Type of Wine: Medium-bodied white with moderate acidity and low tannins

Origin: Chardonnay is widely grown throughout the world but finds it historical home in the Burgundy region of France. It is a grape of noble distinction yet for some individuals is neither remarkable nor memorable. Maconnais, Chablis, and Pouilly Fuisse exemplify Chardonnay at its best. In these wines, almost no oak aging is used and the Chardonnay is vinified very dry with a hint of fruitiness with steely acidity. Alternatively, when oak is used judiciously it imparts a buttery, creamy vanilla flavor to Chardonnay. The best examples of this are wines from Cote de Beaune. Chardonnays from California are growing quickly in popularity worldwide.

Color: Chardonnay wines almost always tend towards light golden hues of yellow and over time will lose intensity.

Description: This thin-skinned grape produce wines with a nose that is low-key with hints of green apples, melons and hazelnuts. Tastes of butter, green apples, pears, and to a lesser extent, minerals on the palate are quite common.

Aging: No other white wine has such a strong affinity to oak aging than does Chardonnay. Short periods of aging in new oak barrels will add depth, flavor and complexity. An increasingly common form of vinification for Chardonnays is called barrel fermentation. This is when after each barrel of wine finishes the fermentation process, the barrels are topped and bunged up tight to continue aging. The wine is aged “sur lie” (meaning that the wine is not separated from the light sediment that the yeast forms – i.e., on the lees) which tends to add a creamy texture to the wine. Another approach is to create a second fermentation called “malolactic fermentation,’’ which converts tart malic acids to soft lactic acids and is said to add complexity as well as an enhanced buttery quality. Un-oaked Chardonnays are becoming difficult to find but are worth the effort given their own set of unique flavors.

Best Location: As with most varietals, warm days followed by cool nights build acidity and round fruit flavors.

Planting: The grapes were planted with a northern exposure. This aspect provides the benefit of a cool-down period from the summer heat. These cooler temperatures allow for the “grapes to rest” and not deplete the vines of their acids and flavor compounds through avoiding over-respiration.

Food Pairings: Chardonnay is a very versatile wine and can be consumed with a wide variety of meals ranging from white meat (chicken or turkey) to “red meat fish” like salmon and tuna.

See our general thoughts on food and wine pairings  

back