Mark Lipton wrote:
> A friend of mine recently honored me (I think) with the request that I
> choose the wines to be served at her wedding reception. She wants to
> have a sparkling wine, a Sauvignon Blanc, a Chardonnay and an Aussie
> Shiraz. The constraint is the $10/bottle budget for them and their
> availability in Indiana. So far, I've got the sparkler (Gruet Brut) and
> the SB (Monkey Bay) but I'm really not very knowledgable about lower end
> Chardonnays* and Shiraz. Can anyone point me to examples they've liked
> recently?
>
> TIA,
> Mark Lipton

Here's a couple of my favorite inexpensive Chard's...

West Slope, Edna Ranch, Edna Valley
http://www.mounteden.com/ourwines/westslope.html

This is the 2nd tier wine from Mt. Eden - about $12 retail.

Kali Hart, Talbott Vineyards, Monterrey County
http://www.talbottvineyards.com/

This is a nice clean Chard - lightly oaked (I thought it was stainless
when I tasted it).
About $10 retail.


I don't know anything about how widely they're distributed. Good luck!

-John