Chardonnay is one of the great international grape varieties. Known the world over, this grape has a rich history rooted in French terroir. In this piece, we go off on a Chardonnay deep-dive and unpack all its secrets.
A short history of Chardonnay
Chardonnay is a white grape from France, more specifically, from Burgundy. Back in the day it was often confused with Pinot, thanks to the taste and the resemblance in color. The grape takes its name from a town called Chardonnay. It was first identified in the late 19th century in the Mâconnais, in southern Burgundy.
Depending on where it’s planted and how it’s vinified, Chardonnay shows a real range of flavors and aromas. In Burgundy, it tends toward green-fruit notes, pear, apple, and citrus. It’s one of the world’s most famous white grapes and one of the most widely planted, with around 210,000 hectares dedicated to it globally.
Recognizing Chardonnay
If Chardonnay is one of the most widespread white grapes on the planet, recognizing it still takes a little technique. Here’s how to spot it.
Recognizing Chardonnay in the vineyard
To spot Chardonnay in the vines, look at the leaves. The young ones are green and a little coppery. Mature leaves are orbicular with five lobes. The bunches and berries are small, and the berries are round.
Recognizing Chardonnay in the glass
To pick out Chardonnay in tasting, work through its components. It usually delivers a good acidity, you’ll feel it in the saliva you produce after swallowing. Then focus on the aromas of the grape: apple, pear, lemon, acacia, plus vanilla or butter when oak comes into play. Recognizing grapes takes practice, of course, keep working at your wine tasting.
Where Chardonnay grows
This grape is grown all over the world. Plenty of countries are obsessed with it and have planted it widely. Here’s a quick list of where you’ll find it:
- Burgundy, its birthplace
- Champagne
- The US west coast, where Chardonnay leans into atypical tropical-fruit aromas
- Australia, around Adelaide, with notes leaning more toward citrus and melon
- The Jura, Savoie, Languedoc
- England, where with Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier it makes up 71% of plantings
- Plus Italy, New Zealand, Germany, Africa, Moldova, Chile, Hungary, Greece, China and beyond
You get the idea, this grape is everywhere in Europe and around the world. Chardonnay is a true international grape and accounts for a big share of global white wine production.
What to eat with Chardonnay
To really enjoy your Chardonnay, the food pairing matters. With whites from this grape, we’d reach for white meat. Or fish: oysters, seafood platters, mussels, a perfect match. For something more adventurous, try pasta alle vongole.
Of course, for a great tasting, don’t forget to pick the right wine glass and consider decanting your wine.
Where to buy Chardonnay
Chardonnay is among the most widespread grapes on the planet, so finding a bottle is easy. Big online retailers will steer you toward plenty of options. But if you want a fuller picture, head to your wine merchant, they’ll pick out a few different expressions and give you a real sense of what this grape can do.
You’re now well-versed in Chardonnay, and you can keep going. To learn more about wine, you can join Le Club. Le Club is a totally free space for learning wine simply. Sign up, you won’t regret it.
