Pascual Toso, Mendoza (Argentina) Chardonnay 2020

 On an absolute scale, this is not a 90-point wine.  But — and I can hear my editor smoldering — it gets extra points for value.  It is fruity, but not too.  There’s a splash, not a tsunami, of oak.  Neither vapid nor powerful, it weighs in at a modest, especially for these days, 12.5 percent stated alcohol.  Adequate acidity allows it to cut through food, so it’s fine on the table, but does not preclude its use as an aperitif.  Its price makes it perfect for a large group this summer.