Chardonnay

That promiscuous little blonde who gets around just about everywhere. She’s not much of a natural beauty, but bang on a little mascara and a knock-off designer dress and she’ll get an invite to any party. That being said… place her in the right hands, paying the attention she deserves…  and she will surprise the world with her breathtaking elegance and beauty. 

This is Chardonnay personified. A ubiquitous grape that on the surface offers little more than average. It can grow just about anywhere, in most climates- is not particularly aromatic, nor does it offer much intrinsic excitement. It is however, a grape which perhaps more than any other, reflects its terroir and the skilled sorcery of the wine maker. Which equates to Chardonnay producing wines which range from well below average (sickly sweet, mass produced, overly-oaked) to the most sublime age-worthy whites of all time (structured, mineral, balanced wines from Burgundy).  

There’s a trillion articles online about Chardonnay, so instead of adding to the menagerie, I thought I would share with you a list of bullet points I compiled while getting to grips with this varietal for my WSET exams. Some basic facts of this very famous grape, which will hopefully lead to a deeper understanding of your individual palate. Cause as I keep banging on- there is no right or wrong in wine. Fuck what the wine reviews and critics tell us, what matters is how you react to the wine. And then trying to understand what makes you love or loathe it. That’s the real key to being an ‘educated wine drinker’. So, without further ado… 

 CHARDONNAY- Key points of interest  

• Ubiquitous, it can grow anywhere. Extremely reflective of its terroir and the wine makers techniques/skills. 
• Not an aromatic grape, most of its scent/flavour is derived from the wine-making process. 

TYPICAL AROMAS/TASTE PROFILE 

Cool Climate (Think Champagne or Chablis) Green fruit (apple, pear), citrus (lemon zest, lime peel), occasional vegetable notes (cucumber, celery leaf), saline, highly acidic. More elegant and refined than its hotter climate cousins. 

Moderate Climate (Think Burgundy) Stone fruits (peach), melon with citrus notes 

Hot climate (Think California) Tropical fruit, peach, mango, fig, pineapple, banana, jackfruit, rich full-bodied wines. 

Oak (Remember French vs American oak can impart very different flavour profiles) French- More subtle and spicy (toast, bread) American- stronger in flavour (vanilla, coconut, creaming soda)  

On the Lees (batonnage) Creamy, weighty texture (almost oil like texture in the middle of the tongue) 

Malolactic Fermentation– Dairy, creamy, buttery taste 

Aged Chardonnay– Honey, nut, savoury, complexity. 

Soil– Usually Limestone, Clay or Chalk 

A little shout out to that alluring temptress- Chablis… 

It is common to hear “I love Chablis, but I hate Chardonnay.’ Obviously it’s the same thing (Chablis being a famous region where Chardonnay is produced), but this statement clearly reflects the great diversity which may be achieved in taste, dependent on the terroir and winemaker.  

Sadly, I too was one of the mistaken who would profess her love for Chablis but rubbish Chardonnay as a whole. It was only when I started to study the grape that I found the underlying reasons for my unfounded prejudice… 

CHABLIS– Known for its purity of fruit.  Bone dry and highly acidic. Green fruits, citrus, flinty, strong minerality (sometimes recognised as a saline profile). Chablis sits on Kimmeridgian soil (fossilised sea shells which lends the wine its flinty/ wet stone characteristic). Note- Chablis used to be UNDER THE SEA!  

OAK- This was important in understanding my general distaste of most Chardonnay wines, but loving Chablis. Chablis is rarely ever oaked (and for MY palate- I prefer white wine unoaked, or only ever so slightly). If oak is used in Chablis, it’s aged in super old barrels. Therefore, there is no flavour imparted into the wine- it is instead left to slowly and carefully oxidise, maturing its flavour profile. 

Hungry Somm- UNDERSTANDING YOUR PERSONAL PALATE 

From the above, I understood that I do in fact like Chardonnay- but generally from colder regions (more balanced, higher acidity, structured), and of those- wines which have had little to no oak contact. So if I find myself staring at a wine list, but baulking at the inflated price of the Chablis, I can ask the Somm for a recommendation which encompasses my learnt preferences but better suits my budget.