In a fine restaurant somewhere in Hawai'i, a well-dressed woman tells the waiter, "I would love a glass of Chablis." The server responds with, "I'm sorry, we don't offer Chablis by the glass but we do have a wonderful unoaked California chardonnay that might be a perfect substitute."

Response: "Oh ... I absolutely hate chardonnay."

It seems our knee-jerk reaction to chardonnay has become so swift, we hate it even when we order it (just so we are all on the same page, the grape used in Chablis, France, is chardonnay, but more on that later). It is a shame that chardonnay, our most successful venture in California, has become faux pas among wine cognoscenti and wannabes alike.

And it is all my fault.

I followed the same path as most wine professionals. I began drinking the stuff, moved on to more esoteric grape varieties and then began soap-boxing against California chardonnay in my restaurants at every opportunity. I would have preferred force-feeding my guests bottles of obscure Italian greco di tufo than to — gasp! — allow them to knock back another glass of boring old Cali chard.

I was wrong. Chardonnay is our national wine treasure. When one is sitting in a villa in northern Italy, the wine that must be ordered is prosecco. When dining in Bordeaux, it would be a shame not to have a bottle of Third Growth on the table. In Spain, Rioja is the thing. Therefore, it is completely reasonable that chardonnay should be the beverage of choice in domestic wine rooms.

I have returned to my homeland armed with the knowledge that chardonnay has never been better. Even moderately-priced producers are using new and expensive oak barrels, complete with their requisite toasty vanilla aromas and silky-creamy textures. California winemakers have begun to utilize years of experience with this grape and are producing greater expressions of fruit and terroir.

Even the cuisine of Hawai'i is suited to this type of wine, despite many snobby comments to the contrary. For the quintessential proof, one need only taste macadamia-crusted mahimahi in citrus beurre blanc with a glass of Santa Barbara chardonnay. California chardonnay is good, and with the possible exception of cabernet sauvignon, it is the best thing we do in our own backyards.

For those who have become disenfranchised by the high level of oak employed in California examples, the chardonnays of France offer the opportunity to return to this noble grape. The overwhelming majority have little oak influence, translating to a more crisp, citrus flavor with a hint of minerality. This flavor profile — when teamed up with zesty acidity — creates a very food-friendly glass of wine. Look to Chablis for the most clean example and move on to Burgundy when you have the money. Great Burgundy has the ability to change many things, especially opinions.

Outside of France and the U.S., chardonnay has performed well in a handful of other regions. Most notably, Australia, New Zealand and Chile have contributed excellent examples of New World-style chardonnay. Possessing the voluptuous body and fruit-forward character of their California cousins with a touch less oak, the Southern Hemisphere is a great adventure across all price levels for this grape. For the true explorer, a few established houses in Tuscany, Italy, have experimented with the most famous of white grapes. The result is a unique combination of earthy funk and bright, round fruit.

The time has come to resurrect chardonnay on your dining room table, especially the California version. This holds true even if you are in your South African chenin blanc phase.

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