Le chardonnay is today one of the most widely planted and most appreciated grape varieties.

He comes from the south of Burgundy, from a small village near Mâcon which is called Chardonnay. This variety is the one that produces the greatest white Burgundy wines. Today it is found in almost all the vineyards of the world. It is also called the grape chameleon because it adapts to the environment in which it grows.

Its name comes from the Latin, designating the place where "thistles" grow!

The different names of Chardonnay

Pinot blanc, Beaunois, Auvernat, Noirien blanc, Weiss Klewner…

Where is Chardonnay found?

Almost everywhere in France: Burgundy, Champagne, Alsace, Loire, Jura, Savoie, Beaujolais, Languedoc-Roussillon…
And of course in the rest of the world: United States, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Chile, Argentina...

The biggest producers of Chardonnay are:
* France
* United States
* Australia
* Italy
* Chili
* South Africa

Characteristics of Chardonnay

Vine

The vine has a fairly vigorous growth with smooth, medium-sized, light green leaves that are not heavily lobed but have early budding.

The fruit

The clusters are small to medium, with wings. They have a cylindrical and generally compact shape. The berry varies in size and shape, but is generally medium-sized, round with thin skin, amber in color when exposed to sunlight, and green in shade.

The dress

The color of wines made from this variety is a brilliant golden yellow with green highlights.

The aromas

The wines made from Chardonnay are ample and elegant wines with fine and fruity aromas. In Burgundy, it is aged in oak barrels. The aromas vary according to the terroirs: honey, butter in Côte d'Or, flint, white fruits (pear, peach, lychee) in Chablis. Blanc de blanc champagnes develop aromas of toast, brioche, hazelnut and citrus.

What to marry Chardonnay with?

Chardonnay is a very easy variety when it comes to food/wine pairings. It makes sommeliers happy! It is partly because it presents a very wide aromatic palette, with different structures in the mouth, very varied levels of roundness and acidity that this noble grape variety is so complex and ultimately so easy to marry. All types of seafood, fish, are often compatible with wines made from Chardonnay. You can also treat yourself with a glass of Chardonnay and with a wide variety of white meats such as chicken, veal, or even pork… Its natural acidity makes it a perfect companion with a wide variety of hard and soft cheeses, or even creamy sometimes.

photo Audrey Chaillet
Audrey Chaillet

Audrey Chaillet is the founder of EtOH, a WSET graduate and author of numerous articles on wines and spirits and contributed significantly to the creation of the geoVINUM cartographic database.

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