Chardonnay
Vintage image sourced on Pinterest
Great Chardonnay wines are as classic as pearls. And just like pearls, they go in and out of style, ubiquitous in some decades, less so in others, sometimes styled one way, sometimes another…but always persisting, frequently imitated and with huge variations in quality.
If you thought of pearls as grandma’s go-to before finally picking up a version of your own, it’s probably time to revisit her Chardonnays, too. They’re so much more than the 90’s-style butter bombs you might have tried in the past. This tasting highlights the regions and countries that have defined modern Chardonnay while offering 3 style categories to help you figure out where your own preferences lie. After all, no two pearls are exactly alike, even before being styled…and neither are Chardonnays.
Stuff to know
Chardonnay is known as the winemaker’s grape for a reason; it’s incredibly versatile, taking on a huge variety of winemaking choices with aplomb. But don’t let that fool you into thinking that great Chardonnay is made in the winery - far from it. Chardonnay expresses its terroir, or the place where it’s grown, incredibly well. Even if winemakers treated grapes from Chablis and Napa Valley in exactly the same way, the wines would still taste vastly different.
In an effort to simplify the huge variety that exists among Chardonnay wines, and to help you figure out what you like best, let’s look at 3 primary styles:
Unoaked and steely
I’d like to say that Chablis is the hallmark of this style, even though I know that there are exceptions, since there are always exceptions in the world of wine. Chablis wines, excepting some premier and grand crus, aren’t usually oak-aged though, and in this cool-climate region just south of Champagne, the grapes tend to have a long, slow growing season, allowing for the development of subtle flavors like green apple, starfruit and lemon with floral aromas like honeysuckle that often sit side-by-side with the forever debated flavor of “minerality,” described as chalk, wet stones or saline.
Unoaked and steely Chardonnays aren’t limited to Chablis, though they are often made in cool-climate wine regions, since the best winemakers seek balance in their wines, and subtly-flavored grapes are best paired with subtle treatment in the winery, too. I’ve tasted unoaked and steely Chardonnays from northern Italy, New York’s Finger Lakes, Chile, Germany, New Zealand, Oregon and yes, even coastal California. Some wine labels will overtly say “unoaked,” but in many cases, it’s easiest to ask someone to point you in the right direction if you’re looking for this style of Chardonnay.
Creamy with minimal oak
Many, many Chardonnay wines fit into this style, though much like middle-of-the-road politics, they’re rarely discussed. These are the Chardonnay wines typically grown in moderate climates with moderate winemaking influence. Many White Burgundies fit here, as do many Chardonnays from Southern France, Alsace, Chile, Argentina, Australia, South Africa, Austria and the United States. The tricky thing is that these regions and countries have warmer and cooler growing areas within their borders, and warmer and cooler vintages, too. They aren’t all just one style.
Creamy Chardonnays with minimal oak are typically moderately ripe, with flavors like golden apple, fresh cream, ripe peaches, toasted almonds and nutmeg. These wines often undergo lees stirring and malolactic fermentation (AKA MLF or “malo”), winemaking activities explained in more detail in Full-Bodied Whites that add creamy, soft textures and flavors of yogurt or fresh cream.
Minimal oak refers to the amount of influence oak aging has on these wines. Winemakers can choose to use “neutral” oak barrels, which are just previously used oak barrels that impart less flavor than brand-new ones, or to toast their new oak barrels lightly, imparting less flavor on the wines than barrels with a heavier toast would. These types of oak contribute roundness to wines’ texture as well as subtle flavors like toasted nuts and spices.
Overtly oaky and ripe
These are the most polarizing Chardonnays, the ones that have been reviled by the ABC (Anything But Chardonnay) movement while also commanding top dollar from cellars and auctions. California Chardonnays and some White Burgundies are probably the best-known versions of these styles…and yet, both regions make wines that do and don’t fit into this style. In Southern France, Italy, Washington State, South Africa, Argentina and Australia, the same thing is true: there are warmer growing areas and cooler ones, warmer vintages and cooler ones.
The regions’ climates and vintages that fit this style will be warm all-around, since extra-ripe Chardonnay grapes will showcase flavors like figs, grilled pineapple, mango, guava, papaya and sometimes even banana. With grapes this ripe, it just makes sense that winemakers tend to use a heavier hand in the cellar, often choosing lees stirring, malolactic fermentation (more about these processes here) and aging in new or overtly toasted oak barrels, adding flavors of butter, vanilla, coconut, dill and toasted hazelnuts.
In all of these styles of Chardonnay, there are inexpensive wines made cheaply and meant to be consumed quickly, and there are expensive wines whose creation costs winemakers dearly, often meant to be aged and enjoyed as new flavors develop over time. Unfortunately (and fortunately!), cost doesn’t necessarily correlate directly to quality, since everything from how famous a region or winemaker is to tariffs to alcohol-related sales and shipping laws impacts the final price of a bottle.
For what it’s worth, my go-to Chardonnays usually fit into that middle land, creamy with minimal oak…but I love some Chardonnay wines that are unoaked and steely, and others that are overtly oaky and ripe. Mood, context and seasonality all impact my preferences, and hopefully this tasting will help you decide what you like, even if that changes, too.
What to look for in this tasting
The scents and flavors you’ll get from this tasting can vary widely depending on the style of Chardonnay you’ve selected. Generally, these are some of the things you can expect:
Unoaked and steely: Subtle flavors of green apple, starfruit and lemon or lime with floral aromas like honeysuckle, along with that highly debated flavor of “minerality,” often described as chalk, wet stones or saline. These wines tend to have high acidity and a light body.
Creamy with minimal oak: Moderate flavors of golden apple, ripe peaches and apricots, fresh cream or yogurt, toasted almonds and nutmeg. These wines tend to have moderate to high levels of acidity and a medium body.
Overtly oaky and ripe: Pronounced flavors of figs, grilled pineapple, mango, guava, papaya and sometimes banana complemented by butter, cream, vanilla, coconut, dill and toasted hazelnuts. These wines tend to have moderate to high levels of acidity and a full body.
The wines
#1: White Burgundy
White Burgundy, AKA Bourgogne Blanc. When the French say Bourgogne Blanc, they are always referring to white wines made with Chardonnay, which originated in Burgundy.
Unfortunately, Burgundy isn’t as simple as “Bourgogne Blanc.” Burgundy is the wine world’s most complex region. French wines are named by the place they’re from, and well, no place in France gets more specific in that naming than Burgundy.
There are 4 quality levels for all White Burgundy wines, starting with Bourgogne Blanc, which refers generally to all white Burgundy wines and is the name of the regional appellation, meaning that the grapes in a bottle of “Bourgogne Blanc” can be from anywhere in the Burgundy region. These are the least expensive White Burgundies. From there, quality levels go from Village, to Premier Cru, then Grand Cru, which are the most expensive.
It isn’t easy to remember which appellations are which and what the names mean. Even for those of us who study these things in depth, it’s tough. When you layer on vintage variation and all of the different producers in Burgundy…it can feel overwhelming.
All of this to say that you don’t need to get into that level of nerdiness if you don’t want to. Ask your local retailer to guide you to the right White Burgundy for your Wineluck Club tasting based on what you want to spend.
What to ask for: White Burgundy, and then expect to share your target spend
Alternatives: Stick with any White Burgundy from the Côte d’Or, Côte Chalonnaise or Mâconnais. On the label, this could include regional wines like “Bourgogne” or “Mâcon,” often with more words afterward, or Village wines, like these from the Côte d’Or: Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, Chassagne-Montrachet, Beaune, Savigny-lès-Beaune, Saint Aubin, Côte de Beaune, Saint-Romain, Auxey-Duresses, Ladoix, Santenay, Pernand-Vergelesses, Maranges, Monthélie, Marsannay, Chorey-lès-Beaune, Côte de Nuits-Villages, Fixin, Vougeot, Morey-Saint-Denis, or Nuits-Saint-Georges,
…or these from the Chalonnaise: Mercurey, Montagny, Rully or Givry.
…or these from the Mâconnais: Pouilly-Fuissé, Saint-Véran, Pouilly-Loché, Puilly-Vinzelles, or Viré-Clessé.
If there are more words after a Village name, the wine could be a Premier Cru. Grand Cru wines skip the Village names entirely and only include the name of the Grand Cru on the bottle. If you can afford a Grand Cru wine for this tasting, I’m guessing that you might already know the names of the 9 Grands Crus blanc, but if you’d like me to add them here, comment below.
Note: If the label includes “Aligoté,” “Bouzeron” or Saint-Bris,” skip the wine for this tasting, since we are aiming to taste Chardonnay wines, rather than Burgundy’s other white grapes.
#2: Chablis
“Sha-blee” is technically part of Burgundy, but it lies northwest from the rest of of Burgundy, closer to Champagne than the Côte d’Or. As you’d expect when moving further north, the climate in Chablis is cooler, and the wine styles produced are quite distinct. I chose to separate Chablis from White Burgundy so that you can experience both.
Chablis wines still follow the same rule as White Burgundies though: they’re all made with Chardonnay. Winemaking practices vary, though for the most part, there will be little to no influence from oak barrel aging, except in some premier and grand cru wines.
What to ask for: Ask by name. Chablis with the name of the vineyard on the label typically indicates higher quality, even if the wine is not Premier or Grand Cru.
Alternatives: Petit Chablis (less expensive), Chablis Premier Cru (more expensive), Chablis Grand Cru (most expensive)
#3: Italian Chardonnay
Chardonnay from the boot-shaped country is often under-valued and under-appreciated…which usually means great deals for you as the customer. While Super Tuscans made with French grapes on Italian soil command top dollar the world over, Italian Chardonnay hasn’t (yet) achieved the same prominence. Still, there out-of-this-world-delicious Chardonnay wines from many different regions in Italy, with the varying personalities to match.
In the North, Trentino Alto-Adige is a part of Italy where the Alps and a shared border with Austria usually have more influence than which flag is flying. In this part of Italy, white wines abound, and I’ve had cool-climate unoaked and steely styles as well as creamy Chardonnays with minimal oak while visiting producers like Tiefenbrunner, Elena Walch and J. Hofstätter.
In the cool Northwest, Friuli-Venezia-Giulia is a huge region best known for its abundant Pinot Grigio and Prosecco, but there are plenty of Chardonnay wines from producers like Jermann in these parts, too. Lombardy, in the central north, where Franciacorta is made, has its still Chardonnay wines, too. Even in the Northeast, where Barolos and Barbarescos reign supreme in Piedmont, there are producers like Gaja making Chardonnays crafted to compete with the best of Burgundy.
Central Italy is where things begin to heat up, and the styles of Chardonnay from Tuscany tend to lean more toward creamy with minimal oak or all the way to overtly oaky and ripe. I’ve had stellar Chardonnays in the former category made from grapes grown at high elevations in the Chianti hills from producers like Rocca di Castagnoli.
As you head south, Chardonnay from Puglia and Sicily tends to be overtly oaky and ripe, since these regions have plenty of sunshine and warmth, but don’t think that makes them any less delicious, especially from vineyards where sea breezes and varying elevation levels contribute fresh acidity to balances bold flavors.
What to ask for: Ask by name
Alternative(s): Austrian Chardonnay
#4: American Chardonnay
California Chardonnay is the go-to here, though there are gorgeous Chardonnays made in other states like Oregon, Washington, New York, Virginia and even Texas.
With fewer winemaking regulations than France and huge climatic variations from region to region, it can be challenging to figure out what to expect from Chardonnay in the United States. Luckily, many American producers choose to label their wines with names and descriptions that give you some idea what to expect. For example, if there’s “butter” in the name, you can expect the wine to be overtly oaky and ripe.
Even when labels aren’t overt, there are certain producers, like Rombauer, who have made quality buttery Chardonnay their signature style, while others, like Au Bon Climat, have intentionally aimed to contrast with a subtler, moderately oaked style. Climate is also a good rule of thumb, though there are always warmer and cooler spots and vintage variation to consider within wine regions.
Napa Valley, Sonoma Valley, Paso Robles, Monterey County, Lake County and Texas tend to have ripe grapes that translate to tropical flavors, and are often given the overt oakiness to match.
In Anderson Valley, Carneros, Santa Barbara, Washington State and Virginia, grapes’ ripeness tends more toward moderation, with the ripe apple and peach-y flavors to match, typically complemented by minimal oak influence.
In the cool, coastal parts of California and in other American states, like the Sonoma Coast, Sta. Rita Hills, Oregon, and in New York’s Finger Lakes, many producers choose to make unoaked and steely Chardonnays to let the grapes’ nuanced flavors shine.
What to ask for: Ask by name
Alternative(s): South African Chardonnay
#5: Australian Chardonnay
Australia, like the United States, has few winemaking regulations and huge climatic variations, both between and within wine regions. Some winemakers choose to clearly label their Chardonnay wines, making it easy to figure out what you’re buying when reading either the name or the wine’s description. When this isn’t the case, climate is still a good rule of thumb.
In Southern and Eastern Australia, Chardonnays tend to lean toward the overtly oaky and ripe styles, though there are always some exceptions. In the Hunter Valley on the East Coast, Chardonnays can be moderately ripe or full-on tropical, while on the Western Coast, in Margaret River, moderately warm climate Chardonnays are crafted with as much precision and aging potential as some top White Burgundies by producers like Leeuwin Estate.
Victoria’s Yarra Valley and Mornington Peninsula and South Australia’s Adelaide Hills are known for their moderately cool climates and creamy Chardonnays with minimal oak influence.
In Tasmania, things can get full-on chilly, and the Chardonnays are often subtler here, with producers like Tolpuddle creating growing demand for these top-quality wines.
What to ask for: Ask by name
Alternative(s): New Zealand Chardonnay
#6: Argentinian Chardonnay
Even with new tariffs looming, South America still offers some of the world’s best value-for-quality Chardonnay wines, and Argentina, with its world class winemakers and crazy high elevation vineyards, is a perfect example.
Climate, as always, is a major factor in the style of Chardonnay produced, though in Argentina, it’s not as simple as southerly equating to cool. Argentina is home to some of the world’s highest elevation vineyards, where intense sunshine thickens grape skins and alters flavors while high diurnal shifts, with those cold nights, preserve fresh acidity. In regions like the Uco Valley in Mendoza, as well as its sub-regions, like the Gualtallary and San Pablo, winemakers willing to brave the harsh, challenging conditions craft singular Chardonnay wines, often made in the creamy style with minimal oak.
Further south, in Patagonia, where southerly cool temperatures and low mountains’ elevation combine, subtle cool climate Chardonnays are gaining steam.
What to ask for: Ask by name
Alternative(s): Chilean Chardonnay
Tasting tips
The eats
I roasted a chicken the other day, something I don’t do as often as I probably should, considering my not-so-secret wish to channel Julia Child in all things. I roasted it early, knowing I had to head out to a blind tasting that evening, which meant that I also got to come home later to the smell of buttery, herby roasted chicken emanating from our kitchen, even though it had been cooked hours before. Is there anything more comforting than roast chicken served with a glass of oak-aged Chardonnay? Honestly, I think real estate agents would roast chickens and serve Chardonnay instead of baking cookies if it made any sense logistically. Homes would probably fly off the market.
If you’re up for it, preparing a roast chicken dinner for this tasting is one of the coziest ways to enjoy these Chardonnay wines. If you really want to dial in on the comfy factor, make mac & cheese as a side dish, too. Buttery, cheesy comfort foods, especially ones with fresh herbs or a hit of lemon juice, mimic Chardonnay wines’ flavors in the most classic of classic complementary pairings.
If you prefer the charcuterie route, try soft, creamy cheeses, goat cheeses like Humboldt Fog and semi-firm mild ones like Comté along with cured ham, chicken liver pâté and accoutrements like dried apricots, toasted hazelnuts and plenty of bread and crackers. I’m also a sucker for popcorn that’s been lightly salted and drizzled in melted butter, à la Olivia Pope.
The prep
As the world’s most planted white grape variety, Chardonnay is grown pretty much everywhere, making these Chardonnay wines pretty easy to find no matter where you live.
Encourage your guests to give their wines some pre-tasting fridge time, since this is a tasting where it’s best if the wines are chilled…but not too chilled. Lightly chilled is the goal here, so if the wines didn’t get their fridge time before arrival, just keep the ice bucket dunk time brief, since you’ll want to enjoy the fullest expressions of these Chardonnays, and that’s just impossible to do when they’re ice cold.
A note on the tasting order: The wines are listed in the order of which should be included first, so that even if there are just 4 wines in the tasting, you’ve got a well-rounded experience ahead. However, I’d suggest switching up the order in which you taste the wines, regardless of how many wines make it in the final cut, as follows:
Chablis
White Burgundy
Italian Chardonnay
Argentinian Chardonnay
Australian Chardonnay
American Chardonnay
