This post is for those of you who would like to have a basic understanding of Chardonnay wine. I'll cover some background as to why Chardonnay wines can taste quite different depending on where they’re from and how they’re aged and an overview of the different flavours you can enjoy with a Chardonnay. This should help guide you to the type of Chardonnay wine you might enjoy the most and can purchase at the LCBO. I provide a tasting overview of four different Chardonnays that I bought at the LCBO at the end of the post.
The green Chardonnay grape is one of the most popular grape varieties used to make white wine in countries all over the world. It originated in Burgundy, France and the regions of Chablis, Puligny-Montrachet, Meursault, Macon, Macon-Villages, Pouilly-Fuisse in Burgundy produce some of the most famous Chardonnay wines. Other famous Chardonnay-producing regions include California, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Chile and Argentina. Each wine can taste quite different depending on where it comes from – the climate, the geography of the location and the way in which the wine is made.
Once you start tasting Chardonnays from different regions you might notice that If you’re buying a Chardonnay from a cooler climate region like Chablis in northern Burgundy, France, you’ll have aromas of crisp minerals, apple and pear with citrus fruit and possibly even cucumber. In more moderate climates like Burgundy, you might detect aromas of “stone fruit” including peach with citrus and melon aromas. If you’re choosing a wine from the warmer regions like California and Australia you might like the aromas of peach, banana, pineapple, mango and possibly fig.
I was asked why it’s so important to “nose” or smell the wine before you drink it. The answer is quite simple. Each wine contains unique aromatic compounds which are released once the wine is poured. By smelling the aromas before we sip, we prepare our sense of taste for the flavours the wine will offer when we drink it.
Another factor influencing the taste of your wine is the ageing process. Once the wine is made, the Chardonnay wine can be aged in oak barrels or stainless steel barrels before it is bottled. Chardonnay wine that has been stored in oak barrels before being bottled develops additional flavours of wood, vanilla, butter, caramel and baked apple pie – flavours that come from the oak being in contact with the wine. The wine may also appear more golden in colour. The oak can give the Chardonnay a creamy, smooth texture.
Some wineries choose not to age the wine in oak but use stainless steel tanks instead. This allows the wine to maintain a crisp, clear, fruity flavour of green apple, pear, lemon and citrus or flavours of peach, fig, pineapple and mango depending on how ripe the grapes were when they were picked and whether or not the grapes were growing in a cooler climate or warm climate. Unoaked Chardonnay wines generally come from the cooler climate areas – for example, Chardonnay wines from Chablis in northern Burgundy are generally aged in steel tanks and offer the minerally, crisp green fruit and citrus aromas.
This weekend, we chose to taste a selection of Chardonnays. Each was chosen as a typical example of what other wines from the same region might taste like. Take a look at our tasting notes below and then go and select a few bottles to try yourself. Happy sipping!
1. Napa Valley in California: Beringer (Winery), Napa Valley Chardonnay 2016 (Year the wine is bottled)
Grown in a warm to moderate climate due to the cooling effect of the fog from the San Pablo Bay. 25% of the wine was aged in stainless tanks, 75% in oak. Aromas of lemon, apple, pear, peach, honey, smokey and oaky. A smooth, fruity, oaky and sweetish taste. $23.95.
2. Nelson, New Zealand: Te Mania, Chardonnay
Grown in a cool, maritime climate and aged in stainless steel tanks with oak infused. Aromas of nectarine, citrus, mango, peach and oak. Taste of ripe peach and nectarine, smooth acidity with nice fruity aftertaste. $25.90.
3. Chablis, Burgundy: Albert Bichot, Chablis 2015
Grown in a cool climate and aged in stainless tanks. Pale yellow colour with aromas of apple, pear, and minerals. Dry acidity and full body. Crisp flavours of green apple and pear. $22.95.
4. Macon, Burgundy: Domaine de Rochebin, Macon-Aze Chardonnay, 2016
Grown in a warmer climate and aged in concrete vats. Aromas of green and sweet red apple, peach apricot, and pear. Dry taste with fruit flavour. $16.95.
A selection of Chardonnay wines from California, New Zealand, and France.