.	Woody and buttery Goes well with Texas barbecue and picnic foods like chicken salad and grilled vegetables.	Fruity and woody Goes well with fish, barbecue, or even macaroni and cheese.
Stone Cellars by Beringer California 2004, $8	Columbia Crest Grand Estates Columbia Valley 2003, $11	Geyser Peak Alexander Valley 2004, $14

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