Chardonnay
White, from France
Chardonnay is a white-skinned French grape that yields wines from lean and mineral to rich, tropical and sparkling.
On old plates as
Pinot blanc Chardonnay
Chardonnay is a white-skinned grape whose country of origin is France, and it takes its name from a village in the Mâcon region of Burgundy. Genetic analysis at 32 microsatellite loci shows it is the offspring of Pinot - the name used for Pinot noir, Pinot gris and Pinot blanc, which are color mutants of the same variety - and Gouais blanc, both widespread in northeastern France in the Middle Ages.
Today the variety covers roughly 210,000 hectares worldwide and is grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand.
The grape itself is fairly neutral, so the wine's flavors come mainly from climate, site and winemaking. Cool-climate Chardonnays tend toward green apple, pear and citrus with crisp acidity; warmer sites give peach, melon and tropical fruit. Oak aging adds vanilla and toast, while malolactic fermentation can lend a creamy, buttery texture. It is also a key component of sparkling wines such as Champagne and Franciacorta.
Where to taste Chardonnay
1,612 wineries pour it, under any of its names.
Showing 120 of 1,612.
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