Fox Run Vineyards 2013 “Doyle Family Vineyard” Chardonnay

I don’t like a lot of domestic chardonnay, but I like this one a lot — and, at $12 a bottle, Fox Run Vineyards 2013 “Doyle Family Vineyard” Chardonnay ($12) could be the state’s best bang-for-the-buck rendition. I’d certainly reach for it over many bottles that cost up to twice as much from other parts of the state. It really over-delivers and is made in a style that suits the Finger Lakes well.

Pink grapefruit, tangerine and sweet floral notes dominate a nose that is fruity, but still somewhat lean and minerally.

Medium-light bodied, the palate shows similar flavors, with the addition of a peach skin quality and a hint of green melon. A delightful bit of mid-palate weight and creaminess is balanced and framed deftly by well-incorporated acidity that plays a strong supporting role without ever taking over. At nearly room temperature — which is when the wine showed best — there is an intriguing floral layer that emerges that clearly stems from the addition of 9% Traminette.

I don’t know that I’d think to add a dose of Traminette to an un-oaked chardonnay, but winemaker Peter Bell did, and with impressive results at an impossible-to-beat price.

Producer: Fox Run Vineyards
AVA: Finger Lakes
ABV: 12%
Price: $16*