It's not everyday that someone will ante up $30+ bones for a bottle of wine, and when it does happen it's more likely to be for a red wine than a white wine. That said, the 2007 Grgich Hills Estate Chardonnay is a white wine worth the money, largely because it actually tastes like the label claims.
Too often when you read the winemaker's notes or the back label on many of today's Chardonnays, you'll often find descriptors like "buttery," "tropical fruit," "elegant finish," and "creamy" - unfortunately with many of the lower end Chards you will get perhaps a faint hint of the the "butter" or some fruit, but not the aromas and palate presence of fully ripened, well-presented Chardonnay fruit.
In some ways, a low end Chardonnay vs. a mid-range Chardonnay is similar to comparing a picture in one dimension and three dimension, you can tell it's the same picture, but the tangible experience is exponentially expanded by the 3-D aspect. Many consumers profess an unfailing love of Chardonnay, but have limited their tasting ventures to the $12 and under category, I would contend that to truly "know and love" Chardonnay you need to spend a bit more on occasion and see what Chardonnay can become in new oak and made with berries from smaller yields.
Back to the Grgich Hills Chardonnay, this wine raises the bar with its exceptional balance of acidity and overall palate performance. The fruit is ripe and round, with the juicy flavors of stone fruit and the ripe infusion of mango and pineapple on the palate. A solid bout of minerality keeps the fruit in line and the finish persistent. This particular wine would be perfect with seafood, a variety of appetizers, or poultry persuasions.
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