Chardonnay is easily the most ubiquitous fine wine grape grown on the globe. Wherever wine drinkers
go, Chardonnay wine was there before them.
Chardonnay is everywhere for two reasons: it is relatively easy to grow and fairly neutral—a perfect canvas on which to paint depth and variety of flavor.
Terroir
Like Pinot Noir, its red counterpart, Chardonnay reflects its terroir. In cooler climates, its wine is lean, crisp and high in acidity. In warmer places, Chardonnay gives up honeyed, tropical fruit flavors, though it can also become heavy and flabby. Winemakers in these warmer climes sometimes correct for low acidity by adding some.
In chalky soil, such as Chablis, Chardonnay makes tight, mineral-laden wines. On limestone, its wines can turn powerful and restrained. On richer soil, Chardonnay is round and deep.
Into Wine
Winemakers readying this neutral grape for its transformation to wine face many decisions: how to crush and press the grapes; whether to use indigenous or added yeasts; whether to ferment in barrels or in temperature-controlled steel (or to combine both); whether to put the wine through malolactic fermentation or add acid; whether to stir the lees or rack the wine; in what sort of oak to age the wine or if should it be aged at all.
The accumulation of these decisions turns out various styles of Chardonnay. For example, cold fermentation augments what are called fruit-forward, tropical flavors. Barrel fermentation and lees-stirring make for Chardonnay that’s creamy and buttery.
Unoaked Chardonnay will often taste of apples or white peaches and possibly minerals.Time in French oak gives Chardonnay tones of vanilla and butterscotch that Burgundy drinkers love so much.
In the Vineyard and the Cellar
Chardonnay’s faults are few but significant. It buds early and is therefore susceptible to spring frost (a constant concern in Champagne and Chablis). It has thin skins and consequently can rot easily. Picking time is crucial because it loses its acidity quickly as it fully ripens. Chardonnay from young or over-productive vines will taste like water.
The best and rarest Chardonnays—contrary to the manner in which they are commonly used—age gracefully for years. Their power and nuance in their mature years is stunning and ravishing.
With Food
Pairing Chardonnay with food takes some skill. Lean, fresh, high acid Chardonnays—Chablis, certainly, or some from Carneros, northern Italy or Mâcon—are delicious with simple fish preparations. Chardonnays with residual sugar, a common element in many New World Chardonnays, pair well with dishes having some sweetness themselves. A chicken breast topped with a tropical fruit salsa, for instance.
Oaky Chardonnays serve for smoked fish. High alcohol Chardonnays are best by themselves, as apéritifs (as is Blanc de Blancs Champagne, although this is fine with simple fish as well). Middle-of-the-road Chardonnays are terrific for foods from simple roast chicken to elaborate Thanksgiving dinners.
If the Chardonnay sports good acidity, sheep’s cheeses and firm-pressed cow cheeses such as Cheddar or Caerphilly, marry well. Interestingly, the classic match of Chardonnay with Brie isn’t as delicious as Brie with a light red wine.