The Chardonnay grape can be traced back to at least the Middle Ages when it was cultivated by monks in what is today the Burgundy region of France. While Chardonnay continues to be produced throughout Burgundy as its primary white wine, today it is grown and available throughout much of the world’s wine growing regions, from the U.S. to Australia, Italy, Chile, South Africa and numerous other countries.
Chardonnay is diverse and its different styles are, like most wines, dependent in part on the growing climate, soils, and environmental factors (terrior.) In general, cool climates give more green apple and citrus notes, while warmer climates can impart more tropical fruit aspects. Then, of course, the winemaker can influence the resulting wine by what he or she chooses to do during the vinification process.
Cooler climate, crisp, clean, mineral-driven Chardonnay is usually produced by picking the grapes earlier when they have higher acidity, with fermentation in stainless steel tanks. There is very little, if any, use of oak barrels. This style usually results in lower alcohol levels of 12% to 13.5%.
Examples include:
- Burgundy: Chablis, Pouilly-Fuisse, Montagny.
- California: Jordan and Ramey (Russian River Valley) and Littorai (Santa Rita Hills)
More full-bodied Chardonnay is often produced in warmer climate where the grapes are left on the vines longer to develop richer, riper flavors, higher sugar content and lower acidity. Fermentation usually happens in oak with other fermentation steps to help impart a toasty, fuller-bodied, sometimes creamy texture with tropical fruit tones. Alcohol levels are often 13.5% to 15%.
Examples include:
- Burgundy: Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, Chassagne-Montrachet
- California: Rombauer and Kongsgaard (Napa Valley) and Kistler (Russian River Valley)
While Chardonnay production of both wine styles has been fairly consistent in Burgundy, the U.S. came to be known in the 1980s for its full-bodied, creamy, buttery, higher alcohol wines. The pendulum was so weighted to this style in the U.S., primarily California, that by the 1990s there began pushback by some drinkers and the term “ABC” arose, meaning “Anything But Chardonnay.” Vintners obviously began to modify their Chardonnay production, with some wineries moving toward more Burgundian-like wines, where even the fuller-bodied style is more evenly balanced. Today both styles can be easily found in the U.S.
My bias is to the crisp, mineral-driven Chardonnays but as with any wine, each rightfully has its lovers and as I have said in other articles, “each to their own, there is no best wine.”
Cheers! Santé!
-Submitted by Jim Wolitarsky