The Chardonnay is a white vineyard that comes from Borgogne, but thanks to its extraordinary way of being, it can be cultivated in every corner of the world. The Chardonnay grapes is extremely versatile, it has different characteristics depending on the production place, on the climate (hot, warm or cold) or depending on the different winemaking processes. This vineyard is so famous that it does not have any synonyms in the other nations. As some DNA studies, it seems that the Chardonnay comes from a combination between French varieties Pinot and Gouais.

The Chardonnay has become famous thanks to the wonderful wines made in Bourgogne in Cote de Beaune, from which come from grate complexity wines, sapid and with inebriant perfumes. These characteristics are obtained through an ageing in wood, that allows wine to reach such a complexity and an ageing potential like on few equals. This wine has become famous also thanks to the wine made in Champagne, where it plays an important role in the production of the homonymous wine, together with Pinot noir and Meunier.

Italy can boast a long history in the production of Chardonnay wines, with Alps that play an important role with the fabulous versions from Alto Adige, Friuli and Trentino (like Trentodoc), Valle d’Aosta or Franciacorta. Today we can find good expressions of this wine in the whole Italy, from Vento to Piemonte (as testify the sparkling wine Alta Langa), from Toscana to Sicilia.

Chardonnay wine: the characteristics

The chardonnay is a grape variety that has different characteristics depending on the climate in which the grapes are cultivated and, on the interpretation, given by the winemaker. A Chardonnay cultivated in a cold climate has a high level of acidity and aromas of white fruits, citrus fruits and cucumber. A Chardonnay cultivated in a warm climate has notes of citrus fruits, yellow and exotic fruits, while a Chardonnay cultivated in a hot climate has aromas of tropical fruits like ananas, banana and mango.

Its versatility expresses itself also through different winemaking process techniques or ageing techniques: a Chardonnay that had a malolactic fermentation has buttered notes, while a long ageing on yeast gives notes of yeast and bread crusts. With an ageing in Barrique it might have toasted notes of vanilla and coconuts. This vineyard is characterized by an early budding, that exposes it to the spring frosts. If the harvest is made a little earlier than the maturation, grapes maintain a high acidity that makes it ideal for the production of sparkling wines, as testified by Champagne, Trentodoc, Franciacorta or Alta Langa.

Pairings with Chardonnay 

The versatility of the production of the Chardonnay has different declinations, from a classical white wine, to a barricato or moreover to a sparkling wine. With fish or crustaceans, we can combine a Champagne Blanc de Blancs, a Franciacorta or a Alta Langa; for an Aperitif the best are the Chardonnay from Alto Adige, from Friuli, while with the main course and the second course it would be better to combine a Chablis, a Chardonnay barricato from Valle d’Aosta or Sicilia.

From the expression of Bourgogne by Maldant Pauvelot to the expression of Chablis by Massin, from Blanc de Blanc by Virginie Taittinger to Trentodoc by Cembrani, swipe up and discover all the selection of Chardonnay wine.