Chardonnay (France)
"Bourgogne Blanc"
Chardonnay originates from Burgundy in France.
A common name is Bourgogne Blanc or White Burgundy.
Typical Flavors
 Citrus |
 Apple |
 Pear |
 Peach |
 Pineapple |
 Flowers |
 Honey |
 Flint |
Oak Added Flavors
 Oak |
 Butter |
 Croissant |
 Hazelnuts |
Citrus, Apple, Pear, and Peach are typical Chardonnay flavors.
Notes of White Flowers, Honey, and Flinty Minerals.
Profile
Chardonnay is most often full bodied, with good fruit and medium acidity.
| SUGAR | Dry | ||
| BODY | Full | ||
| FRUIT | Medium Plus | ||
| ACIDITY | Medium | ||
| |||
Food Pairing
 Finger Food |
 Grilled Vegetables |
 Creamy Pasta |
 Risotto |
 Fish |
 Salmon |
 Chicken |
 Pork |
Chardonnay is very food friendly.
It pairs well with Creamy or Buttery Food.
Pairing Suggestions
Excellent Pairing:
Roasted Vegetables. Pumpkins.
Mushrooms. Onions. Garlic.
Anything with Creamy or Buttery Sauce.
Pasta in Creamy Sauce. Risotto.
Rich Fish Soup. Fish Cakes. Tuna.
Lobster or Salmon with Drawn Butter.
Chicken. Poultry. Pork. Veal.
Hazelnuts. Cashew. Pecans. Coconut.
Cheese:
Aged, Salty, or Nutty Cheeses.
Cheddar. Comté. Gruyère. Manchego. Parmigiano. Pecorino.
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The Ideal Glass
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.
About Chardonnay
Chardonnay is a village in South Burgundy, and Chardonnay is the most popular white wine grape in the world.
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.
Sparkling Chardonnay
Chardonnay is an important component of many sparkling wines, including French Champagne and Italian Franciacorta.
Climate
Cool Climate = High Acidity
Warm Climate = Medium Acidity
Chardonnay in France
Chardonnay was born in France.
Burgundy (English) = Bourgogne (French) is the world's most famous Chardonnay region.
The area was a prehistoric (Jurassic) sea, and the taste of seashells in the soil, you can also find in its wines.
The most famous Chardonnay in the light side is Chablis. Chardonnay from Mâcon and Saint-Véran is floral, mild and round, while Mersault and Montrachet are identified as buttery and full bodied.
In France, you often find only the name of a place (Chablis, Meursault, Montrachet) on the label, not the name of the grape.
You are just supposed to know your geography! And the region’s AOC hierarchy.
7 Regional AOC (e.g. Crémant de Bourgogne).
44 Village AOC (e.g. Chablis, Nuits-Saint-George, Mercurey).
Village Premier Cru AOC 640 Climats ranked as Premier Cru. The name of the village is followed by the name of the Climat (e.g. Beaune 1er Cru "Les Cents", Pommard 1er Cru "Les Rugiens", Meursault 1er Cru "Les Perrières").
33 Grand Cru AOC (e.g. Romanée-Conti, Le Clos de Vougeot).
What is a Climat
Climats are the ultimate expression of Bourgogne terroir.
A Climat is the name of an elite vineyard and its importance lies in the consistency of the quality.
A Climat benefits of special weather, exposure, orientation, altitude, human expertise (savoir-faire), history, tradition, archeology, geology, oenology, viticulture, toponimy, hydrometry, biodiversity.
Each of the 1200 Climats (684 Premiers Crus) is vinified separately.
A Climat classified as Premier Cru (literally, first growth) has higher status than a Village or a Region and has a unique, recognizable taste.
Two millenia after the first vines were planted, the Climats of the Burgundy were registered as a UNESCO heritage site on July 4, 2015.
What is a Clos
A clos is a vineyard enclosed by dry-stone walls.
These walls, built in the Middle Ages, protected the vines from the herds of animals which used to pass freely through the villages.
Some clos are among the most reputed Climats such as Clos de Vougeot, Clos de Bèze, and Clos des Lambrays.
What is a Lieu-dit
A Lieu-dit is a topographical or historical name created by the Land Registry of France.
Lieu-dit and Climat are two terms often confused even in Burgundy.
The main difference is that a Climat is a vineyard while a Lieu-dit is a geographical area (with or without vines).
You can find a few "Lieux-dits" within one "Climat" and a "Climat" covering only a part of a "Lieu-dit".
Bourgogne (Burgundy)
Bourgogne has 5 wine-producing regions: Chablis Grand Auxerrois, Côte de Nuits, Côte de Beaune, Côte Chalonnaise, Mâconnais and Châtillonnais.
Red Wines:
Red Burgundy
Beaujolais
Beaujolais Nouveau
Côte de Nuits
Côte de Beaune
Gamay
Pinot Noir
White Wines:
Aligoté
Chardonnay
Chablis
Petit Chablis
Meursault
Montrachet
Pouilly-Fuissé
Côte d’Or
Sparkling:
Crémant
The vineyards of Bourgogne stretch over 230 km from North to South.
The presence of two great rivers: Yonne in the North and Saône in the East and a temperate semi-continental climate, make it the perfect place to cultivate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes.