| Chardonnay | |
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| Chardonnay grapes in Moldova | |
| Species: | Vitis vinifera |
| Also called: | Aubaine, Beaunois, Gamay Blanc, Melon Blanc (more) |
| Origin: | Burgundy, France |
| Notable regions: | Worldwide |
| Notable wines: | Chablis, white Burgundy, Champagne |
| Hazards: | Millerandage, powdery mildew, frost and coulure |
Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make white wine. Vitis vinifera ( Common Grape Vine) is a species of Vitis, native to the Mediterranean region, central Europe, and This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. This list of wine-producing regions catalogues significant Growing regions where Vineyards are planted The Chablis region is the northernmost Wine district of Burgundy, France. Burgundy wine ( is wine made in the Burgundy region in eastern France. Champagne is a Sparkling wine produced by inducing the in-bottle Secondary fermentation of Wine to effect Carbonation. Millerandage is a French term referring to an viticultural problem in which Grape bunches contain berries of greatly different size and most important different Powdery mildew is a fungal disease that affects a wide range of plants Frost is the solid deposition of Water vapor from saturated air Coulure (pronounced coo-LYUR is the French word for the result of a metabolic and weather conditions that causes the failure of the grapes to develop after flowering For the Tokyo University supercomputer see Gravity Pipe. GRAPE, or GRA phics P rogramming E nvironment is In Botanical nomenclature or biological nomenclature variety is a low-level Taxonomic rank below that of species and signifies members of different populations can Wine is an Alcoholic beverage made from the fermentation of Grape juice It is believed to have originated in the Burgundy wine region of eastern France but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand. Burgundy wine ( is wine made in the Burgundy region in eastern France. French wine is produced in several regions throughout France, on over 800000 Hectares (over 2 million Acres of Vineyards and in a typical Wine which is grown and produced in the United Kingdom is generally classified as either English wine or Welsh wine (depending on country of origin (but New Zealand wine is largely produced in ten major wine growing regions spanning latitudes 36° to 45° South and extending 1600 km (1000 miles For new and developing wine regions, growing Chardonnay is seen as a "rite of passage" and an easy segue into the international wine market. A rite of passage is a Ritual that marks a change in a person's social or sexual status [1]
The Chardonnay grape itself is very neutral, with many of the flavors commonly associated with the grape being derived from such influences as terroir and oak. Terroir (/t̪εʁwaʁ/ in French (terruño pago was originally a French term in Wine, Coffee and Tea used to denote the special characteristics The use of Oak in Wine plays a significant role in Winemaking and can have a profound effect on the resulting wine impacting the color flavor [2] It is vinified in many different styles, from the elegant, "flinty" wines of Chablis to rich, buttery Meursaults and New World wines with tropical fruit flavors. Flint (or flintstone) is a hard sedimentary Cryptocrystalline form of the Mineral Quartz, categorized as a variety of Chert The Chablis region is the northernmost Wine district of Burgundy, France. Meursault is also the name of the main character in Albert Camus ' novel The Stranger Meursault is a commune in the New World wines are those Wines produced outside the traditional wine-growing areas of Europe, in particular from Argentina, Australia, Canada
Chardonnay is an important component of many sparkling wines around the world, including Champagne. Champagne is a Sparkling wine produced by inducing the in-bottle Secondary fermentation of Wine to effect Carbonation. A peak in popularity in the late 1980s gave way to a backlash among those wine drinkers who saw the grape as a leading negative component of the globalization of wine. History Wine has been traded internationally since ancient times Nonetheless, it remains one of the most widely-planted grape varieties, with over 400,000 acres (175,000 hectares) worldwide, second only to Airén among white wine grapes and planted in more wine regions than any other grape – including Cabernet Sauvignon. This is a list of varieties of cultivated Grapes whether used for Wine, or eating as a Table grape, fresh or dried ( Raisin, currant, sultana The acre is a unit of Area in a number of different systems including the imperial and U Explanation The hectare is commonly used in most countries around the world especially in domains concerned with land planning and management such as Agriculture, Airén is a variety of Vitis vinifera, a white Grape commonly used in winemaking Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the world's most widely recognized red Wine grape varieties. [1]
Contents |
History
For much of its history, a connection was assumed between Chardonnay and Pinot noir or Pinot blanc. The Harvesting of Wine Grapes is one of the most crucial steps in the process of Winemaking. Pinot noir ('pino nwar is a red Wine Grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. Pinot blanc is a white Wine Grape. It is a Genetic mutation of Pinot gris, which is itself a mutation of Pinot noir. In addition to being found in the same region of France for centuries, ampelographers noted that the leaves of each plant have near-identical shape and structure. Ampelography ( Αμπελος, "vine" + γραφος 'writing' is the field of Botany concerned with the identification and classification of grapevines Pierre Galet disagreed with this assessment, believing that Chardonnay was not related to any other major grape variety. Pierre Galet (1921-) is a French ampelographer and author who was an influential figure within ampelography in the 20th century and before DNA typing was Viticulturalists Maynard Amerine & Harold Olmo proposed a descendency from a wild Vitis vinifera vine that was a step removed from white Muscat. Viticulture (from the Latin word for Vine) is the Science, production and study of Grapes which deals with the series of Dr Harold Olmo (b July 31 1909 - June 30 2006) was a pioneering viticulturalist and professor at the University of California Vitis vinifera ( Common Grape Vine) is a species of Vitis, native to the Mediterranean region, central Europe, and The muscat family of Grapes of the species Vitis vinifera is widely grown for Wine, Raisins and Table grapes Their color Chardonnay's true origins were further obscured by vineyard owners in Lebanon and Syria, who claimed that the grape's ancestry could be traced to the Middle East, from where it was introduced to Europe by returning Crusaders, though there is little external evidence to support that theory. Lebanon (ˈlɛbənɒn Arabic: ar لبنان Lubnān) officially the Republic of Lebanon or Lebanese Republic (ar الجمهورية اللبنانية Syria ( سوريّة or) officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic ar الجمهورية العربية السورية The Middle East is a Subcontinent with no clear boundaries often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East. The Crusades were a series of military campaigns of a religious character waged by much of Christian Europe against external and internal opponents [3] Another theory stated that it originated from an ancient indigenous vine found in Cyprus. In Ecology, an indigenous Species is an Organism which is native to a given region or Ecosystem. Cyprus (Κύπρος transliterated: Kýpros,; Kıbrıs officially the Republic of Cyprus (Κυπριακή Δημοκρατία Kypriakī́ Dīmokratía [4]
Modern DNA fingerprinting research at University of California, Davis, now suggests that Chardonnay is the result of a cross between the Pinot and Gouais Blanc (Heunisch) grape varieties. The University of California Davis, commonly known as UC Davis, or just UCD, is a public coeducational university located in the city of Davis, Pinot noir ('pino nwar is a red Wine Grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. Gouais blanc is a white grape variety that is seldom grown but is important as the ancestor of many French and German wine varieties [2] It is believed that the Romans brought Gouais Blanc from the Balkans, where it was widely cultivated by peasants in Eastern France. The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial For Gaul before the Roman conquest see Gaul. Roman Gaul consisted of an area of provincial rule in the Roman Empire, in modern day The Pinot of the French aristocracy grew in close proximity to the Gouais Blanc, giving both grapes ample opportunity to interbreed. Aristocracy is a form of Government, where rule is established through an internal struggle over who has the most status and influence over society and internal relations Since the two parents were genetically distant, many of the crosses showed hybrid vigour and were selected for further propagation. Heterosis is a term used in Genetics and Selective breeding. The term heterosis also known as hybrid vigor or outbreeding enhancement, These "successful" crosses included Chardonnay and siblings such as Aligoté, Aubin Vert, Auxerrois, Bachet noir, Beaunoir, Franc Noir de la-Haute-Saône, Gamay Blanc Gloriod, Gamay noir, Melon, Knipperlé, Peurion, Roublot, Sacy[5] and Dameron. Aligoté is a white Grape used to make dry white Wines in the Burgundy region of France, and which also has significant plantings in much Aubin Vert is a White wine grape Cultivar grown in the Lorraine region of France Auxerrois Blanc or Auxerrois Blanc de Laquenexy is a White wine grape that is important in Alsace and is also grown in Germany and Luxembourg Bachet Noir is a traditional French variety of red wine grape that is a sibling of Chardonnay. Beaunoir is a traditional French variety of red wine grape that is a sibling of Chardonnay. Franc Noir de la Haute-Saône is a traditional French variety of red wine grape that is a sibling of Chardonnay. Gamay Blanc Gloriod is an obscure French variety of white wine grape Gamay is a purple-colored Grape variety used to make Red wines most notably grown in Beaujolais and in the Loire Valley around Tours Melon de Bourgogne is a variety of white Grape grown in the Loire Valley region of France and best known through its use in the Wine Knipperlé is a traditional French variety of white wine grape from Alsace. Peurion is a traditional French variety of white wine grape that is a sibling of Chardonnay. Roublot is a traditional French variety of white wine grape that is a sibling of Chardonnay. Sacy is a white Wine Grape grown primarily in the northeast of France within the Yonne department. Dameron is a traditional French variety of red wine grape that is a sibling of Gamay. [6]
Clones, crossing and mutations
As of 2006, 34 clonal varieties of Chardonnay could be found in vineyards throughout France, most of which were developed at the University of Burgundy in Dijon. Cloning in Biology is the process of producing populations of genetically-identical individuals that occurs in nature when organisms such as Bacteria, Insects The University of Burgundy (Université de Bourgogne is a university located in Dijon, France. Dijon ( diʒɔ̃ is a city in eastern France, the capital of the Côte-d'Or departement and of the Bourgogne region The so-called "Dijon clones" are bred for their adaptive attributes, with vineyard owners planting the clonal variety best suited to their terroir and which will produce the type of characteristics that they are seeking in the wine. Terroir (/t̪εʁwaʁ/ in French (terruño pago was originally a French term in Wine, Coffee and Tea used to denote the special characteristics Examples include the lower-yielding clones Dijon-76, 95 & 96 that produce more flavor-concentrated clusters. In Agriculture, crop yield (also known as "agricultural output" is not only a measure of the Yield of cereal per unit area of land under cultivation Dijon-77 & 809 produce more aromatic wines with a "grapey" perfume, while Dijon-75, 78, 121, 124, 125 & 277 are more vigorous and higher yielding clones. New World varieties include the Mendoza clone, which produced some of the early Californian Chardonnays. [2] In places such as Oregon, the use of newer Dijon clones has had some success in those regions of the Willamette Valley with climates similar to that of Burgundy. The state of Oregon in the United States has established an international reputation for its production of Wine. The Willamette Valley () is the region in northwest Oregon in the United States that surrounds the Willamette River as it proceeds northward from its emergence [4]
Chardonnay has served as parent to several French-American hybrid grapes, as well as crossings with other Vitis vinifera varieties. In Biology, hybrid has two meanings The first meaning is the result of interbreeding between two animals or plants of different taxa. Examples include the hybrid Chardonel which was a Chardonnay and Seyval blanc cross produced in 1953 at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station. Chardonel is a late ripening white wine hybrid grape which can produce a high quality wine with varietal character Seyval Blanc (aka Seyve-villard 5276) is a hybrid Wine Grape variety used to make white wines The New York State Agricultural Experiment Station ( NYSAES) at Geneva, Ontario County, New York State, is an integral part of the New York Mutations of the Chardonnay grape include the rare pink-berried "Chardonnay Rose"; also "Chardonnay Blanc Musqué", which produces an intensely aromatic wine. In biology mutations are changes to the Nucleotide sequence of the Genetic material of an organism [2] Chardonnay Blanc Musqué is most mostly found around the Mâconnais village of Clessé and sometimes confused with the Dijon-166 clone planted in South Africa, which yields Muscat-like aromas. The Mâconnais district lies in the south of the Burgundy wine region in France, west of the River Saône. Clessé may refer to Clessé Deux-Sèvres, a commune in the French region of Poitou-Charentes Clessé Saône-et-Loire a commune in the The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa The muscat family of Grapes of the species Vitis vinifera is widely grown for Wine, Raisins and Table grapes Their color [4]
Viticulture
Chardonnay has a wide-ranging reputation for relative ease of cultivation and ability to adapt to different conditions. The grape is very "malleable", in that it reflects and takes on the impression of its terroir and winemaker. For malleability in Cryptography, see Malleability (cryptography. Winemaking, or vinification, is the production of Wine, starting with selection of the Grapes and ending with bottling the finished wine It is a highly vigorous vine, with extensive leaf cover which can inhibit the energy and nutrient uptake of its grape clusters. Vineyard managers counteract this with aggressive pruning and canopy management; by planting the Chardonnay vines in dense concentration, they are forced to compete for resources and funnel energy into their grape clusters. In certain conditions the vines can be very high-yielding, but the wine produced from such vines will suffer a drop in quality if yields go much beyond 4. 5 tons per acre (80 hl/ha). Units of mass There are three similar units of Mass called the ton: Long ton (simply ton in countries such as the United The litre or liter (see spelling differences) is a unit of Volume. Producers of premium Chardonnay limit yields to less than half this amount. [2] Sparkling wine producers tend not to focus as much on limiting yields, since concentrated flavors are not as important as the wine's finesse.
Harvesting time is crucial to winemaking, with the grape rapidly losing acidity as soon as it ripens. The Harvesting of Wine Grapes is one of the most crucial steps in the process of Winemaking. In Computer science, ACID ( Atomicity Consistency Isolation Durability) is a set of properties that guarantee that Database transactions are Some viticultural hazards include the risk of damage from springtime frost, as Chardonnay is an early-budding vine – usually a week after Pinot noir. Frost is the solid deposition of Water vapor from saturated air Pinot noir ('pino nwar is a red Wine Grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. To combat the threat of frost, a method developed in Burgundy involves aggressive pruning just prior to flowering. A flower, also known as a bloom or Blossom, is the reproductive structure found in Flowering plants (plants of the division Magnoliophyta, also This "shocks" the vine and delays flowering for up to two weeks, which is often long enough for warmer weather to arrive. [4] Millerandage and coulure can also pose problems, along with powdery mildew attacking the thin skin of the grapes. Millerandage is a French term referring to an viticultural problem in which Grape bunches contain berries of greatly different size and most important different Coulure (pronounced coo-LYUR is the French word for the result of a metabolic and weather conditions that causes the failure of the grapes to develop after flowering Powdery mildew is a fungal disease that affects a wide range of plants [2] Because of Chardonnay's early ripening, it can thrive in wine regions with a short growing season and, in regions like Burgundy, will be harvested before autumn rain sets in and brings the threat of rot. This list of wine-producing regions catalogues significant Growing regions where Vineyards are planted [3]
While Chardonnay can adapt to almost all vineyard soils, the three it seems to like most are chalk, clay and limestone, all very prevalent throughout Chardonnay's traditional "homeland". The soil composition of vineyards is one of the most important viticultural consideration when planting grape vines Chalk (ʧɔːk is a soft white porous Sedimentary rock, a form of Limestone composed of the Mineral Calcite. Clay is a naturally occurring material composed primarily of fine-grained Minerals which show plasticity through a variable range of Water content, and Limestone is a Sedimentary rock composed largely of the Mineral Calcite ( Calcium carbonate: CaCO3 The Grand crus of Chablis are planted on hillsides composed of Kimmeridgian marl, limestone and chalk. A grand cru ( French for great growth) is a Regional wine classification that designates a Vineyard known for its favorable reputation in producing The Chablis region is the northernmost Wine district of Burgundy, France. The Kimmeridgian is a stage of the Late Jurassic Epoch. It spans the time between 155 Marl or Marlstone is a Calcium carbonate or lime -rich mud or Mudstone which contains variable amounts of Clays and Aragonite The outlying regions, falling under the more basic "Petit Chablis" appellation, are planted on portlandian limestone which produces wines with less finesse. An appellation is a Geographical indication used to identify where the Grapes for a Wine were grown Portland stone is a Limestone from the Jurassic period quarried on the Isle of Portland, Dorset. Chalk beds are found throughout the Champagne region, and the Côte-d'Or has many areas composed of limestone and clay. The Champagne wine region ( archaic Champany is a historic province within the Champagne administrative province in the northeast of France. Côte-d'Or is a department in the eastern part of France. History Côte-d'Or is one of the original 83 departments created during the French In Burgundy, the amount of limestone to which the Chardonnay are vines exposed also seems to have some effect on the resulting wine. In the Meursault region, the premier cru vineyards planted at Meursault-Charmes have topsoil almost 78 inches (2 m) above limestone and the resulting wines are very rich and rounded. Meursault is also the name of the main character in Albert Camus ' novel The Stranger Meursault is a commune in the First Growth (Premier Cru status refers to a classification of Wines primarily from the Bordeaux region of France Topsoil is the upper outermost layer of soil usually the top 2 to 8 inches Inches redirects here To see the Les Savy Fav album see Inches. In the nearby Les Perrieres vineyard, the topsoil is only around 12 inches (30 centimeters) above the limestone and the wine from that region is much more powerful, minerally and tight, needing longer in the bottle to develop fully. A mineral is a naturally occurring substance formed through geological processes that has a characteristic chemical composition a highly ordered atomic structure and specific In other areas, soil type can compensate for lack of ideal climate conditions. In terms of Soil texture, soil type usually refers to the different sizes of Mineral particles in a particular sample In South Africa for example, regions with stonier, shaley soils and high clay levels tend to produce lower-yielding and more Burgundian-style wine, despite having a discernibly warmer climate than France. South African wine has a history dating back to 1659, and at one time Constantia was considered one of the greatest wines in the world Shale (also called mudstone) is a fine-grained Sedimentary rock whose original constituents were Clay minerals or Muds It is characterized by In contrast, South African Chardonnay produced from more sandstone-based vineyards tend to be richer and more weighty. [4]
Confusion with Pinot blanc
Due to some ampelographical similarities, Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay were often mistaken for each other and even today share many of the same synonyms. The grape vines, leaves and clusters look identical at first glance but there are some subtle differences. The most visible of these can be observed as the grapes are ripening, with Chardonnay grapes taking on a more golden-green color than Pinot Blanc grapes. On closer inspection, the grapevine will show slight differences in the texture and length of the hairs on the vine's shoot, and the veins of a Chardonnay leaf are "naked" near the petiolar sinus – the open area where the leaf connects to the stem is delineated by veins at the edge. Shoots are new plant growth they can include stems, flowering stems with flower buds leaves In Botany, a leaf is an above-ground Plant organ specialized for Photosynthesis. [4] Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the few other Vitis vinifera grape vines to share this characteristic. [7] This confusion between Pinot blanc and Chardonnay was very pervasive throughout northern Italy, where the two vines grew interspersed in the vineyard and were blended in winemaking. Not until 1978 did the Italian government dispatch researchers to try to distinguish the two vines. A similar situation occurred in France, with the two vines being commonly confused until the mid 19th century, when ampelographers began combing through the vineyards of Chablis and Burgundy, identifying the true Chardonnay and weeding out the Pinot Blanc. [4]
France
In France, Chardonnay is the second most widely planted white grape variety just behind Ugni blanc and ahead of Sémillon and Sauvignon blanc. Trebbiano is a Grape variety that probably makes more white wine in the world than any other Sémillon is a golden-skinned Grape used to make dry and sweet white Wines most notably in France and Australia. Sauvignon blanc is a green-skinned Grape variety which originates from the Bordeaux region of France. The grape first rose to prominence in the Chablis and Burgundy regions. Chablis is a town and commune of the Yonne département in France. Burgundy (Bourgogne Burgund is a region historically situated in modern-day France and Switzerland, inhabited in turn by Celts ( Gauls) In Champagne, it is most often blended with Pinot noir and Pinot meunier but is also used to produces single varietal blanc de blancs styles of sparkling wine. The Champagne wine region ( archaic Champany is a historic province within the Champagne administrative province in the northeast of France. Pinot noir ('pino nwar is a red Wine Grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. Pinot meunier, also known as Meunier, Schwarzriesling, Müllerrebe, and Miller's Burgundy, is a variety of black Wine Grape Varietal describes Wines made primarily from a single named Grape variety. Chardonnay can be found in Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) wines of the Loire Valley and Jura wine region as well as the Vin de pays wines of the Languedoc. Appellation d’origine contrôlée ( AOC) which translates as "controlled term of origin" is the French certification granted to certain French The Loire Valley wine region includes the French wine regions situated along the Loire River from the Muscadet region near the city of Nantes Jura wine, is French wine produced in the Jura département. Located between Burgundy and Switzerland, this cool climate Vin de pays is a French term meaning "country wine" Vins de pays are a step in the French wine classification which is above the table wine ( Vin de table Languedoc wine, including the Vin de pays labeled Vin de Pays d'Oc, is produced in southern France. [2]
Burgundy
- See also: Burgundy wine
Chardonnay is one of the dominant grapes in Burgundy though Pinot noir vines outnumber it by nearly a 3 to 1 ratio. Burgundy wine ( is wine made in the Burgundy region in eastern France. In addition to Chablis, it is found in the Côte d'Or (largely in the Côte de Beaune) as well as the Côte Chalonnaise and Mâconnais. The Côte d'Or (English Golden hillside is a limestone Escarpment in Burgundy, France that lends its name to the department which The Côte de Beaune area is the southern part of the Côte d'Or, the limestone ridge that is home to the great names of Burgundy wine. Côte Chalonnaise is a subregion of the Burgundy wine region of France. The Mâconnais district lies in the south of the Burgundy wine region in France, west of the River Saône. It is grown in 8 Grand cru vineyards; The "Montrachets"-Montrachet, Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet, Bâtard-Montrachet, Chevalier-Montrachet, Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet as well as Charlemagne, Corton-Charlemagne & Le Musigny. The origins of Burgundy 's Grand crus can be found in the work of the Cistercians who among their vast land holdings were able to delineate and isolate plots of land Montrachet is a Grand cru Vineyard between the villages of Chassagne-Montrachet and Puligny-Montrachet that produces what many consider Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet is a Grand cru vineyard in the Côte de Beaune located within the commune of Chassagne-Montrachet. Bâtard-Montrachet is a Grand cru vineyard in the Côte de Beaune located within the communes of Puligny-Montrachet and Chassagne-Montrachet Chevalier-Montrachet is a Grand cru vineyard in the Côte de Beaune located within the commune of Puligny-Montrachet. Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet is a Grand cru vineyard in the Côte de Beaune located within the commune of Puligny-Montrachet. Charlemagne is a Grand cru vineyard in the Côte de Beaune located within the commune of Ladoix-Serrigny. Corton-Charlemagne is a Grand cru vineyard located in the communes of Aloxe-Corton, Pernand-Vergelesses and Ladoix-Serrigny in the Côte Le Musigny is a Grand cru vineyard in the Côte de Nuits located near the town of Chambolle-Musigny. In addition to being the most expensive, the Burgundy examples of Chardonnay were long considered the benchmark standard of expressing terroir through Chardonnay. Terroir (/t̪εʁwaʁ/ in French (terruño pago was originally a French term in Wine, Coffee and Tea used to denote the special characteristics The Montrachets are noted for their high alcohol levels, often above 13%, as well as deep concentration of flavors. In Chemistry, an alcohol is any Organic compound in which a Hydroxyl group ( - O[[hydrogen H]]) is bound to a Carbon The vineyards around Chassagne-Montrachet tend to have a characteristic hazelnut aroma to them while those of Puligny-Montrachet have more steely flavors. Chassagne-Montrachet is a commune in the Côte-d'Or department in eastern France. The Common Hazel ( Corylus avellana) is a species of Hazel native to Europe and western Asia, from the British Isles Puligny-Montrachet is a commune in the Côte-d'Or department in eastern France Both grand cru and premier cru examples from Corton-Charlemagne have been known to demonstrate marzipan while Meursault wines tend to be the most round and buttery examples. For the character in the animated internet cartoon see Homestar Runner. [2]
South of the Côte d'Or is the Côte Chalonnaise and Mâconnais wine regions. The villages of Mercurey, Montagny-lès-Buxy and Rully are the largest producers of Chardonnay in the Côte Chalonnaise with the best made examples rivaling those of the Côte de Beaune. Mercurey is a town and commune in the Saône-et-Loire département, in France. Montagny-lès-Buxy is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire département, in the French region of Bourgogne. Rully is a town and commune in the Saône-et-Loire département, in France. In the Mâconnais, white wine production is centered around the town of Mâcon and the Pouilly-Fuissé region. Mâcon is a commune of France, préfecture (capital of the Saône-et-Loire département, in the Bourgogne Pouilly-Fuissé is an appellation (AOC of Burgundy wine in central France. The full bodied wines of the Pouilly-Fuissé have long held cult wine status with prices that can rival the Grand cru white burgundies. The use of Wine tasting descriptors allow the taster an opportunity to put into words the Aromas and Flavors that they experience and can be used in assessing Cult wines are those for which dedicated groups of committed enthusiasts will pay large sums of money Further south, in the region of Beaujolais, Chardonnay has started to replace Aligote as the main white wine grape and is even replacing Gamay in some areas around Saint-Véran. Beaujolais is a French Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC Wine generally made of the Gamay Grape which has a thin Aligoté is a white Grape used to make dry white Wines in the Burgundy region of France, and which also has significant plantings in much Gamay is a purple-colored Grape variety used to make Red wines most notably grown in Beaujolais and in the Loire Valley around Tours [2] With the exception of Pouilly-Fuissé, the wines of the Mâconnais are the closest Burgundy example to "New World" Chardonnay though it is not identical. Typically Mâcon blanc, basic Bourgogne, Beaujolais blanc and Saint-Véran are meant to be consumed within 2 to 3 years of release. However, many of the well made examples of white Burgundy from the Côte d'Or will need at least three years in the bottle to develop enough to express the aromas and character of the wine. Hazelnut, licorice and spice are some of the flavors that can develop as these wines age. Liquorice (UK or licorice (US (see spelling differences;, or) is the root of Glycyrrhiza glabra, from which a sweet flavour can be extracted A spice is a dried Seed, Fruit, Root, Bark or vegetative substance used in Nutritionally insignificant quantities as a Food additive [1]
Chablis
Chardonnay is the only permitted AOC grape variety in the Chablis region with the wines here developing such worldwide recognition that the name "chablis" has taken on semi-generic connotations to mean any dry white wine, even those not made from Chardonnay. Semi-generic is a legal term used in by the United States Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau to refer to a specific type of Wine designation The name is protected in the European Union and for wine sold in the EU, "Chablis" refers only to the Chardonnay wine produced in this region of the Yonne département. The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in Yonne is a French department named after the Yonne River. It is one of the four constituent departments of Bourgogne (Burgundy in eastern France The region sits on the outer edges of the Paris Basin. The Paris Basin is one of the major geological regions of France having developed since the Triassic on a basement formed by the Variscan orogeny. On the other side of the basin is the village of Kimmeridge in England which gives it name to the Kimmeridgean soil that is located throughout Chablis. Kimmeridge is a small village in the Purbeck district of Dorset, England, situated on the English Channel Coast. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland The French describe this soil as "argilo-calcaire" and is a composition of clay, limestone and fossilized oyster shells. The Kimmeridge Clay Formation is arguably the most economically important unit of rocks in the whole of Europe being the major Source rock for oil fields in the North FOSSIL is a standard protocol for allowing serial communication for Telecommunications programs under the DOS Operating system. A seashell, also known as a sea shell, is the Common name for a hard protective outer layer a shell or in some cases a " test " that was created The most expensive examples of Chardonnay from Chablis comes from the seven Grand Cru vineyards that account for around 247 acres (100 ha) on the southwest side of one slope along the Serein river near the town of Chablis—Blanchots, Bougros, Les Clos, Grenouilles, Preuses, Valmur and Vaudésir. The Serein is a River of eastern France. It is the main waterway of the Chablis wine district in Burgundy The wines from these crus most often capture the goût de pierre à fusil or "gunflint" quality that is characterized of Chablis wine. [8]
Chardonnay was believed to be first planted in Chablis by the Cistercians at Pontigny Abbey in the 12th century. Pontigny Abbey, founded in 1114 as the second of the four great daughter houses of Cîteaux Abbey, was a Cistercian monastery situated on the River Serein [9] Today, the Chardonnay made in the Chablis region is one of the "purest" expression of the varietal character of the grape due to the simplistic style of winemaking favored in this region. Chablis winemakers want to emphasis the terroir of the calcareous soil and cooler climate that help maintain high acidity. Calcareous refers to a Sediment, Sedimentary rock, or Soil type which is formed from or contains a high proportion of Calcium carbonate in the The wines rarely will go through malolactic fermentation or be exposed to oak (though its use is increasing). Malolactic fermentation (or sometimes malolactic conversion) is a process of a change used in Winemaking where tart-tasting Malic acid, naturally present The use of Oak in Wine plays a significant role in Winemaking and can have a profound effect on the resulting wine impacting the color flavor The biting, green apple-like acidity is a trademark of Chablis and can be noticeable in the bouquet. The acidity can mellow with age and Chablis are some of the longest living examples of Chardonnay. [3] Some examples of Chablis can have an earthy "wet stone" flavor that can get mustier as it ages before mellowing into delicate honeyed notes. Honey is a sweet and Viscous fluid produced by Honey bees (and some other species and derived from the nectar of Flowers According to the [1] The use of oak is controversial in the Chablis community with some winemakers dismissing it as counter to the "Chablis style" or terroir while other embrace its use though not to the length that would characterized a "New World" Chardonnay. The winemakers that do use oak tend to favor more neutral oak that doesn't impart the vanilla characteristic associated with American oak. Vanilla is a Flavoring derived from Orchids of the genus Vanilla native to Mexico. The amount of "char" in the barrel is often very light which limits the amount of "toastiness" that is perceived in the wine. The advocates of oak in Chablis point to the positive benefits of allowing limited oxygenation with the wine through the permeable oak barrels. Oxygenation refers to the amount of Oxygen in a medium In Blood it may be taken to be synonymous with Saturation, which describes the degree to which This can have the effect of softening the wine and make the generally austere and acidic Chablis more approachable at a younger age. [8]
Champagne
- See also: Champagne (wine)
In the Champagne, Chardonnay is one of three major grape varieties planted in the region. Champagne is a Sparkling wine produced by inducing the in-bottle Secondary fermentation of Wine to effect Carbonation. It is most commonly found in the Aube and Marne départments which, combined with Chablis, accounted for more than half of all plantings of Chardonnay in France during the 20th century. Aube is a department in the northeastern part of France named after the Aube River. Marne is a department in north-eastern France named after the Marne River which flows through the department In the context of the political and geographic organization of France and many of its former colonies a department (département depaʁtǝmɑ̃ is an Administrative division In the Côte des Blancs (white slope) district of the Marne, Chardonnay thrives on the chalk soil. Chalk (ʧɔːk is a soft white porous Sedimentary rock, a form of Limestone composed of the Mineral Calcite. The three main villages around the Côte grow Chardonnay that emphasizes certain characteristics that the Champagne producers seek depending on their house style. The listing below comprises some of the more prominent houses of Champagne. The village of Avize grows grapes that produce the lightest wines, Cramant makes the most aromatic and Mesnil produces wines with the most acidity. Avize is a commune in the Marne department in northeastern France. Cramant is a Village and commune in the Marne département of north-eastern France. The Côte des Blancs is the only district in the Champagne region that is predominately planted with Chardonnay. In the four other main districts-Aube, Côte de Sézanne, Montagne de Reims, and Vallée de la Marne-Chardonnay lags behind Pinot noir in planting. In the outlaying region of Aisne, only Pinot Meunier has a significant presence. Aisne (ɛn is a department in the northern part of France named after the Aisne River. Despite being less planted, the Blanc de Blancs style of Champagne (made from only Chardonnay grapes) is far more commonly produced than Blanc de Noirs. This is partly because Pinot noir and Pinot Meunier produce very coarse and heavy wines that lack the finesse and balance that Chardonnay brings to the mix. Non-sparkling still wine Chardonnay is produced under the Coteaux Champenois AOC. Coteaux Champenois is a Wine Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC in the Champagne province of France The wine is much more acidic than that of Chablis and is normally made bone-dry. [3]
Despite receiving the same amount of sunshine as the Chablis region, Chardonnay grapes in Champagne rarely attain full ripeness. This is due to the mean average temperature of the region being around 51 °F (10. In Statistics, mean has two related meanings the Arithmetic mean (and is distinguished from the Geometric mean or Harmonic mean Fahrenheit is a temperature scale named after Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686–1736 a German Physicist who proposed it in 1724 5 °C), barely above the minimum average temperature needed to ripen grapes. The Celsius Temperature scale was previously known as the centigrade scale. Therefore the Chardonnay grapes do not fully develop its fruit flavors and the still version of Champagne can taste very "un-Chardonnay"-like because of this. However, it does lessen the premium on needing to keep yields low that other wine regions much battle with since not much flavor is going to develop in the grapes anyway. Rather the element in Chardonnay that Champagne winemakers look for is the finesse and balance of acidity that it brings to the blend. Some flavors that can emerge from, particularly with extended time on its lees, include creamy and nuttiness with some floral notes. Lees refers to deposits of dead Yeast or residual yeast and other particles that precipitate or are carried by the action of " Fining " to the bottom of [4]
Other French regions
Champagne, Chablis and Burgundy account for more than three-fifths of all Chardonnay plantings in France. The next largest concentration is found in the Languedoc where it was first planted around the town of Limoux and up to 30% can be blended with Mauzac in the sparkling Blanquette de Limoux. Languedoc ( in French Lengadòc in Occitan) is a former Province of France, now continued in the modern-day ''régions'' of Languedoc-Roussillon Limoux is a market town and sub-prefecture in the French département of Aude, a part of the ancient Languedoc Mauzac or Mauzac Blanc is a minor Grape variety mainly grown in the Gaillac region southeast of Bordeaux in France. Limoux wine is produced around the city of Limoux in Languedoc in southwestern France. [1] By the year 2000, there was more than 22,200 acres (9,000 ha) planted with many being used for wines under the Vin de Pays d'Oc. These wines were unique in that they were some of the first examples of Chardonnay to be varietally labeled as "Chardonnay". Varietal describes Wines made primarily from a single named Grape variety. Other French wine regions with Chardonnay plantings include Alsace, Ardèche, Jura, Savoie and the Loire Valley. Alsace wine or Alsatian wine (in French: Vin d'Alsace) is produced in the Alsace region in France and is primarily white Ardèche ( Occitan and Arpitan: Ardecha) is a department in south-central France named after the Ardèche River. Jura wine, is French wine produced in the Jura département. Located between Burgundy and Switzerland, this cool climate Savoie ( Arpitan: Savouè d’Avâl) is a French department located in the Rhône-Alpes ( Rôno-Arpes Loire Valley (Vallée de la Loire is known as the Garden of France and the Cradle of the French Language. [2] In Jura, Chardonnay is sometimes treated to the same type of flor yeast found in Sherry (though the wine is rarely, if ever, fortified) and it is used to create vin de paille dessert wines. This article is about the Spanish yeast For the historical/genealogical abbreviation see Floruit, for the argentine pop singer see Flor (singer, and for Yeasts are a growth form of eukaryotic Microorganisms classified in the kingdom Fungi, with about 1500 Species currently described Sherry is a Fortified wine, made in and around the town of Jerez, Spain. Fortified wine is Wine to which alcohol (usually Brandy) has been added Straw Wine, or raisin wine, is a Wine made from grapes that have been dried to concentrate their juice Dessert wines (or pudding wines BrE) are sweet Wines typically served with Dessert, such as Sauternes and Tokaji Here the grape is known as Melon d'Arbois or Gamay blanc and is sometimes blended with Savagnin. Savagnin or Savagnin Blanc is a variety of white Wine Grape with green-skinned berries It is most widely found in Arbois, Côtes du Jura and L'Étoile AOCs. Arbois is a commune in the Jura department in eastern France Geography Arbois is built on the shores of the Cuisance River Côtes du Jura is an Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée for Wines made in the Jura wine region of France. L'Étoile is an Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée for Wines made in the Jura wine region of France. In the Loire, up to 20% of Chardonnay can be included in the Chenin blanc based wines of Anjou blanc and more producers are using the grape to soften some of the edges of Chenin blanc. Chenin blanc, or Pineau de la Loire, is a variety of white Wine Grape from the Loire valley of France Anjou is a former County (c 880) Duchy ( 1360) and province centred on the city of Angers in the lower [3] It can also be used in the sparkling wines of Saumur and some Muscadet producers have begun experimenting with oak aged Chardonnay. The commune of Saumur in the Loire Valley is famous for Sparkling wines produced by the traditional method, and for red wines made primarily from Cabernet Muscadet is a type of dry French white Wine. It is made at the western end of the Loire Valley, near the city of Nantes in the Pays de la Loire [1]
North America
In North America, particularly California, Chardonnay found another region where it could thrive and produce a style of wine that was noticeably different than that of France. California wine is Wine made in the US state of California. Nearly three-quarters the size of France, California accounts for nearly 90 It is the dominant white wine variety of the area, overtaking Riesling in 1990. Riesling is a white Grape variety which originates in the Rhine region of Germany. In the United States it is found most notably in California, Oregon, Texas, Virginia and Washington[2] but also in Alabama, Arizona, Arkanasa, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Vermont wine. American wine has been produced for over 300 years Today Wine production is performed in all fifty states with California leading the way in wine production followed The state of Oregon in the United States has established an international reputation for its production of Wine. Texas has a long history of Wine production The sunny and dry climate of the major wine making regions in the state have drawn comparison to Portuguese wines Virginia wine refers to Wine made from Grapes grown in the US Washington wine is Wine produced from Grapes grown in the US state of Washington. Alabama wine refers to Wine made from Grapes grown in the US state of Alabama. Arizona wine refers to Wine made from Grapes grown in the US state of Arizona. Arkansas wine refers to Wine made from Grapes grown in the US Colorado wine refers to Wine made from Grapes grown in the US Connecticut wine refers to Wine made from Grapes grown in the U Georgia is the oldest Wine producing region of Europe, if not the world Idaho wine refers to Wine made from the US state of Idaho. Idaho has a long history of wine production with the first vineyards in the Pacific Illinois wine refers to any Wine that is made from grapes grown in the U Indiana wine refers to Wine made from Grapes grown in the US state of Indiana. Iowa wine refers to Wine made from Grapes grown in the US state of Iowa. Maryland wine is Wine made in the US state of Maryland. The industry has grown rapidly since the first Winery in Maryland Boordy Vineyards Massachusetts wine refers to Wine made from Grapes grown in the U Michigan wine refers to any wine that is made in the US state of Michigan. Minnesota wine refers to Wine made from Grapes grown in the U Missouri Wine refers to Wine made from grapes grown in the US New Hampshire wine refers to Wine made from Grapes grown in the U Wine production in the US state of New Jersey dates back to the region's colonial era when in the mid-18th century wines were made by New Mexico has the longest history of wine production in the United States. North Carolina wine refers to Wine made from Grapes grown in the U Ohio wine refers to Wine made from Grapes grown in the US state of Ohio. Oklahoma wine refers to Wine made from Grapes grown in the US South Carolina wine refers to Wine made from Grapes grown in the U Tennessee wine refers to Wine made from Grapes grown in the U Vermont wine refers to Wine made from Grapes grown in the US state of Vermont. In Canada, Chardonnay is found in British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Ontario and Quebec. Canadian wine is produced in Southern Ontario and southern British Columbia, and Nova Scotia. British Columbia (ˌbrɪtɨʃ kəˈlʌmbiə ( BC) ( (la Colombie-Britannique C Nova Scotia (ˌnəʊvəˈskəʊʃə ( Latin for New Scotland; Alba Nuadh Nouvelle-Écosse is a Canadian province located on Canada 's Ontario wine is Canadian wine produced in the province of Ontario. Quebec (kwɨˈbɛk [10]
California
The first successful commercial production of California Chardonnay was from plantings in the Livermore Valley AVA. The Livermore Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area in Alameda County, California, surrounding the city of Livermore. Wente Vineyards developed a Chardonnay clone that was used to introduce the grape variety in several Californian vineyards throughout the 1940s. Wente Vineyards is a Winery in Livermore California and holds the distinction of being "the oldest continuously operating family-owned winery in California In the 1950s James Zellerbach, one time US ambassador to Rome, started Hanzell Winery and dedicated it to making Burgundian style Chardonnay. The United States has had diplomatic representation in the nation of Italy and its predecessor nation the Kingdom of Sardinia, since 1840 with a break in relations Rome ( Roma ˈroma Roma is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city with more than 2 His success would encourage other Californian winemakers to follow suit and culminated in Chateau Montelena's victory over Burgundy Chardonnay in the 1976 blind tasting event conducted by French judges known as the Judgment of Paris. Chateau Montelena is a Napa Valley Winery most famous for winning the white wine section of the historic "Judgement of Paris" Wine competition Wine tasting (often in wine circles simply tasting) is the sensory examination and evaluation of Wine. The Paris Wine Tasting of 1976 or the Judgment of Paris was a Wine competition organized in Paris on 24 May 1976 by Steven Spurrier, a British In response, the demand for Californian Chardonnay increased and Californian winemaker rushed to increase plantings. [11] In the 1980s, the popularity of Californian Chardonnay would explode so much that the number of vines planted in the state eclipse that of France by 1988. By 2005 there was nearly 100,000 acres (40,000 ha) accounting for almost 25% of the world's total Chardonnay plantings. The early trend was to imitate the great Burgundy wines but soon gave way to more rich buttery and oaked styles. The use of Oak in Wine plays a significant role in Winemaking and can have a profound effect on the resulting wine impacting the color flavor [2] Starting with the 1970s, the focus was on harvesting the grapes at more advance degrees of ripeness and at higher Brix levels. Degrees Brix (symbol °Bx is a measurement of the dissolved Sugar -to-water mass ratio of a liquid New oak barrels were used to produce wines that were big in body and mouthfeel. Mouthfeel is a product’s physical and Chemical interaction in the mouth Frank J. Prial of the The New York Times was an early critic of this style, particularly because of the lack of "food friendliness" that was common with these massive wines. Frank J Prial, who graduated from Georgetown University in 1951 was the Wine Columnist for the The New York Times for 25 years Wine and food matching is the process of pairing a food with complementary flavors aromas and textures found in Wine. [3] Another criticism of California Chardonnays, and one that has been levied against other Californian wines, is the very high alcohol levels which can make a wine seem out of balance. Alcohol by volume (abbreviated as abv or ABV) is a standard measure of how much alcohol ( Ethanol) is contained in an Alcoholic beverage In recent years, Californian winemakers have been using process such as reverse osmosis and spinning cones to bring the alcohol levels down to between 12 and 14%. Reverse osmosis (RO is a separation process that uses pressure to force a Solution through a membrane that retains the Solute on one side and allows the Spinning cone columns are used in a form of Steam distillation to gently extract volatile chemicals from liquid foodstuffs while minimising the effect on the taste of the product [4]
The Californian wine regions that seem to favor producing premium quality Chardonnay are the ones that are most influenced, climatically, by coastal fogs that can slow the ripening of the grape and give it more time to develop its flavors. Fog is a cloud that is in contact with the ground Stratus clouds are usually the only clouds that touch the ground The regions of Alexander Valley, Los Carneros, Santa Maria Valley, Russian River Valley and other parts of Sonoma county have shown success in producing wines that reflect more Burgundian styles. The Alexander Valley is an American Viticultural Area located north of Healdsburg in Sonoma County, California. Los Carneros AVA (also known as Carneros AVA) is an American Viticultural Area which includes parts of both Sonoma and Napa counties in Santa Maria Valley is an American Viticultural Area located in Northern Santa Barbara County and San Luis Obispo County, California The Russian River Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area in Sonoma County, California. Sonoma County wine is Wine made in Sonoma County, California, USA. [1] Other regions often associated with Chardonnay include Napa Valley, Monterey County and Santa Barbara County. Napa Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Napa County, California, USA. Monterey County is a county located on the Pacific coast of the U Santa Barbara County is a County located on the Pacific coast of the southern portion of the U The California Central Valley is home to many mass produced Chardonnay brands as well as box and jug wine production. The Central Valley is a large flat valley that dominates the central portion of the U A box wine (or cask wine, bladder pack Cheap cask wine is also known as "goon" in Australia and also New Zealand ("goon" is diminutive slang Jug wine is a term in the United States for inexpensive table Wine (or "bulk wine" typically bottled in a glass jug While the exact style of the wine will vary from producer, some of the terroir characteristics associated with California Chardonnay include "flinty" notes with the Russian River Valley and mango & guava from Monterey. Guava is a Genus of about 100 Species of Tropical Shrubs and small Trees in the myrtle family Myrtaceae. A large portion of the Californian sparkling wine industry uses Chardonnay grapes from Carneros, Alexander and Russian River valleys with these areas attracting the attention of Champagne producers like Bollinger, Louis Roederer, Moët et Chandon and the Taittinger family who have opened up wineries in last few decades. Bollinger is a Champagne house, a producer of sparkling wines from the Champagne region of France. Louis Roederer is one of the largest remaining independent Champagne Houses owned by the Rouzaud family since it was founded in 1776 Moët et Chandon (moɛt‿e ʃɑ̃ˈdɔ̃ Moët et Chandon was established in 1743 by Claude Moët, and today owns more than 1500 acres (6 The Taittinger family are a French family who are famous producers of champagne. [4]
Other states and Canada
Washington Chardonnays can be very similar to Californian Chardonnays but there tends to be more emphasis on fruit than creaminess. Washington ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. In 2000, it was the most widely planted premium wine grape in the state. Rather than using Dijon clones, Washington vineyards are planted with clones developed at the University of California-Davis that are designed to take longer to ripen in the warmer weather of the state's wine regions. This allows winemakers to maintain the acidity levels that balances the fruity and flint earthiness that have characterized Washington Chardonnay. Flint (or flintstone) is a hard sedimentary Cryptocrystalline form of the Mineral Quartz, categorized as a variety of Chert Apple notes are common and depending on producer and appellation can range from flavors of Golden Delicious and Fuji to Gala and Jonathan. The apple is the pomaceous Fruit of the apple tree Species Malus domestica in the Rose family Rosaceae. An appellation is a Geographical indication used to identify where the Grapes for a Wine were grown The Golden Delicious is a Cultivar of Apple with a yellow color The Fuji apple is an Apple Cultivar developed by growers at the Tohoku Research Station (農林省園芸試験場東北支場 in Fujisaki Aomori Gala is a Cultivar of Apple with a mild and sweet flavor Appearance and flavor Gala apples are small and are usually red with a portion being The Jonathan apple is a medium-sized Apple, sweet and full of acidity with a tough but smooth skin [12] In Oregon, the introduction of Dijon clones from Burgundy has helped to adapt the grape to the Oregon climate and soils. [2] In New York, Chardonnay was an early Vitis vinifera planting due to its hardiness against cold weather. New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous In recent years, there have been some success with wine production from Niagara and Long Island though there is significant plantings throughout the state, especially around Lake Erie, the Hudson River and Finger Lakes regions. The Niagara Escarpment AVA is an American Viticultural Area in the New York state portion of the Niagara Escarpment. Long Island is an island located in southeastern New York, USA, its western shores directly across from Manhattan, from which the island stretches Lake Erie (ˈɪəriː is the fourth largest Lake (by surface area of the five Great Lakes, and the tenth largest globally The Hudson River, called Muh-he-kun-ne-tuk, the Great Mohegan by the Iroquois, or as the Lenape Native Americans called it in Unami The Finger Lakes are a chain of lakes in the west-central section of Upstate New York that are a popular tourist destination [4]
In Canada, Chardonnay has seen some success with rich, oaky styles produced in Ontario and lighter styles produced in Quebec and British Columbia. Ontario (ɒnˈtɛrioʊ is a province located in the central part of Canada, the largest by population and second largest after Quebec [4] The Chardonnay vintages of the early 1990s from British Columbia helped generate international attention to the quality of Canadian wines apart from ice wine varietals. Ice wine (or icewine, as one word or in German, Eiswein) is a type of Dessert wine produced from Grapes that have been frozen while In British Columbia, Chardonnay from the Okanagan are characterized by delicate citrus fruits. The Okanagan (oʊkəˈnɑːɡən also known as the Okanagan Valley and sometimes as Okanagan Country is a region located in the Canadian province They are typically light bodied but producers who use barrel fermentation and oak aging can produce more fuller bodied wines. [13]
Australia and New Zealand
Like many grape varieties, Chardonnay first came to Australia in the collection of James Busby in 1832, but it only really took off in the 1950s. The Australian wine industry is the fourth-largest exporter in the world exporting over 400 million litres a year to a large international export market that includes "old world" James Busby ( 7 February 1801 - 15 July 1871) was involved in the drafting of the Declaration of the Independence of New Zealand It is most significant in South Australia, New South Wales — especially the Hunter Valley - and Victoria. The South Australian wine industry is responsible for more than half the production of all Australian wine. The Hunter Region, more commonly known as the Hunter Valley, is a region of New South Wales, extending from approximately to north of Sydney, Australia Victorian wine is Wine made in the Australian state of Victoria. [14] One of the first commercially successful Chardonnays was produced by Murray Tyrrell in the Hunter Valley in 1971. Tyrell's vineyard was planted with Chardonnay cuttings that he "borrowed" from Penfolds' experimental plantings by hopping over their barb-wire fence one night and pruning their vines. In Criminal law, theft (also known as stealing or filching) is the illegal taking of another person's Property without that person's freely-given Penfolds is an Australian Wine producer founded in 1844 by Dr [4][15] The export driven Australian wine industry was well situated for the Chardonnay boom of the 1980s and 1990s and Australia responded with a unique style of wine that was characterized by big fruit flavors and easy approachability. In Economics, an export is any good or Commodity, Transported from one country to another country in a Legitimate fashion For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. To compensate for the very warm climate, richness was enhanced by the use of oak chips and acid was added during fermentation. The process of fermentation in Wine is the Catalyst function that turns Grape juice into an Alcoholic beverage. During this period the number of Chardonnay plants increased five fold and by 1990 it was the most widely planted white wine grape in Australia and third most planted overall behind Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. Syrah is a dark-skinned variety of Grape used in Wine. Syrah is grown in many countries and is primarily used to produce powerful Red wines which enjoy Early in the 21st century, demand outpaced supply and there was a shortage of Chardonnay grapes which prompted Australian winemakers to introduce new blending partners like Sémillon (known as "SemChard") and Colombard. [2]
Being a rather neutral grape, Australian winemakers first approached Chardonnay in the same manner they were making wine from the similarly neutral Sultana grape. The sultana (also called the sultanina or sultani) is a type of White, Seedless Grape of Turkish or Iranian origin Aromatic yeast were added and maceration was extended to get more flavors from skin contact. Yeasts are a growth form of eukaryotic Microorganisms classified in the kingdom Fungi, with about 1500 Species currently described Maceration is the Winemaking process where the phenolic materials of the grape— Tannins, coloring agents ( Anthocyanins) and flavor compounds— [4] While the style of Australian Chardonnay is mostly characterized by the mass produced products of the hot Riverland region, the cooler climates of Victoria and Tasmania has been creating more crisp, less oaked wines with lime notes. The Riverland, also known as Big River Country, is a region of South Australia. Tasmanian wine is produced in the Australian state of Tasmania. [2] In the Cowra region, Chardonnay's citrus notes are emphasized while Hunter Valley examples have more richness and smoky notes. Cowra is a town in the Central West Citrus is a common term and Genus of Flowering plants in the family Rutaceae, originating in tropical and subtropical southeast regions of The Yarra Valley produces the most Burgundian style while Mount Barker in Western Australia produces Chardonnay that more closely resembles those of Chablis. The Yarra Valley is the name given to the region surrounding the Yarra River in Melbourne, Australia. Mount Barker is a town of about 1700 people on the Albany Highway and is the administrative centre of the Shire of Plantagenet in the Great Southern Western Australia is a state occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. [3] A rare, isolated clone exist in the Mudgee region that local believe traces its ancestry back to some of the first vines brought to Australia in the 19th century. Mudgee is a town in central New South Wales, Australia. It is located in the broad fertile Cudgegong River valley 261 kilometres north west of Sydney While the wine made from this clone is not particularly distinguished, it can still be of very good quality. [1] Overall, there has been a shift in style since the 1980s from deep golden, oily wines with melon and butterscotch flavors to lighter, paler Chardonnays with more structure and notes of white peaches and nectarines. Melon is a term used for various members of the Cucurbitaceae family with fleshy fruit Butterscotch is a type of Confectionery made by boiling sugar syrup, Butter, cream, and Vanilla. The peach ( Prunus persica) is a species of Prunus native to China that bears an edible juicy fruit also called a peach The peach ( Prunus persica) is a species of Prunus native to China that bears an edible juicy fruit also called a peach Sparkling wines from Chardonnay are produced in the cool regions of Geelong, Macedon Ranges and Tasmania. MCite/Citephp.--> Geelong (dʒəˈlɔŋ is the second largest city in the state The Shire of Macedon Ranges is a Local Government Area in Victoria, Australia, located in the central part of the state northwest of Melbourne Tasmania is an Australian island and state of the same name It is located south of the eastern side of the Continent, being separated from it by Bass [4]
Despite being more famous for its Sauvignon blanc production, Chardonnay was New Zealand's most widely planted grape variety from 1990 till 2002 when Sauvignon blanc finally surpassed it. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island The east coast of the North Island, in places like Hawke's Bay and Wairarapa, have seen the most success with Chardonnay wine that has noticeable acidity and leanness. The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, the other being the South Island. Geography The region is situated on the east coast of the North Island. for the electorate see Wairarapa (NZ electorate Wairarapa - pronounced "Wy-ra-ra-pa" (often known as "The Wairarapa" is a geographical [2] As better clonal varieties are discovered and planted, the overall quality of New Zealand Chardonnay have increased, particularly from places like Canterbury, Marlborough and Nelson. The New Zealand region of Canterbury (Waitaha is mainly composed of the Canterbury Plains and the surrounding mountains Geography Marlborough's geography can be roughly divided into four sections History Early settlement Settlement of Nelson began about 1100 years ago by Māori [4] Some producers in the Gisborne region have recently developed a cult following for their Chardonnay among New Zealand wine drinkers. For other uses of Gisborne see Gisborne (disambiguation. Gisborne (Tūranga-nui-a-Kiwa is the name of a unitary authority in New Zealand [1] While many New Zealand winemakers are still developing a characteristic style, the Chardonnay produced so far have emphasized the grape's affinity for oak. [3]
Italy
Chardonnay has a long history in Italy but for a large part of it, the grape was commonly confused with Pinot blanc—often with both varieties inter planted in the same vineyard and blended together. Italian wine is Wine produced in Italy, a Country which is home to some of the oldest wine-producing regions in the world This happened despite the fact that Chardonnay grapes get more golden yellow in color close to harvest time and can be visually distinguished from Pinot blanc. In the Trentino-Alto Adige region this confusion appeared in the synonyms for each grape with Pinot blanc being known as "Weissburgunder" (White Burgundy) and Chardonnay was known as "Gelber Weissburgunder" (Golden White Burgundy). Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol ( Italian: Trentino-Alto Adige; German: Trentino-Südtirol; Ladin: Trentin-Adesc Aut By the late 20th century, more concentrated efforts were put into identifying Chardonnay and making pure varietal versions of the wine. In 1984, it was granted its first Denominazione di origine controllata (DOC) in the Alto Adige region. Denominazione di origine controllata is an Italian quality assurance label for food products and especially wines (an Appellation) The Province of Bolzano-Bozen (Provincia autonoma di Bolzano Autonome Provinz Bozen Ladin: Provinzia By 2000, it was Italy's fourth most widely planted white wine grape. [2]
Though many varietal form of Chardonnay are produced, and the numbers are increasing, for most of its history in Italian winemaking Chardonnay was a blending grape. Besides Pinot bianco, Chardonnay can be found in blends with Albana, Catarratto, Cortese, Erbaluce, Favorita, Garganega, Grecanico, Incrocio Manzoni, Nuragus, Procanico, Ribolla Gialla, Verdeca, Vermentino and Viognier. Cortese is a variety of Wine Grape grown primarily in Northern Italy. Garganega is a variety of white Italian wine Grape widely grown in the Veneto (wine region of North East Italy, particularly in the Trebbiano is a Grape variety that probably makes more white wine in the world than any other Ribolla Gialla (also known as Ribolla, in Slovenian: Zlata rebula) is a white Italian wine Grape grown most prominently in the Verdicchio is a variety of white Grape grown in the Marche region of Italy and gives its name to the Varietal white Wine made Vermentino is a late-ripening white grape originating in Spain or Madeira, or perhaps Portugal, and now widely planted in Corsica, Sardinia Viognier (vee-ohn-yay is a white Wine Grape. It is the only permitted grape for the French wine Condrieu in the Rhone valley It even blended into a dry White Zinfandel-style Nebbiolo wine that is made from the white juice of the red Nebbiolo grape prior to being dyed with skin contact. White Zinfandel, often abbreviated as White Zin, is an off-dry to sweet pink-colored Rosé wine. The Nebbiolo ( Italian) or Nebieul ( Piedmontese) is one of the most important wine Grape varieties of Italy 's Piedmont [4] Most Chardonnay plantings are located in the northern wine regions, though plantings can be found throughout Italy as far south as Sicily and Apulia. Sicily ( Italian and Sicilian: Sicilia) is an autonomous region of Italy. Apulia ( Italian: Puglia) is a region in southeastern Italy bordering the Adriatic Sea in the east the Ionian Sea In Piedmont and Tuscany, the grape is being planted in sites that are less favorable to Dolcetto and Sangiovese respectively. Piemonte wine is the range of Italian wines made in the province of Piedmont in the northwestern corner of Italy. Toscana wine is Italian wine from the Tuscany region Located in central Italy along the Tyrrhenian coast, Tuscany is home to some of the world's Dolcetto is a black Wine Grape variety widely grown in the Piedmont region of northwest Italy. Sangiovese is a Red wine Grape variety originating in Italy whose name derives from sanguis Jovis, "the blood of Jove " In Lombardy, the grape is often used for spumante and in the Veneto it is often blended with Garganega to give more weight and structure to the wine. Lombardia wine is the Italian wine produced in the Lombardy region of north central Italy. Chardonnay is also found in the Valle d'Aosta DOC and Friuli-Venezia Giulia wine region. The Valle d'Aosta DOC (or Vallée d'Aoste) is an Italian Denominazione di origine controllata located in the Aosta Valley of northwest Friuli-Venezia Giulia wine (or Friuli wine is Wine made in the northeastern Italian region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia. [2]
Other wine regions
Outside of the regions discussed above, Chardonnay can be found in cooler climate sites in Greece, Israel and Lebanon as well as Austria, Bulgaria, England, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Moldova, Portugual, Romania, Slovenia, Spain and Switzerland. Greece is one of the oldest Wine - producing regions in the world The Israeli wine industry has Wineries numbering in the hundreds and ranging in size from small boutique enterprises making a few thousand bottles per year to the largest producing Lebanon is the oldest site of wine production in the world The Phoenicians of its coastal strip were instrumental in spreading wine and viticulture throughout the Austrian wines are mostly dry White wines (often made from the Grüner Veltliner grape with some luscious Dessert wines made around the Neusiedler Grape growing and Wine production have a long history in Bulgaria, dating back to the times of the Thracians. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Georgia is the oldest Wine producing region of Europe, if not the world German wine is primarily produced in the southwest of Germany, along River Rhine and its tributaries with the oldest plantations going back to the Roman Hungarian wine has a history dating back to at least Roman times and that history reflects the country's position between the Slavs and the Germanic peoples Moldova has a well established Wine industry It has a vineyard area of, of which are used for commercial production Portuguese wine is part of the ancient traditions introduced to the region by ancient civilizations such as the Phoenicians Carthaginians Greeks, and mostly Romania is one of the world's largest wine producers, producing (as of 2003 around 545700 Tonnes of Wine. Slovenian wine is Wine from the Central European country of Slovenia. Spanish wines are wines produced in the southwestern European country of Spain. The Swiss wine region has nearly 15 000 Hectares of Vineyards and the Wines are mainly produced in the west and in the south of Switzerland In Austria, the grape varieties known as Feinburgunder in Burgenland & Vienna and Morillon in Styria was not identified as Chardonnay till the late 1980s. Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich Burgenland ( Croatian Gradišće, Slovenian Gradiščansko, Hungarian Várvidék, Őrvidék or Felsőőrvidék Vienna ( in Wien; see also other names) is the Capital of Austria, and is also one of the nine States of Austria. Styria (Steiermark is a state or Bundesland, located in the southeast of Austria. Today, Austrian Chardonnays range from the rich, oaked aged varieties to leaner, more aromatic styles based on Austrian Rieslings to sweet late harvest styles. The sweetness of a Wine is defined by the level of residual sugar (or RS in the fermentation proces Late harvest is a term applied to Wines made from Grapes left on the Vine longer than usual In nearby Germany, this distinctly French wine grape was slow to gain a footing being only officially sanctioned since 1991. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Today it is most commonly found in the Baden, Palatinate and Rheinhessen regions. Baden is a region ( Anbaugebiet) for quality wine in Germany, and is located in the historical region of Baden in southwestern Germany, which Palatinate (Pfalz is a German wine -growing region ( Weinbaugebiet) in the area of Bad Dürkheim, Neustadt an der Weinstraße, and Rheinhessen (in English often Rhine-Hesse or Rhenish Hesse) is the largest of 13 German wine regions ( Anbaugebiete) for quality wines (''QbA'' In Switzerland, Chardonnay is found mostly around Bündner Herrschaft, Geneva and Valais. Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation Geneva (Genève is the second-most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and is the most populous city of Romandy (the French -speaking The Valais ( German:) is one of the 26 Cantons of Switzerland in the southwestern part of the country, around the valley of the Rhône from its In Spain, Chardonnay has been increasingly used in the sparkling wine Cava. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Catalan wine is Wine made in the Spanish wine region of Catalonia. It is also permitted in the Denominación de Origen (DO) wines of Costers del Segre, Navarra and Somontano. See also Protected designation of origin Denominación de Origen (Designation of Origin - DO is part of a regulatory Classification system primarily for Costers del Segre is a Denominació d'Origen (DO in the province of Lleida ( Catalonia, Spain) and is divided into several separate sub-zones Navarra Denominación de Origen (DO extends over practically the entire southern half of the autonomous community of Navarre ( Spanish Navarra ( for the County see Somontano de Barbastro)---- Somontano is a wine producing region with its own Denominación de Origen (D In the wine regions of the former Soviet Union, Chardonnay has lagged behind in white wine grapes plantings in favor Rkatsiteli, Aligote and Riesling. The post-Soviet states, also commonly known as former Soviet republics, are the 15 independent nations that split off from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics Rkatsiteli (Pronounced "rkah-tsee-tely" Georgian რქაწითელი literally "red stem" is a kind of Grape used to produce white [2] The Portuguese experimentation with Chardonnay has been mostly influenced by flying winemakers from Australia and the examples produced so far are very New World in style. History Wine has been traded internationally since ancient times For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. [4]
New World wine regions
In the cool-climate South American wine regions of Argentina's Uco Valley and Chile's Casablanca, Chardonnay has started to develop a presence. Geography The capital is Curicó on the Guaiquillo river in lat Catalan wine is Wine made in the Spanish wine region of Catalonia. South America is a Continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a Argentine wine, as with some aspects of Argentine cuisine, has its roots in Spain. Chilean wine is Wine made in the South American country of Chile. Casablanca is a municipality ( Comuna) in the region of Valparaíso, Chile. In the 1990s, Chardonnay became the second most widely planted white grape variety in Argentina-second only Torrontés. Torrontes is the characteristic white wine grape of Argentina, producing fresh aromatic white wines In Chile, it has surpassed Sauvignon blanc and Sauvignon vert to be the most widely planted white wine grape. Sauvignon vert (also known as Sauvignonasse & Friulano) is a white wine grape widely planted in Chile where it was historically mistaken for Sauvignon India and Uruguay have been steadily increasing their plantings. Indian wine is Wine made in the Asian country of India. Viticulture in India has a long history dating back to the time of the Indus Valley Uruguay.(official full name in República Oriental del Uruguay;, Oriental Republic of Uruguay) is a country located in the southeastern part of South America Due to quarentine restrictions, plant cuttings were often smuggled into South Africa in the 1970s and 1980s and many times were misidentified as to what grape variety it really was. Plant cutting, also known as striking/cloning is a technique for vegetatively (asexually propagating plants in whicha piece of the source plant containing at least one Smuggling, also known as trafficking, is the clandestine transportation of goods or persons past a point where prohibited such as out of a building into a Prison South African wine has a history dating back to 1659, and at one time Constantia was considered one of the greatest wines in the world A large portion of the Chardonnay plantings from this period turned out to be Auxerrois Blanc. Auxerrois Blanc or Auxerrois Blanc de Laquenexy is a White wine grape that is important in Alsace and is also grown in Germany and Luxembourg (A similar event happened in the German wine region of Baden during the 1980s)[4] By the late 1990s, efforts to promoted "authentic" Chardonnay helped to increase plantings and by 2004 it was the 3rd most widely planted white wine grape behind Chenin blanc and Colombard. Colombard is an early fruiting white variety of Wine Grape, better known as French Colombard in North America. [2] Winemakers in the Western Cape have experimented blending Chardonnay with Riesling and Sauvignon blanc. The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. [1]
Winemaking
Chardonnay lends itself to most any style of wine making from dry still wines, to sparkling wines to sweet late harvest and even botrytized wines (though its susceptibility to other less favorable rot makes these wines more rare). Botrytis cinerea is a Fungus that affects many plant species although its most notable hosts may be Wine Grapes In Viticulture The two winemaking decisions that most widely affect the end result of a Chardonnay wine is whether or not to use malolactic fermentation and the degree of oak influence used for the wine. Malolactic fermentation (or sometimes malolactic conversion) is a process of a change used in Winemaking where tart-tasting Malic acid, naturally present The use of Oak in Wine plays a significant role in Winemaking and can have a profound effect on the resulting wine impacting the color flavor With malolactic fermentation (or MLF), the harder malic acid gets converted into the softer lactic acid which creates the "buttery-ness" that is associated with some styles of Chardonnay. Malic acid is an Organic compound with the formula HO2CCH2CHOHCO2H Lactic acid ( IUPAC Systematic name: 2-hydroxypropanoic acid) also known as milk acid, is a Chemical compound that plays a role Butter is a Dairy product made by churning fresh or fermented Cream or Milk. The wines that do not go though MLF will have more green apple like flavors. Granny Smith, or green apple, is a tip-bearing Apple Cultivar. Oak can be introduced during fermentation or after in the form of the barrel aging. The process of fermentation in Wine is the Catalyst function that turns Grape juice into an Alcoholic beverage. An aging barrel is a barrel used to age Wine or distilled spirits such as Whiskey, Brandy, or Rum. [2] Depending on the amount of charring that the oak was treated with, this can introduce a "toastiness" and flavors that many wine drinkers mistake as a characteristic of the grape itself. Typicity is a term in Wine tasting used to describe the degree to which a Wine reflects its origins and thus demonstrates the signature characteristics of the area These flavors can include caramel, cream, smoke, spice, coconut, cinnamon, cloves and vanilla. Caramel (pronounced /ˈkærəmɛl/ or /ˈkɑrməl/ refers to a range of confections that are Beige to dark brown in Color, derived from the For the 1993 hip-hop single by the Wu-Tang Clan see CREAM CREAM is an acronym for Cognitive Reliability Error Analysis Method a Smoke is the collection of airborne solid and liquid Particulates and Gases ref> ''Smoke Production and Properties'' - SFPE Handbook of Fire Protection Engineering A spice is a dried Seed, Fruit, Root, Bark or vegetative substance used in Nutritionally insignificant quantities as a Food additive The Coconut Palm ( Cocos nucifera) is a member of the Family Arecaceae (palm family Cinnamon ( Cinnamomum verum, synonym C zeylanicum) is a small Evergreen Tree 10–15 metres (32 This article is about the Spice; for other meanings see Clove (disambiguation. Vanilla is a Flavoring derived from Orchids of the genus Vanilla native to Mexico. [16]
Other winemaking decisions that can have a significant effect include the temperature of fermentation and what time, if any, that the wine allowed to spend aging on the lees. The use of Oak in Wine plays a significant role in Winemaking and can have a profound effect on the resulting wine impacting the color flavor Lees refers to deposits of dead Yeast or residual yeast and other particles that precipitate or are carried by the action of " Fining " to the bottom of Burgundian winemaking tends to favor extended contact on the lees and even "stirring up" the lees within the wine while it is aging in the barrel in a process known as bâttonage. Colder fermentation temperatures produces more "tropical" fruit flavors like mango and pineapple. Mangoes belong to the genus Mangifera, consisting of numerous species of tropical fruiting Trees in the Flowering plant family Anacardiaceae Pineapple ( Ananas comosus) is the common name for an edible Tropical Plant and also its Fruit It is native to the southern part of Brazil [4] The "Old World" style of winemaking favors the use of wild, or ambient yeast, though some will also use specially cultivated yeast that can impart aromatic qualities to the wine. Yeasts are a growth form of eukaryotic Microorganisms classified in the kingdom Fungi, with about 1500 Species currently described A particular style of yeast used in Champagne is the Prise de Mousse that is cultivated for use world wide in sparkling Chardonnay wines. A potential drawback of using wild yeast is that the fermentation process can go very slow with the results of the yeasts being very unpredictable and producing potentially a very different wine each year. One Burgundian winemaker that favors the use of only wild yeast is Domaine des Comtes Lafon which had the fermentation of its 1963 Chardonnay batch take 5 years to complete when the fermentation process normally only takes a matter of weeks. [4]
The time of harvesting is a crucial decision because the grape quickly begins to lose acidity as it ripens. For sparkling wine production, the grapes will be harvested early and slightly unripe to maintain the acid levels. There are three main methods of sparkling wine production The first is simple injection of Carbon dioxide (CO2 the process used in Soft drinks, Sparkling Chardonnay based wines tend to exhibit more floral and steely flavors in their youth. As the wine ages, particularly if it spends significant time on lees, the wines will develop "toasty" notes. [1] Chardonnay grapes usually have little trouble developing sugar content, even in cooler climates, which translates into high potential alcohol levels and limits the need for chaptalization. Chaptalization is the process of adding Sugar to unfermented Grape Must in order to increase the alcohol content after fermentation On the flip side, low acid levels can be a concern which make the wine taste "flabby" and dull. Winemakers can counteract this by adding tartaric acid in a process known as "acidification". Tartaric acid is a white crystalline Organic acid. It occurs naturally in many plants particularly Grapes Bananas and Tamarinds and is In cooler climates, the extract and acidity of Chardonnay is magnified which has the potential of producing very concentrated wines that can develop through bottle aging. [3] Chardonnay can blend well with other grapes and still maintain some of its unique character. The grapes most often blended with Chardonnay include Chenin blanc, Colombard and Sémillon. [2]
Wine style
Due to the "malleability" of Chardonnay in winemaking and its ability to reflect it terroir, there is not one distinct universal "style" or set of constants that could be applied to Chardonnay made across the globe. According to Jancis Robinson, a sense of "smokiness" is one clue that could be picked up in a blind tasting of Chardonnay but there are many styles that do not have any "smokey" notes. Jancis Mary Robinson OBE, MW (born in Cumbria on April 22 1950) is a British Wine Critic, journalist Wine tasting (often in wine circles simply tasting) is the sensory examination and evaluation of Wine. Compared to other white wine grapes like Sauvignon blanc, Gewürztraminer and Viognier-Chardonnay has a more subtle and muted nose with no overwhelming aromatics that jump out of the wine glass. Gewürztraminer (ɡəˈvʏrtstraˈminɚ guh-VURTS-trah-MEE-ner in English is an aromatic Wine Grape variety that performs best in cooler climates The identifying styles of Chardonnay are regionally based. For example, pineapple notes are more commonly associated with Chardonnay from Napa Valley while Chablis will have more notes of green apples. [3] While many examples of Chardonnay can benefit from a few years of bottle aging, especially if they have high acidity, most Chardonnays are meant to be consumed in their youth. A notable exception to this is the most premium examples of Chablis and white Burgundies. [1]
With food
- See also: Wine and food matching
Due to the wide range of styles, Chardonnay has the potential to be paired with a diverse spectrum of food types. Wine and food matching is the process of pairing a food with complementary flavors aromas and textures found in Wine. It is most commonly paired with roast chicken and other white meats such as turkey. Chicken is the Meat derived from the Chicken. It is the most common type of Poultry in the world and is frequently prepared as Food White meat refers to any lighter-colored Meat, often contrasted with Red meat. The domesticated turkey is a large Poultry Bird raised for food Heavily oak influenced Chardonnays do not pair well with more delicate fish and seafood dish. Seafood is any Sea Animal or Seaweed that is served as Food, or is suitable for eating particularly saltwater animals such Instead, those wines tend to go better with smoked fish, spicy southeast Asian cuisine, garlic and guacamole dips. Smoked fish are fish that have been cured by smoking. Salmon is commonly cold-smoked to make Lox, and several kinds of fish such as Whitefish Asian cuisine is a term used in the West as an umbrella term for the various cuisines of South Asia, East Asia and Southeast Asia and for fusion Allium sativum L, commonly known as garlic, is a species in the Onion family Alliaceae. Guacamole (called guacamol in Central America and Cuba) is an Avocado -based Relish or dip. [4] The regional influences of Chardonnay can help it pair with different food styles. Chardonnays from Washington, which is characterized by maintaining more acidity, tend to pair well with tomato-based dishes and items featuring sweet onions. This article is about the sauces often used with pasta In some countries "tomato sauce" is also used to refer to the condiment Ketchup. Sweet onion is a variety of Onion that is not pungent There are several varieties of sweet onion Older, more mellow Chardonnays are often paired with more "earthy" dishes like mushroom soup and aged cheese. An edible mushroom is a Mushroom that can potentially be safely eaten including thousands of types of mushrooms that are regularly harvested Cheese is a Food made from Milk, usually the milk of cows, Buffalo, Goats or sheep, by coagulation. [12]
Popularity and backlash
Chardonnay long had a reputation as one of France's great white wines, but due to the dominance of geographical labeling, the fact that Chardonnay was the grape behind white Burgundy was not widely known by the wine-drinking public. Wine labels are important sources of information for consumers since they tell the type and origin of the wine The success of California and new world Chardonnays, partly encouraged by the Californian showing at the Judgment of Paris wine tasting, brought varietal wine labeling to more prominence and the easy to pronounce Chardonnay grape was one of the largest beneficiary. The Paris Wine Tasting of 1976 or the Judgment of Paris was a Wine competition organized in Paris on 24 May 1976 by Steven Spurrier, a British In the late 1980s, a sort of "Chardonnay-mania" developed as wine regions (particularly new and developing ones) dramatically increased their planting of the grape to meet the world wide demand. [2] Chardonnay became very fashionable in the 1990s, as the stereotypical drink of young urban women of the Bridget Jones generation. Bridget Jones is a franchise based on the fictional columnist with the same name In 2002 there were 52 British babies named Chardonnay and another 14 named Chardonay;[17] In 2003 there were 91 Chardonnays born in the UK. [18]
But as more vineyards responded with massive new plantings of the variety, they found that fashions were changing again. The market was drinking more red wine, and there was a backlash against heavy, oaky, New World Chardonnays in favor of lighter wines such as Pinot Grigio. There was a new fashion, "ABC" - Anything But Chardonnay, identified by Frank Prial in 1995. [19] Another reason for the backlash was that Chardonnay was seen as a symbol of the globalization of wine, in which local grape varieties were grubbed up in favor of the big names demanded by international markets. Oz Clarke described a view of Chardonnay as ". Oz Clarke (1949 -) is a British Wine writer and broadcaster Biography Oz Clarke was educated at a famous independent school The King's School Canterbury . . the ruthless coloniser and destroyer of the world's vineyards and the world's palates. "[20] The criticism was centered on the habits of winemakers to pull out or give up on local varieties in order to plant more Chardonnay which offered potentially more income but lack the uniqueness and character of local varieties. Examples of this occurred in south Italy and Spain when ancient Negroamaro, Primitivo, Grenache and Mataro vineyards were ripped up in favor of new Chardonnay plantings. Negroamaro, also Negro amaro, is a red Wine Grape variety native to Southern Italy. Zinfandel is a variety of red Grape planted in over 10 percent of California wine vineyards Grenache (pronounced gren-ash) (in Spanish, Garnacha, in Catalan, Garnatxa) is probably the most widely planted variety of red wine Mourvèdre, is a variety of red Wine Grape grown around the world [4] Despite the backlash, Chardonnay remains very popular. In 2004 Chardonnay was estimated to be the world's 6th most grown grape variety, covering 179,300 hectares. [21]
Synonyms
Due to the worldwide recognition of the name of "Chardonnay", many of these synonyms have fallen out of favor as winemakers use the more marketable Chardonnay:[3]
Arboisier, Arnaison Blanc, Arnoison, Aubain, Aubaine, Auvergnat Blanc, Auvernas, Auvernas Blanc, Auvernat Blanc, Auxeras, Auxerras Blanc, Auxerrois Blanc, Auxois, Auxois Blanc, Bargeois Blanc, Beaunois, Biela Klevanjika, Blanc de Champagne, Blanc de Cramant, Breisgauer Suessling, Breisgauer Sussling, Burgundi Feher, Chablis, Chardenai, Chardenay, Chardenet, Chardennet, Chardonay, Chardonnet, Chatenait, Chatey Petit, Chatte, Chaudenay, Chaudenet, Chaudent, Clävner, Clevner Weiss, Cravner, Epinette, Epinette Blanc, Epinette Blanche, Epinette de Champagne, Ericey Blanc, Feher Chardonnay, Feherburgundi, Feinburgunder, Gamay Blanc, Gelber Weissburgunder, Gentil Blanc, Grosse Bourgogne, Klawner, Klevanjka Biela, Klevner, Lisant, Luisant, Luizannais, Luizant, Luzannois, Maconnais, Maurillon Blanc, Melon Blanc, Melon D'Arbois, Meroué,[3] Moreau Blanc, Morillon Blanc, Moulon, Noirien Blanc, Obaideh, Petit Chatey, Petit Sainte-Marie, Petite Sainte Marie, Pineau Blanc, Pino Sardone, Pino Shardone, Pinot Blanc à Cramant, Pinot Blanc Chardonnay, Pinot Chardonnay, Pinot de Bourgogne, Pinot Giallo, Pinot Planc, Plant de Tonnerre, Romere, Romeret, Rouci Bile, Rousseau, Roussot, Ruländer Weiß, Sainte Marie Petite, Sardone, Shardone, Shardonne, Später Weiß Burgunder, Weiß Burgunder (normally refers to Pinot Blanc), Weiß Clevner, Weiß Edler, Weiß Elder, Weiß Klewner, Weiß Silber, Weißedler, Weißer Clevner, Weißer Rulander. [6]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l J. The Great Chardonnay Showdown, held in the spring of 1980 was organized by Craig Goldwyn the wine columnist for the Chicago Tribune newspaper and the founder of the Beverage Robinson Jancis Robinson's Wine Course Third Edition pg 101-106 Abbeville Press 2003 ISBN 0789208830
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w J. Robinson (ed) "The Oxford Companion to Wine" Third Edition pg 154-156 Oxford University Press 2006 ISBN 0198609906
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l J. Robinson Vines, Grapes & Wines pg 106-113 Mitchell Beazley 1986 ISBN 1857329996
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w Oz Clarke Encyclopedia of Grapes pg 63-73 Harcourt Books 2001 ISBN 0151007144
- ^ Oz Clarke Encyclopedia of Grapes pg 112 Harcourt Books 2001 ISBN 0151007144
- ^ a b Maul, Erika; Töpfer, Reinhard; Eibach, Rudolf (2007). Vitis International Variety Catalogue. Institute for Grapevine Breeding Geilweilerhof (IRZ), Siebeldingen, Germany. Retrieved on 2007-10-19. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 202 BCE - The Battle of Zama results in the defeat of Carthage and Hannibal.
- ^ J. Cox & G. Gigli "Vine Identification – A Botanist's View" The Wine News Magazine, Accessed: Jan 11th, 2008
- ^ a b J. Robinson (ed) "The Oxford Companion to Wine" Third Edition pg 148-149 Oxford University Press 2006 ISBN 0198609906
- ^ H. Johnson Vintage: The Story of Wine pg 130 Simon and Schuster 1989 ISBN 0671687026
- ^ Appellation America Chardonnay Accessed: Jan 10th, 2008
- ^ J. Robinson (ed) "The Oxford Companion to Wine" Third Edition pg 128 Oxford University Press 2006 ISBN 0198609906
- ^ a b J. Peterson-Nedry Washington Wine Country pg 60-63 Graphic Arts Center Publishing 2000 ISBN 1558685030
- ^ J. Schreiner "The British Columbia Wine Companion" pg 38 Orca Book Publishers 1996 ISBN 1551430614
- ^ Radden, Rosemary. Grapes and Wines of the World. The State Library of South Australia, GPO Box 419, Adelaide SA 5001. Retrieved on 2007-06-16. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1487 - Battle of Stoke Field, the last dying breath of the Wars of the Roses.
- ^ Tyrell's Wines Murray Tyrell-Biography, Accessed: Jan 12th, 2007
- ^ D. Sogg "White Wines, New Barrels: The taste of new oak gains favor worldwide" Wine Spectator. July 31, 2001.
- ^ General Register Office for England and Wales (2003) http://www.statistics.gov.uk/CCI/nugget.asp?ID=184 Retrieved 25th June 2003
- ^ National Statistics (2004). It's Jack again - but Emily is the new favorite in top babies' names (PDF). Retrieved on 2005-10-19. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 202 BCE - The Battle of Zama results in the defeat of Carthage and Hannibal.
- ^ Prial, Frank J.. Frank J Prial, who graduated from Georgetown University in 1951 was the Wine Columnist for the The New York Times for 25 years "Wine Talk", The New York Times, 1995-08-30. Year 1995 ( MCMXCV) was a Common year starting on Sunday. Events of 1995 Events 1363 - Beginning date of the Battle of Lake Poyang; the forces of two Chinese rebel leaders— Chen Youliang and
- ^ Oz Clarke. The Encyclopedia of Grapes. Websters International Publishers 2001, pg. 191.
- ^ Jancis Robinson (Editor), The Oxford Companion to Wine, 3rd Ed. Jancis Mary Robinson OBE, MW (born in Cumbria on April 22 1950) is a British Wine Critic, journalist , Oxford University Press 2006, pg 746, entry Vine varieties
External links
- VIVC Bibliography
- Appellation America - Chardonnay Grape Information Page
- Chardonnay Du Monde - website of an international Chardonnay competition
Dictionary
chardonnay
-noun
- Alternative capitalization of Chardonnay.
Chardonnay
-noun
- (countable) A green-skinned grape variety used to make a white wine.
- (uncountable) A variety of wine made from this grape.