Chardonnay (France)
"Bourgogne Blanc"
Chardonnay originates from Burgundy in France.
A common name is Bourgogne Blanc or White Burgundy.
Flavors
 Citrus |
 Apple |
 Pear |
 Peach |
 Almonds |
 Flowers |
 Honey |
 Flint |
Oak Added Flavors
 Vanilla |
 Butter |
 Toast |
 Hazelnuts |
Citrus, Apple, Pear, White Peach, White Flowers are typical White Burgundy flavors.
Notes of White Flowers, Honey, and Flinty Minerals.
Profile
White Burgundy is most often full bodied, with good fruit and medium acidity.
| SUGAR | Dry | ||
| BODY | Full | ||
| FRUIT | Medium Pluss | ||
| ACIDITY | Medium | ||
| |||
Food Pairing
 Finger Food |
 Roasted Vegetables |
 Creamy Pasta |
 Risotto |
 Fish |
 Salmon |
 Chicken |
 Pork |
White Burgundy is very food friendly.
It pairs well with Creamy or Buttery Food.
Pairing Suggestions
Excellent Pairing:
Anything with Creamy or Buttery Sauce.
Pasta in Creamy Sauce. Risotto.
Lobster. Salmon. Tuna. Fish Cakes.
Lobster or Salmon with Drawn Butter.
Chicken. Poultry. Pork.
Roasted Vegetables. Pumpkin. Mushroom. Onion. Garlic.
Dried Fruit. Hazelnuts. Cashew. Pecans. Coconut.
Cheese:
Aged, Salty, or Nutty Cheeses.
Cheddar. Comté. Gruyère. Manchego. Parmigiano. Pecorino.
Chardonnay in France
Chardonnay was born in France.
Burgundy is the world's most famous Chardonnay region. The area is a prehistoric (Jurassic) sea, and the taste of seashells in the soil, you can also find in the wines.
Most famous on the light site is Chablis. More floral, milder and rounder, are the editions of Mâcon and Saint-Véran, while Mersault and Montrachet are identified as full bodied Chardonnays.
In France, you often find (only) the name of a region (Chablis, Meursault, Montrachet) on the label of a bottle, not the name Chardonnay.
You are supposed to know the name of the region when you buy a bottle of Chardonnay:
Burgundy Regions: Chablis, Côte de Beaune, Maconnais.
Côte de Beaune Appelations: Montrachet, Puligny-Montrachet, Chassagne-Montrachet, Meursault, and Corton-Charlemagne.
Maconnais Appelations: Macon Blanc, St. Veran, Pouilly-Fuissé.
About Chardonnay
Chardonnay is a village in South Burgundy, and Chardonnay is the most popular white wine grape in the world.
Chardonnay is a grape with a limited (not very aromatic) taste. It produces neutral wines that need help to become interesting.
This can be done in several ways. One common way is to ferment or store the wine in oak barrels.
Chardonnay also easily absorbs the taste of the soil (terroir), and this is consciously used to complement Chardonnay's taste profile in Europe.
Quality Chardonnay wines always have a round character, a great length, and a rich after-taste, but Chardonnay shows a multitude of styles all over the world, from totally uninteresting, strong alcoholic wines with artificial fruit aromas, to the world's most sublime, perfect balanced wines.
In cool climates, Chardonnay can have a light body with noticeable acidity and flavors of citrus, green apple, and pear.
In warmer locations the flavors are more yellow apple, peach, melon, and tropical fruit such as pinapple and mango.
Chablis vs California
Chablis in France and California in USA are good examples of two very different expressions of the same grape.
Chablis is best known for producing excellent, fresh, and light wines with appealing apple and citrus aromas
California is best known for power, heavy oak, and tropical aromas.
People who like Californian Chardonnay with low acid and high alcohol, may say that a young Chablis is too acidic, and some people may say that they don't like the taste of Chardonnay, because they don't like the taste of oak.
Sparkling Chardonnay
Chardonnay is an important component of many sparkling wines, including French Champagne and Italian Franciacorta.
Why so Popular?
Chardonnay is popular for 3 important reasons:
- Easy to drink
- Easy to grow
- Easy to sell
Chardonnay wines have no sharp edges and no high acid content. The grape produces large crops and it is not picky about soil and climate. The fact that the wines are easy to sell, also contributes to the grape's popularity among the wine producers.
Read More
Chardonnay is the most popular white wine grape in the world.
You can read more about the grape at Chardonnay Grapes.
You can read more about the world wide production at Chardonnay Regions.
The Ideal Glass
The shape of the glass does in fact change the taste of any wine!There are 2 types of Chardonnay glasses.
One for un-oaked, steel fermented, crispy, and young Chardonney (like Chablis).
One for oaked Chardonnay like Meursault, Montrachet, and most Americans.
Young Chardonnay
A Tulip Shaped glass is the best choice for dry white wines.
It guides the wine to the center of your mouth, avoiding the sides, where acidity is less pleasant.
A smaller bowl also helps to serve smaller quantities, and keep the wine cold. Remember to hold the glass by the stem!
Aged Chardonnay
The Montrachet glass is perfect for full-bodied white wines such as:
The wide bowl steers the wine to the sensitive parts of the tongue, ensuring that the acidity creates a harmonious balance with the sweet aromas of aged wines.
The wide bowl allows the full bouquet of aromas to develop, and minimise the risk for it to be over-concentrated.