
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.
- Chardonnay215
- Sauvignon Blanc75
- Riesling52
- Pinot Gris/Grigio22
- Gruner Veltliner13
- Bordeaux White Blends9
- Other White Blends7
- Rhône White Blends7
- Garganega6
- Gewurztraminer6
- Chenin Blanc5
- Melon de Bourgogne4
- Other White Wine4
- Pinot Blanc4
- Viognier4
- Albarino3
- Roussanne3
- Falanghina1
- Friulano1
- Godello1
- Grillo1
- Malvasia1
- Muscat1
- Semillon1
- Verdejo1
- Verdicchio1
- Fiano1
- Moschofilero1
-
Moorooduc Estate Robinson Vineyard Chardonnay 2013Chardonnay from Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, Australia
- RP
- WE
-
Moorooduc Estate The Moorooduc McIntyre Vineyard Chardonnay 2013Chardonnay from Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, Australia
- RP
- WE
-
Keller Estate Oro de Plata Chardonnay 2013Chardonnay from Sonoma Coast, Sonoma County, California
- WE
-
Blue Farm Laceroni Vineyard Chardonnay 2013Chardonnay from Russian River, Sonoma County, California
- WE
- RP
-
William Fevre Chablis Vaudesir Domaine Grand Cru 2013Chardonnay from Chablis, Burgundy, France
- BH
- WE
- RP
-
Mount Eden Vineyards Estate Chardonnay 2013Chardonnay from Santa Cruz Mountains, California
- WW
- WE
- RP
- D
- WS
-
Lynmar Winery Russian River Chardonnay 2013Chardonnay from Russian River, Sonoma County, California
- WE
-
Parducci Small Lot Blend Chardonnay 2013Chardonnay from Mendocino, California
- WE
-
Anaba Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 2013Chardonnay from Sonoma Coast, Sonoma County, California
- WE
-
Failla Haynes Vineyard Chardonnay 2013Chardonnay from Coombsville, Napa Valley, California
- WE
- WS
-
MacRostie Wildcat Mountain Vineyard Chardonnay 2013Chardonnay from Sonoma Coast, Sonoma County, California
- RP
- WE
-
Kumeu River Coddington Chardonnay 2013Chardonnay from New Zealand
- JS
- RP
- WS
- WE
- W&S
-
Consilience Chardonnay 2013Chardonnay from Central Coast, California
- WE
-
William Fevre Chablis Les Clos Grand Cru 2013Chardonnay from Chablis, Burgundy, France
- BH
- WE
- RP
- WS
-
Williams Selyem Unoaked Chardonnay 2013Chardonnay from Russian River, Sonoma County, California
- WE
-
Domaine Drouhin Oregon Chardonnay Arthur 2013Chardonnay from Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon
- WE
- W&S
-
Sixto Frenchman Hills Chardonnay 2013Chardonnay from Columbia Valley, Washington
- RP
- WS
- WE
-
Cambria Katherine's Vineyard Chardonnay 2013Chardonnay from Santa Maria Valley, Central Coast, California
- WE
-
Schug Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 2013Chardonnay from Sonoma Coast, Sonoma County, California
- WE
-
William Fevre Chablis Valmur Domaine Grand Cru 2013Chardonnay from Chablis, Burgundy, France
- WE
- BH
-
Patz & Hall Hyde Vineyard Chardonnay (375ML half-bottle) 2013Chardonnay from Carneros, California
- WE
- RP
- D
- W&S
-
William Fevre Chablis Bougros Cote Bouguerots Grand Cru (1.5 Liter Magnum) 2013Chardonnay from Chablis, Burgundy, France
- BH
- WE
- W&S
- WS
-
Greywacke Chardonnay 2013Chardonnay from Marlborough, New Zealand
- WS
- JS
- WE
- RP
-
William Fevre Chablis Bougros Cote Bouguerots Grand Cru 2013Chardonnay from Chablis, Burgundy, France
- BH
- WE
- W&S
- WS
-
Chateau St. Jean Belle Terre Chardonnay 2013Chardonnay from Alexander Valley, Sonoma County, California
- RP
- WE