I write about wine for my job and have been to 77 wine regions around the world. Some of my favorite regions are Breede River Valley, Napa Valley, Tuscany, and McLaren Vale.

Love Chardonnay but not the movie-theater-buttered-popcorn kind? Look to these four world-class wine regions for the balanced, terroir-driven Chard of your dreams.

A 2022 Ciro Picariello from the Avellino region of Campania did the trick. I can’t think of the last white wine I had that tasted so thoroughly of almonds.