Chardonnay: Back to Winemaking – Back to Grapes – Back to Countries
Top thirteen grapes:
Reds – Cabernet Franc – Cabernet Sauvignon – Malbec – Merlot –
Whites – Chardonnay – Gewürztraminer – Muscat –
Pinot blanc – Pinot gris – Riesling – Sauvignon blanc
Next twenty-five grapes:
Reds – Barbera – Carignan – Gamay – Grenache – Mourvèdre – Petit Verdot –
Sangiovese – Tannat – Tempranillo – Touriga Nacional – Zweigelt
Whites – Albariño – Aligoté – Arinto – Chenin blanc – Malvasia –
Müller-Thurgau – Muscat-Ottonel – Sémillon – Tămâioasă Românească –
Traminer – Ugni-blanc – Viognier – Welschriesling
– and Cava
Chardonnay grapes come from the Burgundy (or Bourgogne) wine region of eastern France, and are used in the production of white wines and champagnes. Major wines include Chablis, Corton-Charlemagne, Côte d’Or, Mersault and Montrachet Its name is said to have derived from the Mâconnais village of Chardonnay, which was founded by Romans as Cardonacum, and this became Chardonnay over time.  The Mâcon-Chardonnay appellation grows on two valleys slopes. On the northernmost extension of the hillside from Lugny to Ozenay, and between Chardonnay and the hills looking down over Tournus (where the Mâcon-Mancey appellation begins). However, Lebanese sources suggested that it came from the Middle East, brought back to Europe by the Crusaders. Others sources suggest the grape came from Cyprus. DNA fingerprinting at University of California, Davis, suggests that Chardonnay was the result of a cross between the Pinot noir and Gouais blanc (Heunisch) grape varieties. These were key varieties during France’s Middle Ages, with French aristocracy often growing Pinot noir in proximity to the Gouais blanc, thus offering the opportunity for crossings. (Gouais blanc, is also a parent of Riesling.) Any Blanc de blancs label on a champagne indicates that the content is 100% Chardonnay. |
 Image: halleckvineyard.com Taste/smell: Chardonnay has a medium body with moderate acidity and alcohol. Oaked Chardonnays are full-bodied and when aged have hazelnut aromas. French oak offers spicy nuances, American oak adds coconut notes, and Hungarian oak somewhere between the two. It is said to have notes of citrus, apple, lemon and pineapple, almonds, butter, oatmeal, spices, vanilla and wet stones.. Battonage, or lees-stirring, disturbs the particles at the bottom of the barrel, and is reputed to reducing oxidation and add depth to the flavour, making it taste more silky.  Image : wineinternationalassociation.org/ The Wine Society says Chardonnay grapes are ‘really good at expressing the place where they have been grown and techniques used in the winery’. Jancis Robinson comments it has ‘relatively high alcohol and low acidity’, It lacks a ‘powerful scent’ and it ‘does not make wines for seriously long-ageing.’ Varieties/Mutations: In 1912 the Wente Vineyard in California cloned Chardonnay brought from Burgundy. Today, the Wente clone is responsible for 80% of today’s USA Chardonnay vines. Chardonnay has often been confused or associated with Pinot blanc and Melon in many wine regions of the world. | Description: Image source: www.plantgrape.fr It is an early-budding grape , braziers are traditionally placed between the vines to combat the threat of frost. Burgundy also uses aggressive pruning, just prior to budburst, which delays its progress by up to two weeks, this often proves long enough for the warmer weather to have arrived. The Chardonnay vine produces small to medium cylindrical clusters of small round green-skinned grape berries that turn yellow-to-amber when ripe.  Image source: www.plantgrape.fr Young leaves are yellow-green with red-bronze tinges. Adult leaves are medium-sized with a distinctive U-shape petriole and five lobes. An individual shoot is trained to become the trunk for a young vine. It supports the leaves and stems and flowers and fruits of the vine. Chardonnay is low-maintenance and highly adaptable, and grown worldwide. It is not considered a particularly aromatic variety. |
Chardonnay producing countries: Image source: OIV Big Five Producers: (overall 42% of vineyards, 64% of wine production and 41% of wine consumption – OIV 2022) Spain: Andalucia, Aragon, Castilla-La Mancha, Catalonia, Cava, Murcia, Navarre, Valencia. France: Burgundy, Champagne, Jura and Languedoc. Italy: Abruzzo, Lombardy, Puglia and Sicily. USA: California, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Washington. Chile: Aconcagua, Coquimbo, Southern Chile. |  Image source: www.grapes.extension.org Tendrils are produced opposite leaves, these coil around trellis wires and other shoots, to provide support for growing shoots. |
| Next Ten Largest Producers: (with big five, responsible overall for 75% of vineyards, 88% of wine production, 64% of wine consumption – OIV 2022) Argentina: Buenos Aires, Catamarca, La Pampa, La Rioja, Mendoza, Patagonia and Salta. Australia: NSW, South Australia, South West Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and West Australia. China: Xinjang. Germany: Palatinate and Rheinhessen India: Karnataka and Pune. New Zealand: Canterbury, Central Otago, Gisborne, Hawkes Bay, Marlborough, Nelson, North Canterbury, Northland, Waipara and Wairarapa. Portugal: Açores, Alentejo, Bairrada, Lisboa, Távora-Varosa, Tejo, and Trás-os-Montes. Romania: Dobruja. South Africa: Cape South Coast, Cape Winelands, Coastal Region, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Olifants River, Plettenburg Bay and Western Cape. Turkey: Aegean and Marmara. | Grape is also known as: Arboisier, Arnaison Blanc, Arnoison, Aubaine, Auvergnat Blanc, Auvernas Blanc, Auvernat Blanc, Auxerrois Blanc, Auxois Blanc, Bargeois Blanc, Beaunois, Blanc de Champagne, Breisgauer Sussling, Burgundi Feher, Chablis, Chardennet, Chatey Petit, Chaudenet, Claevner, Clevner Weiss, Epinette Blanche, Epinette de Champagne, Ericey Blanc, Feher Chardonnay, Feherburgundi, Feinburgunder, Gamay Blanc, Gelber Weissburgunder, Gentil Blanc, Grosse Bourgogne, Klawner, Klevanjka Biela, Lisant, Luisant, Luizannais, Luizant, Luzannois, Maconnais, Maurillon Blanc, Melon Blanc, Melon d’Arbois, Moreau Blanc, Morillon (Austria), Morillon Blanc, Moulon, Noirien Blanc, Petit Chatey, Petit Sainte-Marie, Pino Shardone, Pinot Blanc a Cramant, Pinot Blanc Chardonnay, Pinot Chardonnay, Plant de Tonnerre, Romere, Romeret, Rouci Bile, Rousseau, Roussot, Rulander Weiss, Sainte Marie Petite, Sardone, Shardone, Weiss Silber, Weissburgunder, Weissedler… |
| Others countries growing Chardonnay: Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czechia, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Japan, Moldova, North Macedonia, Peru, Russia, Slovenia, Switzerland, UK, Ukraine, Uruguay… | Chardonnay also has many genetic siblings: Aligoté, Aubin vert, Auxerrois, Bachet noir, Beaunoir, Franc Noir de la-Haute-Saône, Gamay Blanc Gloriod, Gamay noir, Knipperlé, Melon, Peurion, Roublot, Sacy, and Dameron. |
Image source: grapes.extension.org
Chardonnay: Back to Winemaking – Back to Grapes – Back to Countries
Top thirteen grapes:
Reds – Cabernet Franc – Cabernet Sauvignon – Malbec – Merlot –
Whites – Chardonnay – Gewürztraminer – Muscat –
Pinot blanc – Pinot gris – Riesling – Sauvignon blanc
Next twenty-five grapes:
Reds – Barbera – Carignan – Gamay – Grenache – Mourvèdre – Petit Verdot –
Sangiovese – Tannat – Tempranillo – Touriga Nacional – Zweigelt
Whites – Albariño – Aligoté – Arinto – Chenin blanc – Malvasia –
Müller-Thurgau – Muscat-Ottonel – Sémillon – Tămâioasă Românească –
Traminer – Ugni-blanc – Viognier – Welschriesling
– and Cava
