For Women who Want to Learn about Wine and Shine !
For Women who Want to Learn
about Wine & Shine
50 shades of Chardonnay... and a half
Did you know there are more than 50 shades of Chardonnay ?
World’s favorite white wine originated in France, Chardonnay is probably one of the most exciting white grapes. You don’t think so ?
I know, I know, Chardonnay was cool in the 80s but since then has developed a bad reputation for having strong and unsubtle flavors of oak and butter, and worse … for being your mother’s drink. Not very sexy !
Well, let me prove you wrong !
Chardonnay is all but an old lady’s drink, and many sip a glass without even knowing it.
How often did I hear people say “ugh I don’t drink Chardonnay” holding a glass of Chablis in their hand …
Yes, you can drink a glass of Chardonnay without any woody flavor. Not all winemakers cherish oak maturation and ageing…
Personally, I don’t think all oaked Chardonnay should be disregarded. In fact, some of the finest examples I tasted were from the Côte de Beaune region in Burgundy, France. Meursault and Puligny-Montrachet are famous for being outstanding and complexed white wines, matured in oak barrels and aged in contact with their lees. They are not cheap though, especially those coming from premier cru and grand cru vineyards, the top of the top. So watch out for your wallet !
Avoid however at all costs the winemakers who use wood chips or staves to infuse their wines with oak flavors. You will often end up with a strong taste of wood or smoke in your mouth, covering the fruit aromas. A bottle matured and aged correctly in oaked barrel can give subtle aromas and flavors of vanilla, cloves, coconut, chocolate etc.
If a bottle of oaked Chardonnay is cheap, chances are the wine was not matured in oak barrels but infused with wood chips. Oak barrels are expensive and can only be used a few times. It is quite an investment and not all winemakers can afford them.
Chardonnay such a traveler …
Let it be known, Chardonnay is a globetrotter with many faces ! It grows well in cool to warm climates and its flavors differ as well from one climate type to the other.
Wherever you go, be it in Burgundy, France, the Yarra Valley in Australia, or the Napa Valley, your glass of Chardonnay will taste surprisingly different thanks to … that good old climate.
If you are more into refreshing and lighter wines, you’ll prefer a Chardonnay from a cooler climate like north Burgundy or Oregon. The cooler the climate, the lighter the wine and the more acidity in it. The flavors will be more of green fruits, citrus and wet stone.
If you are more into a voluptuous, full-body and warm wines, you’ll go for a Chardonnay from a warm region like California, Australia or South Africa. The warmer the climate, the fuller the body, the lower the acidity and the stronger the flavors of tropical and stone fruits.
But wait, there is more… That would be too simple if we left it at that !
Remember, 50 shades of Grey… There is more to Christian than what he wants to show Ana …
The same goes with Chardonnay !
Soil, winemaking and maturation add additional layers of complexity to that white wine.
A winemaker from a warm climate may want to increase the acidity of his wine to balance alcohol and body. Another may want to add more body, letting the wine mature in oak barrels, or soften harsh acids letting the malolactic fermentation takes it course, adding buttery flavors to the Chardonnay…
In Jura, they often age it in old oak barrels used to make Savagnin, a grape variety from that region.
You get additional aromas of dried fruits (hazelnuts, walnuts and almonds)… One of my favorite Chardonnay, quite affordable too.
You understand now that when you order a glass of Chardonnay in a bar, unless you ask for a bottle from a specific geographical indication or winemaker, you can get the wrong Christian Grey in your glass …
And for the Champagne lovers, Chardonnay is one of the 3 varieties used to produce this delicious sparkling wine. See, it’s everywhere ! When it comes to Chardonnay, sky is the limit !
So, will you have a glass of Chardonnay tonight ?
- more acidity, medium body, unoaked and apple, pear, lemon, wet stone aromas, go for a Chablis, north Burgundy, France or from Oregon.
- aromas of melon and peach, matured delicately in oak barrels for a fuller body, go for a Burgundy from Côte de Beaune like a Meursault, Puligny Montrachet, a Pouilly-Fuissé from the Mâcon region, south of Burgundy or a Chardonnay from the Russian River Valley in California.
- · … a zest of lemon flavor and stone fruit aromas like peach, try a wine from Chile.
- · stone fruits and tropical fruits flavors like pineapple and banana, go for a Chardonnay from South of France, or a Chardonnay from California, Australia or South Africa.
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