Chapter 10 - Chardonnay

Question 1

What are basic characteristics of Chardonnay?

Answer 1

• Ability to produce outstanding quality wines in cool, moderate and warm climates
• Broad range: from cheap to outstanding quality wines
• Primary fruit aromas, alcohol content, body and acidity affected by climate
• Cool climate Chardonnay: high acidicaty, light to medium body and flavours, green fruits (apple, pear), citrus fruits (lemon, lime), wet stones
• Moderate climate Chardonnay: medium to high acidity, medium to full body, flavours of lemon, strone fruits (peach), sometimes tropical fruit (melon)
• Warm climate Chardonnay: full-bodied, medium acidity, dominated by flavours of stone fruit (peach) and tropical fruit (pineapple), banana

Question 2

Winemaking and flavours of Chardonnay

Answer 2

• Acidification commonplace in warm-climate Chardonnay production to balance alcohol and body of the wine
• Often secondary flavours added (but optional)
• Malolactic conversion can add dairy flavours (butter, cream) and soften harsh acids
• Lees contact can add body and flavours
• Oak barrel maturation used to add body (smoke, vanilla, coconut), but unoaked/unwooded wines from inert vessels also common
• Some winemakers use oak chips or staves (cheaper than new-oak barrels)
• Outstanding wines develop tertiary flavours in a bottle (hazelnut, mushroom)

Question 3

What are the Chardonnay regions in Burgundy?

Answer 3

• Chablis in the north
• Côte d’Or where the climate becomes moderate
• Mâconnais in the south

Question 4

Characteristics of Bourgogne AOC (Chardonnay)

Answer 4

• Made from grapes anywhere in Burgundy

- Simple flavours with apple and lemon characteristics and high acidity

Question 5

Characteristics of Chablis AOC Chardonnay

Answer 5

• Village appellation
• Dry wines with high acidity and flavours of apple, lemon and wet stones
• Best Premier/Grand Cru vineyards situated hillside that increase sun exposure and reduce frost
• Frost is key concern and limited amount of Chablis that can be produced
• No oak flavour, typically fermented in inert vessels to preserve delicacy and cool-climate flavours

Question 6

Characteristics of Côte d’Or Chardonnay

Answer 6

• More ripte-fruit flavours (peach, melon) than in Chablis
• Meursault AOC and Puligny-Montrachet AOC known for producing outstanding Chardonnay
• Complexity added by fermenting in oak barrels
• Grand Cru wines can mature in bottle to develop tertiary flavours (hazelnut, mushroom)
• Pinnacle of Chardonnay quality

Question 7

Characteristics of Mâconnais Chardonnay

Answer 7

• Source of fruity, mostly unoaked Chardonnay with simple flavours (lemon, peach, melon)
• Pouilly-Fuissé AOC offer higher quality wine with concentrated stone-fruit and tropical-fruit flavours
• Often fermented and/or matured in oak barrels to add flavour

Question 8

Characteristics of South of France Chardonnay

Answer 8

• Wam climate
• Ripe, fruity Chardonnay with flavours of peach, pineapple, banana
• Most wines are labelled IGP
• Oak maturation or less expensive oak chips common in high-volume production of Chardonnay

Question 9

Characteristics of California Chardonnay

Answer 9

• Inland Central Valley has dry and warm climate
• High yields labeled California
• Peach and pineapple flavours, medium acidity, medium body. Oak flavours from oak chips
• Closer to the coast: more intense flavours, well-balances
• Corneros (cooled by morning fog), Sonoma (cooled by Pacific)
• Napa Valley: full-bodied Chardonnay with pronounced tropical-fruit flavours complemented by vanilla and spice from new oak
• Santa Barbara County: similar to Côte de Baune, but also more tropical-fruit-flavoured wines with higher alcohol content

Question 10

Characteristics of Oregon Chardonnay

Answer 10

• Moderate climate
• Refreshing high acidity
• Broad range of flavours from citrus fruit (lemon) to tropical notes (melon)
• Small production compared to California

Question 11

Characteristics of Australian Chardonnay

Answer 11

• High-volume Chardonnay from South Eastern Australia, often blended with Semillon or similar for better balance
• Adelaide Hills and Yarra Valley colled by oean currents. Longer growing seasons leads to ripe stone-fruit flavours (peach) and tropical fruit (pineapple, banana) flavours. Medium to high acidity, balances oak flavours
• Margaret River region in Western Australia, lower quantity, high quality. Warm climate, but cooling sea breeze. Medium to full body, ripe stone fruit (peach), tropical fruit flavours (pineapple)

Question 12

Characteristics of Chardonnay from New Zealand

Answer 12

• Marlborough: cool and moderate region. Ripe lemon, peach, melon character, high natural acidity, subtle flavours from oak
• Hawke’s Bay: moderate climate, full-bodied wine, high acidity, pronounced stone-fruit flavours

Question 13

Characteristics of Chardonnay from Chile

Answer 13

• Casablanca Valley (see breezes/morning fogs from Pacific Ocean)
• Produces refreshing wines with citrus (lemon), stone-fruit (peach), varying degree of oak
• Central Valley: warmer, larger. Varying quality levels moderated by altitude

Question 14

Characteristics of Chardonnay from South Africa

Answer 14

• Western Cape: mostly high-volume branded wine, sometimes blended with Chenin blanc
• Walker Bay: coolest region due to sea breezes. High acidity, ripe stone-fruit (peach), tropical fruit (pineapple), oak flavours

Question 15

Facts about Chardonnay today

Answer 15

• Used to have very oaky flavours in the 1980s and 1990s, producers today are more careful
• But still Chardonnay often has at least some oak flavour
• High ability to express climate and vineyard, hence commanding high prices for top-quality wines