Wine Grapes 101: CHARDONNAY

Hi everybody, this is Agnes from No Sediment and today we're going to talk about probably the greatest and most known white grape variety, Chardonnay. I have noticed that some wine lovers have love-hate relationship with Chardonnay. I have heard people proudly stating that they will drink anything but Chardonnay, while others declaring their love towards this grape variety. But because it is so versatile, I think it is impossible for one person to hate every single Chardonnay wine out there, and the opposite, to love them all. I consider Chardonnay a non-aromatic grape variety, meaning, unlike Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Sauvignon Blanc, you really need to dig your nose in the glass to get to know it. Depending on where the wine is from, Chardonnay to me usually shows range of white, fleshy fruit. It can be crunchy and unripe apple, pear, it can be more exotic melon or even pineapple, it can be juicy apricot and yellow plum. Chardonnay can also express different white florals, citrus fruits and chalky, crushed oyster shell minerality. I often describe Chardonnay as a white canvas, because more than any other grape variety that I know, it allows winemaker to paint. It greatly expresses in the glass any winemaking technique used. With malolactic fermentation, you might feel creamier palate, rounder acidity and oftentimes crème fraîche and buttery characters. With aging on the lees and possible lees steering or bâtonnage, wine might become increasingly rich and full-bodied, with occasional expressive, almost sweet, butter nose. Likewise, Chardonnay fermented or aged in small oak barrels will show notes of toast, vanilla and sweet spices. Chardonnay is responsible for wide range of styles. It can be lean, acidity-driven, refreshing white wine with quite neutral nose and it can be full-bodied, oak-aged, rich and opulent white wine with expressive tropical fruit flavors. It can also be anything in between. Even though Chardonnay is not as closely associated with residual sugar in its wines as for example Riesling, it can still be made in semi-sweet and sweet styles. And contrary to some arguments, these can be quite lovely wines. I have tasted Trockenbeerenhausle as a Chardonnay from Kracher, wine producer in Austria, and it was amazing. Acidity in Chardonnay wines is usually elevated and refreshing. However, it is never the defining part of the wine. Alcohol really depends on where the grape is grown and when it is harvested. It can vary from 12 to 14.5 and even 15%. Chardonnay can, and to be honest, is grown in every single winemaking region. Probably it is because it's not that fussy and it's quite easy to grow. Because it is cultivated so widely, I guess it's only natural that not all wines are grown on the best-suited soils and perfect climate. Therefore, we can find complex, memorable and age-worthy Chardonnay wines, but we can also find plain, boring and overall unimpressive ones. The greatest examples, as believed by many, come from Burgundy, both from Chablis area and Cote d'Or, with names such as Mon Rocher and Merceau that brings way too much saliva to our palates than we care to admit. The greatest examples will usually be fermented and or aged in oak barrels, with lively yet well-integrated acidity and defining minerality. Chardonnay is also widely grown in Italy. Depending on where it is grown specifically and the choices of winemaker, it can be mineral, fresh and bright, but it can also be rich, round and voluptuous, with notes of oak aging. In my opinion, truly great examples can also be found in Australia and New Zealand. Margaret River, Adelaide Hills, Tasmania and Marlborough Wally and Hawkes Bay all offer great Chardonnay wines. If only they were more available in my market. Likewise, cooler climates from Argentina and Chile can offer amazing, juicy, fresh-fruit-driven Chardonnay wines, often for a great bargain. In United States, Chardonnay plays a very important part, especially in states of California and Oregon. Wines from California, especially Napa and Sonoma, will usually be oak-fermented and aged, with fuller body and richer palate. Riper and even cooked white fruits can often be found, with hints of almonds and sweet spices influenced by the oak. Chardonnay from Oregon tends to be more linear, slimmer than that of California, with fresh yellow fruit flavors and shyer expression of oak. Because of the Chardonnay's elevated acidity and non-aromatic character, it is very well suited for production of sparkling wines, especially those made by the traditional method with second fermentation in the bottle. Chardonnay is usually one of the base grapes for Champagnes, and amazing examples are made from 100% Chardonnay only. It has proven to be very successful in sparkling wine production in other winemaking regions as well. We see it in the greatest wines of England, California, Tasmania, and in blends of Cap Classique and South Africa, and we can also find it in Italy, in regions such as Franciacorta. Given the fact that Chardonnay can be made into a wide range of styles, one can easily have a 9-course meal accompanied only by Chardonnay wines. As a lively, fresh sparkling wine, it can be served as an aperitif or served together with fresh seafood only slightly drizzled with lemon juice. It can also be perfect for, in any imaginable way, cooked salmon, lobster, and chicken. It can cut through and leave refreshing aftertaste if enjoyed with pasta in creamy sauce or accompanied decadent mushroom dishes. Given the fact that Chardonnay is grown everywhere, it is literally impossible to name even the smallest fraction of the great producers. From Sonoma, I enjoy Littorai and Kellyn Cellars. I also like Stella Bella from Australia and Heemskerk from Tasmania, and single vineyard Chardonnay wines from Villa Maria in New Zealand. It would not be that hard to pinpoint top producers in Burgundy. Some of them literally are amongst the most expensive wines in the world. More approachable might be Les Héritiers Comte de Slofon and their wines from Macon and Domaine du Villene. Some of the greatest Chardonnay wines are made in Chablis. And here I made a video directly from the vineyards of Chablis.