Perspective | A good, inexpensive chardonnay is hard to find. This one is just $15. The NY Journals

Some readers were confused recently when I compared two wines of the three I was recommending that week, so let’s stick with a triptych here: Three chardonnays from three very diverse regions, at different prices and made in different styles. The first is an affordable kosher wine from Chile that hits the right notes for the grape variety. The Arroyo Seco zone of California’s Monterey County gives us a lush, mouth-filling wine that conjures thoughts of peak-season stone fruit. And from Maryland comes a lean, focused chardonnay in a strikingly different style. These are all delicious and varied expressions of this popular white wine.

Lion & Dove Chardonnay 2023

(2 stars)

Valle Central, Chile, $15

Soft and round, with flavors of peach and a hint of sweetness on the finish, this is basic, good chardonnay. Lion & Dove has been a consistent brand, delivering quality at an affordable price. Kosher for Passover, Mevushal. Vegan. Alcohol by volume: 13 percent. Bottle weight: 440 grams (Light).

Imported and distributed locally by DMV Distributing.

Two Squared Chardonnay Arroyo Seco 2022

(3 stars)

Monterey County, Calif., $27

Looking forward to summer farmstand fruit? Mouthfilling flavors of ripe, sweet peach and apricot cascade across your palate with this chardonnay, an orchard in a glass. There’s not much oak influence, as the wine was fermented and aged primarily in stainless steel, with about 10 percent seeing older barrels. This technique emphasizes the fruitiness of the wine. ABV: 14 percent. BW: 515 grams (Average).

Distributed locally by RNDC and Select Wines.

The Vineyards at Dodon Chardonnay 2020

(3 stars)

Anne Arundel County, Md., $34

This chardonnay is not as ripe as the first two, so it tastes drier, with flavors leaning toward crisp fruit such as apple and quince. The striking difference is its texture — rather than blanketing your palate with richness, this wine is a laser of acidity, leaving behind a hint of toasty smoke from the oak that holds the wine in focus. ABV: 12.3 percent. BW: 510 grams (Average).

Available at the winery and select restaurants and stores listed on the winery website.

Prices are approximate. For availability, check Wine.com, Wine-searcher.com and the websites and social media feeds of the wineries, importers, distributors, and your favorite local wine store. You can also ask your local retailer to order wines from the distributors listed. Bottle weight is included, because this is the single most important contributor to wine’s carbon footprint.

Have wine questions for Dave McIntyre? Send them to Food@washpost.com.

★ Good: The wine delivers what it promises at a fair price. If it says chardonnay, it tastes like chardonnay.

★★ Excellent: A wine with character and added interest. May elevate your eyebrows at the first sip.

★★★ Extraordinary: An exciting wine that stands out from others in its class. Fist-pumping, table-thumping good.

★★★★ Sublime: Otherworldly. May have you thinking, “So this is what they were talking about.”

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