Chardonnay

Overview

Chardonnay is arguably the world’s most well-known white grape variety. In the vineyard it is early budding, early ripening, and generally best suited to soils dominated by limestone. Chardonnay is a non-aromatic grape variety and varies in expression depending on where it is grown and how it was made. It can be mineral, subtle, lean, and bone-dry, over nutty, creamy, and intense, and finally onto full-bodied and into the more tropical, opulent and richly textured styles.

Chardonnay has an affinity with many white winemaking techniques, including malolactic fermentation which adds a buttery nutty note and creamy acidity, lees ageing which gives a yeasty oatmeal richness to the mid palate, and finally varying degrees of newness and sizes of oak barrels used for fermentation and /or ageing – contributing varying levels of oak spice aromatics, and structure, but also breadth of palate.

Typical Blends and Winemaking 

In the fine wine category, Chardonnay is always unblended.

• Chardonnay (100%)

Chardonnay is undoubtedly most famous for its home in Burgundy, and the variety of styles produced here from the steely and austere Chablis to nutty and richly textured Cote de Beaune – these are some of the finest, most in demand, white wines in the world. In Italy, Chardonnay is the basis of a small selection of velvety and concentrated fine white wines.

California is famous for a variety of Chardonnay styles depending on climate – from the opulent and tropical expressions in Napa and some parts of Sonoma, to the more chiselled and citrus fresh yet nutty styles from the Central Coast, Monterey, and the most coastal parts of Sonoma. In South America, Chile produces lean, mineral, and refreshing styles of Chardonnay from cool climates in for example Casablanca Valley, whereas Australia and New Zealand’s expression have a fuller mid palate, although are also made in refreshing often matchstick scented and toasty expressions.

Typical aromas and flavours

Apple, blossom, citrus, tropical fruit, melon.

Food matching

In terms of food pairings for Chardonnay, white fish and shellfish tends to work really well, especially, with the more lean, chiselled and mineral styles, produced in cooler climates, including but not limited to, when served with classic mayonnaise-based sauces or sauce hollandaise. Whereas, rich buttery dishes, namely white fish, and chicken, but also meaty shellfish like lobster and scallops, tends to go extremely well with the butter scented and smoothly textured wines from Cote de Beaune – but also to an extent including the riper styles from warmer climates.

Creamy soups, like potato and cauliflower, and creamy risottos or pasta dishes also tend to be great accompaniments, as are mild and creamy cheeses, like goats’ cheese, young brie, and a young Langres. Chardonnay is also a delicious option to enjoy on its own as aperitif.