For climatic reasons, the two regions tend to produce very different wines. Since California is a very big place with numerous microclimates and winemaking ideologies, expect big variations in style.
Archetypal, hotter-climate Californian Chardonnay i. Russian River Valley, Carneros, Napa is one of the richest styles of white wine on the planet, and the aromas concentrate on very ripe to overripe yellow orchard, citrus, and tropical fruit. The wines also typically have a butter-and-cream texture and aroma coming from diacetyl and malolactic fermentation.
Aggressive oak usage is also fairly typical, especially at higher price points. Winemakers encourage this conversion to reduce the perception of sharp acidity in favor of the rounder, creamier lactic acid, with notes of, well, butter. This white grape has a long, noble history, which starts with its Old World roots in Burgundy. Some of most coveted, and therefore expensive, Chardonnays in the world come from this region in France. Eventually, the grape made its way to California, where it became the most widely planted white variety in the state.
America fell in love with Chardonnay because it produces a wine that appeals to a wide audience. A winemaker who wants their Chardonnay to taste crisp and bright often uses stainless steel to ferment and store the wine before bottling.
When a winemaker seeks to create a fuller-bodied wine with secondary flavors of vanilla and spice, they can ferment and age the wine in oak, or ferment in stainless steel and age in oak afterward. Oaked Chardonnay often undergoes partial or full MLF while in barrel, as well as sees contact with the lees dead yeast. The vanilla and spice flavors, plus round, creamy texture from micro-oxygenation, lees contact, and MLF produce a wine that is the stylistic opposite of unoaked Chardonnay.
The differences between wines of different regions are largely due to climate and winemaking traditions. Thus, we can break down Chardonnay between cool versus warm regions and old world versus new world, within that context.
Cool Climate Chardonnay: Cooler regions can be found in both the old and new world. Cooler climate Chardonnay typically has more acidity, citrus flavors and mineral character, and is lighter-bodied, lighter in alcohol and elegant.
Warm Climate Chardonnay: Most warm climate Chardonnay regions fall within the new world. They are used to make not just Chardonnay, but Champagne, sparkling wine, and dessert wine as well. The grapes used in Chardonnay white wine are yellow-green at first ripening, and often darken to yellow or green-brown by harvest. These small, round grapes maintain quite high acidity and green fruit flavors in cool climates, but take on tropical fruit flavors in warmth.
Chardonnay of esteemed quality can be made in most any climate. But the best qualities in Chardonnay grapes are expressed in areas with soil high in chalk, clay, and limestone. Indeed, Chardonnay grapes truly take on the flavor of their terroir that is, the soil and climate they are grown in.
This allows for many styles of Chardonnay to be produced, from smoky and citrusy wines to mineral-driven wines to honeyed tropical ones.
Because Chardonnay grapes are so expressive of their terroir, the range of resulting flavors is incredibly nuanced and diverse. The primary fruit flavors can be anywhere from meyer lemon zest to passionfruit to baked apples.
A cooler climate Chardonnay will be more citrus-forward. Meanwhile, a warmer climate or late harvest Chardonnay will have a bit less acidity, with notes of papaya, pineapple, or fig. In certain soils, Chardonnay picks up flavors of wet flint rocks, beeswax, or jasmine. Indeed, a whole host of other flavors are imparted not by the soil, or by the grapes, but by the winemaking process.
The butter flavor comes from diacetyl, a byproduct of the malolactic fermentation process within the oak barrel. This is a process most red wines go through. However, Chardonnay is one of the few white wines that has the depth and strength to stand up to it.
Malolactic fermentation MLF is a process where Oenococcus oeni a good bacteria converts malic acid into lactic acid. Malic acid is something found in grapes and green apples, which contributes to their tartness. Lactic acid, on the other hand, is found in dairy products. It is a softer, creamier acid. So you can already see how this process can transform an acidic wine into a creamy one. Winemakers may add different strains of bacteria to strengthen or diminish this chemical process. Or they may simply trust nature to do its work.
Chardonnay that is aged in oak barrels may also express notes of vanilla, coconut, and baking spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. It often tends toward more tropical fruit flavors. Not all Chardonnay is oaked though, and unoaked Chardonnay has a very different personality than her smooth sister. Unoaked Chardonnay is made in stainless steel barrels.
Instead, it has a crisp taste and tart flavors of lemon, pear and green apple — a bit like a Pinot Grigio, but less floral. This white wine is fresh, bright, and distinctly dry. The notes of acid and minerality are truly allowed to shine through, which makes it tingly and light on the tongue.
At this point, you might be wondering how such distinctly different wine styles came about! No-oak Chardonnay makes an excellent partner for fresh seafood. Think sushi, white fish, oysters on the half shell, clams, lobster, crab, and other lightly seasoned shellfish. The crisp notes of unoaked Chardonnay play well against light and buttery poultry dishes like chicken piccata and mild, creamy cheeses, including brie, mozzarella, and fontina. For dessert, try fresh fruit, lemon cheesecake, vanilla pudding, or apricot tarts.
Oaky Chardonnays can stand up to more substantial and fatty seafood, including grilled or smoked salmon, crab cakes, and herb-crusted halibut. The bolder style of this white wine also complements pork tenderloin and meatless pasta dishes like mushroom risotto and butternut squash or pumpkin ravioli. Believe it or not, the type of wine glass you use makes a difference. You'll believe it once you read the science behind it. As researchers have pointed out, the shape of a glass affects how wine vapor rises, which impacts the taste and fragrance.
With this in mind, it's best to serve Chardonnay in a standard white wine or sparkling wine glass — the smaller bowl preserves the wine's delicate, delightful aromas while the longer stem keeps your hands from warming it up. That said, we won't discourage you from drinking wine straight out of the bottle. In fact, we encourage it. At least in certain circumstances. Just take a look at our Usual Wines Brut sparkling white wine and you'll understand why.
Whether you're planning a special event or just staying in for the evening, Chardonnay wine is always a good time. Even though Chardonnay had gotten a bad rap for a while you can blame some of it on the Bridget Jones Effect , this incredibly popular white wine continues to endure. This resilient little grape is found worldwide and offers a wide breadth of flavors depending on where it grows and how it's made.
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