Drink: A gorgeous Napa chardonnay

Where there is pinot noir, great chardonnay will follow.

That's true in Burgundy, the Continental homeland for the dynamic red-white duo.

And it's true on the West Coast, too.

Of course, California is best known for its fat and buttery chardonnays. But there's been a rising preference for the steely, mineral-laced, racy chards that food-lovers covet. And the best tend to come from cooler pinot zones like the Sonoma Coast and Oregon's Willamette Valley. Napa's Carneros, cooled by the sea breezes of the Petaluma Wind Gap, is also prime pinot territory.

So it's no surprise that Carneros star Etude makes an outstanding chardonnay, too. The 2010 vintage sidesteps the buttery richness completely to focus instead on the grapes' gorgeous fruit - citrus, melon and juicy pear - with an herbaceous finish that leaves you wanting more. Discounted $14 in Pennsylvania, this is a quality deal.

- Craig LaBan
 Etude Chardonnay Estate Carneros 2010, $17.99 (code 32744.)