California Chardonnay chronicled its first major milestone in 1976, when a Napa chard won first place at The Judgment of Paris, a premier international blind tasting competition. But today the winner could be Jarvis Estate Chardonnay 2012. Its Vaca Mountains vineyards have the perfect combination of warm days and cool nights—prime conditions for crafting cult Chardonnay. And Jarvis’ house style combines the finesse of French barrel aging with the elegance of honeydew melon and white peach. It’s creamy in texture and woven with silky smooth precision. One might say Jarvis is “handcrafted from vine to wine” because all of the estate’s grapes are grown right there in their own vineyards and carefully delivered directly down to the underground winery. So winemaker Ted Henry doesn’t need GPS to truck his grapes. In Baton Rouge, Jarvis Estate Chardonnay is available BTG at French Market Bistro, where it pairs perfectly with the nightly fresh fish feature.Or pick up a bottle at Alexander’s Market for about $60—it really is that good. Sometimes hot summer nights scream for cool whites.