Chapter 10 - Chardonnay Flashcards
Describe Chardonnay’s growing climates and the wines they produce
Cool - high acid, light/med body, citrus, stone
Moderate - med-high acid, med-ful body, lemon, stone fruit, tropical
Warm - full bodied, med acid, stonefruit, tropical
Warm climate chardonnays may have this technique used to balance them.
Acidification
What secondary flavors might one find in Chardonnay
butter/cream from malolactic conversion, bread/biscuit from lees contact, smoke/vanilla/coconut from oak
None of these are ALWAYS present. Some are without secondary flavors.
True/False Chardonnay can age for decades
True, if it is very good or outstanding
What is the most imporant French region for Chardonnay?
Burgundy
Explain Bourgogne AOC Chardonnay
Can be made from grapes grown anywhere in Burgundy and are generally simple with apple/lemon character and high acid
Explain Chablis AOC Chardonnay
Village appellation. Cool climate, high acid, apple/lemon/stone. Best vineyards are premier/grand cru on south/southeast hills. Frost limits production. Often unoaked, due to it being delicate from cool climate.
Explain Cote d’Or AOC Chardonnay
Moderate climate. More ripe fruit (peach, melon) than Chablis.
Focus on Cote de Beaune.
What Cote de Beaune villages are notable for Chardonnay? Describe the wine.
Mersault AOC - Puligny-Montrachet AOC
Oak ferment/age in contact w/ lees to add complexity and body.
Can age for decades and develop hazelnut/mushroom.
Considered to be pinnacle of Chardonnay.
Explain Maconnais Chardonnay
South Burgundy. Fruity and mostly unoaked. Simple flavors, lemon/peach/melon.
Labelled Macon AOC.
Village within Maconnais is Pouilly-Fuisse AOC.
Higher quality. Concentrated stone fruit and tropical fruit. Fermented/matured in oak for body/flavor complexity.
What regions in France are important for Chardonnay?
Burgundy Within Burgundy: Chablis, Cote d'Or Within Cote d'Or: Mersault and Puligny-Montrachet are within Cote de Beaune Maconnais in S. Burgundy Pouilly-Fuisse w/in Macon
Describe Chardonnay from the South of France?
Warm climate, high volume ripe fruity Chardonnay.
Peach, pineapple, banana. Most labeled IGP.
Lower cost, most use staves/chips.
Californian Chardonnay regions
Carneros - Sonoma - Napa Valley - Santa Barbara County
Describe Chardonnay simply labeled as California
High volume, inland, warm dry climate. Peach/pineapple, med acid med body. Any oak is from chips.
What is the style of Santa Barbara County Chardonnay?
Varied. From cote de beaune through tropical.
Describe Oregon Chardonnay
high acid, broad flavours from citruis to tropical.
What areas of Australia produce Chardonnay?
South Eastern Australia - Adelaide Hills - Yarra Valley - Margaret River
Describe South Eastern Australian Chardonnay
Higher volume, lower quality. Often inland warm irrigated vineyards. Sometimes blended with Semillon or cooler vineyard fruit.
Compare Adelaide Hills, Yarra Vallely, and Margaret River climate and Chardonnay
Adelaide hills (S.Aus) is higher elevation, cooling.
Yarra Valley (Victoria) is cooled by ocean currents. Both have longer growing season; stonefruit, sometimes tropical fruit. Med/high acid. Balanced oak.
Margaret River (Western Aus) warm climate but cooling breezes. med-full body. Ripe stonefruit&tropical.
What are notable areas in New Zealand for Chardonnay?
Marlborough - Hawke’s Bay
Describe Marlborough and Chardonnay produced there
NE of South island, cool to moderate
Prominent ocean influence and rainfall
Very good quality Chard - ripe lemon, peach, melon. high natural acidity and subtle oak
Describe Hawke’s Bay and Chardonnay produced there
East side of North island. Moderate climate. Chard is most widely planted white. Full bodied, balanced by high acidity and pronounced stone fruit.
What notable areas in Chile produce Chardonnay? Describe the area and wine.
Casablanca Valley - Exposed to sea breezes and fog, elongating the growing season.
Refreshing Chardonnay - lemon/stonefruit, varying oak
Central Valley - range of quality levels
What notable areas in South africa produce Chardonnay? Describe area and wine.
Western Cape - High volume branded. sometimes blended with Chenin blanc.
Walker Bay - coastal, among the coolest in SA. Very good quality, high acid, ripe stonefruit and tropical fruit, oak.
T/F Chardonnay is expressive of terroir and winemaking style.
True
