Slowly Back Away From The Yellow Tail: Perfect Summer Chardonnays For Around $10

We sure do love wine. And while it's easy to spend a mint on some obscure bottle of deliciousness, it can be tough to sift through the copious amounts of cheap stuff at the grocery store and find a winner. Austinist knows you like to drink, and we also know you'd like a bargain. We're going to let you in on some perfect choices for a $10 bottle of Chardonnay that will make you a hero at your next dinner party or BBQ.

There are literally hundreds of California chardonnays available in Texas, but the three below have an excellent quality-price ratio, are easy to appreciate for wine novices, and (best of all) are available all over the city. Away we go:

- J. Lohr Riverstone Chardonnay ($11) - J. Lohr produces lots of $30-50 bottles of wine, but tries to produce the best wines for the price even in their bargain range. This huge chard is no exception: it has loads of citrus fruit and the oaky, buttery style that many folks love. It has a nicely balanced acid on the finish, and will go great with any fish or chicken dish you are concocting for the grill this weekend. A steal for the price.

- Estancia Monterey Chardonnay ($9) - This wine differs from the J. Lohr in that it's not a buttery wine, but instead is a softer and more subtle affair. It has a creamy, vanilla-apple flavor that hangs around for a while and provides a lot of enjoyment at a low, low price. We love it because it's atypical for California chards, but in a 'pleasant surprise' sort of way.

- Clos Du Bois Sonoma Chardonnay ($10) - The wine you are most likely to find at your parents' BBQ, and for good reason. Clos Du Bois does oaky, creamy Chard that just screams "Sonoma" at high volumes. This isn't complex, but it's delicious, with toast, oak, and heavy pear and apple flavors that would probably go just fine with burgers or even a steak. Nobody will complain about this one, trust us.

To purchase these wines, we suggest H-E-B, World Market, or any Twin Liquors location; all of them are likely to have all three in stock at a fair price. What are you drinking this summer, Austinists? Let us know your favorite summer wines in the comments section.

Image via Cooking.com.