
Chardonnay
Learn about Chardonnay — taste profile, popular regions and more ...
One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. While practically every country in the wine producing world grows it, Chardonnay from its Burgundian homeland produces some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. As far as cellar potential, white Burgundy rivals the world’s other age-worthy whites like Riesling or botrytized Semillon. California is Chardonnay’s second most important home, where both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines enjoy great popularity. Oregon, Australia and South America are also significant producers of Chardonnay.
Tasting Notes for Chardonnay
Chardonnay is a dry, white wine. When Chardonnay grapes are planted on cool sites, the resulting wine's flavors tend towards grapefruit, lemon zest, green apple, celery leaf and wet flint, while warmer locations coax out richer, more tropical flavors of melon, peach and pineapple. Oak can add notes of vanilla, coconut and spice, while malolactic fermentation imparts a soft and creamy texture.
Perfect Food Pairings for Chardonnay
Chardonnay is as versatile at the table as it is in the vineyard. The crisp, clean, Chablis-like styles go well with flaky white fish with herbs, scallops, turkey breast and soft cheeses. Richer Chardonnays marry well with lobster, crab, salmon, roasted chicken and creamy sauces.
Sommelier Secrets for Chardonnay
Since the 1980s, big, oaky, buttery Chardonnays from California have enjoyed explosive popularity. More recently, the pendulum has swung in the opposite direction, towards a clean, crisp style that rarely utilizes new oak. The Burgundian subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a similar bright and acid-driven style. Anyone who doesn't like oaky Chardonnay would likely enjoy this lighter style.
- Chardonnay705
- Sauvignon Blanc233
- Riesling143
- Other White Blends104
- Pinot Gris/Grigio95
- Viognier37
- Gewurztraminer35
- Other White Wine30
- Chenin Blanc26
- Bordeaux White Blends23
- Muscat22
- Rhône White Blends21
- Pinot Blanc18
- Albarino8
- Semillon8
- Garganega6
- Arneis4
- Friulano3
- Greco3
- Malvasia3
- Vermentino3
- Vernaccia3
- Cortese2
- Gruner Veltliner2
- Marsanne2
- Roussanne2
- Fiano2
- Falanghina1
- Melon de Bourgogne1
- Muller Thurgau1
- Picpoul1
- Trebbiano1
- Verdicchio1
- Moschofilero1
-
Mirassou Chardonnay 2002Chardonnay from California
-
Marcassin Marcassin Vineyard Chardonnay 2002Chardonnay from Sonoma Coast, Sonoma County, California
- RP
-
Hess Select Chardonnay 2002Chardonnay from California
-
Chateau Ste. Michelle Canoe Ridge Estate Vineyard Chardonnay 2002Chardonnay from Columbia Valley, Washington
-
Cuvaison Chardonnay 2002Chardonnay from Carneros, California
- WE
-
Matanzas Creek Sonoma County Chardonnay 2002Chardonnay from Sonoma County, California
- RP
-
Kendall-Jackson Grand Reserve Chardonnay 2002Chardonnay from Sonoma County, California
- WE
-
Geyser Peak Ricci Chardonnay 2002Chardonnay from Sonoma County, California
-
Pindar Sunflower Special Reserve Chardonnay 2002Chardonnay from New York, Other U.S.
-
Yalumba Y Series Chardonnay 2002Chardonnay from Barossa Valley, Barossa, South Australia, Australia
- WS
- RP
-
Hollywood and Vine Cellars 2480 Chardonnay 2002Chardonnay from Napa Valley, California
-
Villa Mt. Eden Coastal Chardonnay 2002Chardonnay from Central Coast, California
-
St. Innocent Anden Chardonnay 2002Chardonnay from Willamette Valley, Oregon
- RP
-
Kim Crawford Tietjen Gisborne Chardonnay 2002Chardonnay from Gisborne, New Zealand
- WS
-
St. Clement Chardonnay 2002Chardonnay from Napa Valley, California
- WE
-
Stags' Leap Winery Napa Valley Chardonnay 2002Chardonnay from Napa Valley, California
-
Chalk Hill Chardonnay 2002Chardonnay from Sonoma County, California
- WS
-
Louis Latour Ardeche Chardonnay 2002Chardonnay from France
-
Toasted Head Chardonnay 2002Chardonnay from California
- W&S
-
Rosemount Giants Creek Chardonnay 2002Chardonnay from Hunter Valley, New South Wales, Australia
-
Bernardus Monterey County Chardonnay 2002Chardonnay from Central Coast, California
- WE
-
Oxford Landing Chardonnay 2002Chardonnay from South Australia, Australia
-
Iron Horse Corral Vineyard Chardonnay 2002Chardonnay from Sonoma County, California
- WE
- W&S
-
Geyser Peak Russian River Chardonnay 2002Chardonnay from Russian River, Sonoma County, California
-
Brancott Gisborne Chardonnay 2002Chardonnay from Gisborne, New Zealand