CHARDONNAY
Chardonnay is the world's most popular white wine grape, with over 300,000 acres planted, 100,000 in California alone. It’s homeland is the Burgundy region of France, where it produces sublime, complex table wines, but it also flourishes in California, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Argentina and South Africa.
Chardonnay might smell like apples, lemons, peaches or tropical fruits. Its delicacy is such that even a small percentage of another varietal blended into a Chardonnay will often completely dominate its aroma and flavor. Oak commonly takes over Chardonnay if the wine is fermented or aged in new barrels or for too long in seasoned ones.
In the Chablis region of France, it is the only grape permitted and it renders a "crisp, flinty" wine. In the Meursault appellation, chardonnay takes on a lush, ripe, "fleshy", "buttery" quality. Even in quality sparkling wines and French Champagne, it is the major varietal used. California Chardonnay is every bit as variable and possibly even more exciting because of the effusive varietal quality it develops there.
Grape Variety
Chardonnay
Use in Old World
Burgundy
Use in New World
Pervasive
Color
Almost always tends toward light golden hues.
Aroma
Tropical fruits, melons, mineral qualities, citrus and even green apple are all comon.
Body
Medium to Heavy
Wine Making Flavors
Heavy use of oak, but incorporates well into the wine.
Blended with
Rarely, but occasionally of late with Sémillon.
Other
Increasingly being planted in Italy where it only recently received official status.
Categories:
White Wine Grapes