Just did a day trip to the Russian River Valley and picked up some great wines...
As far as whites, I tasted a really nice Chardonnay by Rochioli, it was $33 and the only reason I didn't get it is because I'm more of a red wine guy
. As far as others Kendall Jackson has a good Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay.
My new favorite red wine is a 2000 Gary Farell Dry Creek Valley Maple Vineyards Zinfandel. I think Gary Farell might only be available by mailing list or on-site sales, but if you can find it, I highly recommend it. It's a bit expensive though ($30). They also make a fantastic mix they call Encounter. I forget what exactly was in it, but it was $60 and I was tempted to get it despite the price.
Another favorite is Martinelli (not to be confused with Martinelli's sparkling cider) 2001 Guiseppe and Luisa Zinfandel ($36). And on the budget side, Cline makes a nice Zin around $10.
