Chardonnay Wine

Chardonnay can taste remarkably different depending on where it is grown and how it is made. Cooler-climate examples often show citrus, green apple and mineral flavours, while warmer regions can produce riper peach and tropical fruit. Oak ageing and other winemaking choices can add flavours of toast, vanilla and spice as well as a richer, creamier texture.

No. Chardonnay can be made entirely without oak, producing fresh, fruit-driven wines with crisp acidity, or it can be fermented and aged in barrels for greater texture and complexity. Some producers use a combination of oak and stainless steel. Chablis is particularly associated with a leaner, more mineral expression of Chardonnay, although some Chablis is also made or aged with oak.

Chardonnay pairs with a wide range of foods because its styles vary so much. Crisp, unoaked Chardonnay is excellent with oysters, shellfish, grilled fish and lighter dishes, while richer, oak-aged styles work particularly well with roast chicken, lobster, creamy sauces and richer seafood. Chardonnay can also be a very good match for mushrooms and cheese.

Chardonnay is a grape variety, while Chablis is a wine region in northern Burgundy where the wines are made from Chardonnay. Chablis is typically associated with a fresh, dry and mineral style, often showing citrus and green apple flavours. Chardonnay grown elsewhere can produce many different styles, from similarly crisp wines to much richer, fuller and more heavily oaked examples.