Chardonnay

Question 1

In what types of climates can Chardonnay grow?

Answer 1

Cool
Moderate
Warm

Question 2

Describe a typical cool climate Chardonnay (acidity, body, primary flavours).

Answer 2

High acidity
Light to medium body
Green fruits (apple, pear), citrus (lemon) and wet stones

Question 3

Describe a typical moderate climate Chardonnay (acidity, body, primary flavours).

Answer 3

Medium to high acidity
Medium to full body
Lemon, stone fruit (peach) and sometimes tropical fruit (melon)

Question 4

Describe a typical warm climate Chardonnay (acidity, body, primary flavours).

Answer 4

Medium acidity
Full body
Stone fruit (peach) and tropical fruit (pineapple, banana)

Question 5

What is a common winemaking adjustment made for many warm climate Chardonnays?

Answer 5

Acidification

Question 6

Name the 3 winemaking techniques sometimes used with Chardonnay which will impart secondary flavours to the wine.

Answer 6

Malolactic conversion
Lees aging/stirring
Oak maturation and/or fermentatiom

Question 7

What is the effect on Chardonnay of Malolactic conversion?

Answer 7

Flavours of butter and cream
Softens acids

Question 8

What is the effect on Chardonnay of lees contact during maturation?

Answer 8

Add body
Add flavours of bread and biscuit

Question 9

What is the effect on Chardonnay of oak fermentation and/or maturation?

Answer 9

Add body
Add flavours of vanilla, smoke, coconut)

Question 10

Only Chardonnay wines with sufficient _________________ will benefit from extra winemaking processes (like lees aging/stirring, oak, malo, etc.)

Answer 10

Flavour intensity
(lightly flavoured wines would be overwhelmed)

Question 11

What words can sometimes appear on Chardonnay wine labels to indicate the wines have been fermented and matured in inert vessels?

Answer 11

Unoaked or unwooded

Question 12

What is the most famous region in France for Chardonnay?

Answer 12

Burgundy

Question 13

What is the regional appellation for white wines in Burgundy?

Answer 13

Bourgogne AOC
Grapes can be grown anywhere in Burgundy.

Question 14

Describe a typical white wine labelled Bourgogne AOC.

Answer 14

Simple with apple and lemon
High acidity

Question 15

Name the cool climate village appellation where Chardonnay is the only permitted grape variety and produces dry, light to medium-bodied wines with high acidity and flavours of apple, lemon and wet stone.

Answer 15

Chablis AOC

Question 16

Why are Premier Cru and Grand Cru vineyards in Chablis often on steep south/south-west facing slopes?

Answer 16

Increases sun exposure
Helps produce riper grapes, resulting in more powerful and complex wines

Question 17

What is the main climatic concern for growers in Chablis which can lead to reduced yields being produced?

Answer 17

Spring frosts

Question 18

Is it common to taste flavours derived from oak in Chablis?

Answer 18

No
Producers typically favour inert vessels to preserve the delicacy of the cool climate fruit flavours.

Question 19

True or false: The Côte d’Or produces wines will more body and riper fruit flavours than what is commonly found in Chablis?

Answer 19

True
(because the climate here is warmer: moderate vs cool)

Question 20

Name the 2 villages of the Côte d’Or which produce some of the most famous white wines of Burgundy. (These are the ones you must know for the WSET Level 2 in Wines qualification)

Answer 20

Meursault
Puligny-Montrachet

Question 21

Which winemaking techniques are commonly used in the wines of Meursault and Puligny-Montrachet to add complexity and body to the wines.

Answer 21

Fermenting and/or aging in oak barrels
Aging in contact with the lees

Question 22

True or false: Premier and Grand Cru white wines of the Côte d’Or typically don’t benefit from bottle aging.

Answer 22

False.
These are very good to outstanding quality wines which can develop tertiary flavours of mushroom and hazelnut as they age in bottle for decades.

Question 23

Name the sub-region in the southern part of Burgundy which produces Chardonnay with riper flavours (including tropical flavours like melon).

Answer 23

Mâconnais

Question 24

Which AOC within the Mâconnais sub-region of Burgundy produces mostly fruity, simple, unoaked Chardonnay wines.

Answer 24

Mâcon AOC

Question 25

Name the AOC within the Mâconnais sub-region of Burgundy which produces higher quality wines with concentrated stone fruit and tropical fruit flavours and are often fermented and/or matured in oak barrels.

Answer 25

Pouilly-Fuissé AOC

Question 26

Describe the typical style and quality of a Chardonnay labelled under Pays d’Oc IGP.

Answer 26

High volume, ripe, fruity
Peach, pineapple, banana

Question 27

Chardonnay grown in the inland Central Valley area of California is typically labelled what?

Answer 27

California Chardonnay

Question 28

Describe a typical wine labelled “California Chardonnay”.

Answer 28

Typically for high-volume brands
Peach and pineapple flavours
Medium acidity
Medium body

Question 29

True or false: If a wine labelled “California Chardonnay” displays flavours derived from oak, the wine has typically been aged in new oak barrels.

Answer 29

False.
Oak chips or staves.
These are typically inexpensive, high-volume wines.

Question 30

True or false: The coastal Californian regions of Los Carneros, Sonoma and Santa Barbara County produce high volume, inexpensive, simple Chardonnay wines because the coastal influence makes for a faster ripening of the grapes.

Answer 30

False.
Coastal influences slow down ripening.
This helps grapes retain acidity while developing complex flavours.

Question 31

Does the following describe a typical Nappa Valley Chardonnay?
“Full-bodied
Pronounced tropical fruit flavours
Vanilla and spice from new oak”

Answer 31

Yes.

Question 32

Which state in the US is known for producing quality Chardonnay wines with refreshing acidity but in much smaller quantities than California?

Answer 32

Oregon

Question 33

In Australia, high-volume chardonnay made from grapes which can be grown anywhere within a very broad designated are is often labelled what?

Answer 33

South Eastern Australia

Question 34

True or false: although grapes can come from anywhere within the broad South Eastern Australia region for wines labelled under this GI, in practice, most grapes are grown in premium, cool climate vineyards.

Answer 34

False
They often come from the warm, irrigated inland vineyards
(although a small amount from cooler cooler vineyards can be blended in to help with balance)

Question 35

Name the 3 regions for premium chardonnay in Australia. (hint: they are cooled by ocean currents, ocean breezes or altitude, which slows ripening)

Answer 35

Adelaide Hills (cooled by Altitude)
Yarra Valley (cooled by ocean currents)
Margaret River (cooled by ocean breezes)

Question 36

In which New Zealand wine region is Chardonnay the most planted variety and produces wines that are full bodied with high acidity and stone fruit flavours?

Answer 36

Hawke’s Bay

Question 37

Name the famous New Zealand wine region on the South Island which has a cool but sunny climate with plenty of ocean influences and produces some very good quality Chardonnay with high acidity and subtle oak flavours.

Answer 37

Marlborough

Question 38

Which wine region in Chile produces refreshing Chardonnay thanks to being exposed to sea breezes and morning fogs?

Answer 38

Casablanca Valley

Question 39

True or false: Chile’s Central Valley only produces inexpensive, high-volume Chardonnay.

Answer 39

False.
Although the region is large and warm, some higher quality Chardonnay can also be produced from the higher altitude sites.

Question 40

With which other variety are some high-volume branded Chardonnay wines from Western Cape in south Africa sometimes blended with?

Answer 40

Chenin Blanc

Question 41

Name the cool coastal wine region in South Africa which produces very good quality Chardonnay with high acidity, ripe stone fruit, tropical, and oak flavours thanks to its exposure to strong sea breezes.

Answer 41

Walker Bay