Chardonnay, I’m sorry I doubted you
When I was younger, I thought I wasn’t a fan of chardonnay, but I’m able to admit that I was wrong, and I’m sorry. I realize that I misunderstood this wonderful grape, and the wide range of great wines that can be crafted from it. Some people may be familiar with the classic benchmarks for Chardonnay like the wines of Chablis, and villages of Burgundy, Sonoma, Central Coast California, and of course the sparkling wines of Champagne. But… that’s really just the tip of the iceberg. Nowadays, great chardonnay can be found all around the world (cue up Daft Punk)!
So, what makes Chardonnay such a renowned grape varietal? Well, chardonnay is the ultimate wine maker’s grape. Some of you might be wondering what exactly I mean by that. Chardonnay on its own is a rather neutral grape, but it can be easily influenced by all kinds of factors in the winemaking practice that include but are not limited to terroir, oak influence, and malolactic fermentation.
An easy way I like to break it down for customers who come into Wine Press is explain it like this: Chardonnay is a blank canvas for the winemaker to create a masterpiece. It starts in the vineyard with farming and growing good fruit, and then using winemaking techniques in the cellar to create a wine that is balanced. What do I mean when I say a wine is balanced? A wine is balanced when all the different components come together harmoniously, and no one particular aspect overwhelms the others.
What are some of these various techniques, and how do they affect chardonnay? Without diving too far down the rabbit hole, here are a few of the common influences a winemaker might use when making great chardonnay.
Terroir - First and foremost is the environment, including soil, topography, and climate where chardonnay is grown. All those (and just about any other aspect of the environment) have influence on the grapes that will be grown and used to make wine. An example of this is when planted and grown in cool climate regions these wines tend to be lighter bodied, lower alcohol and have higher acidity. The flavor profile might typically show notes of tree fruits (think green apple and pear), citrus, and minerals. Warm climate chardonnay tends to be fuller bodied with less acidity, higher alcohol, and the fruit profile leans more tropical showing peach, mango and/or pineapple. FYI: these flavor profiles would be considered “primary” as they are derived directly from the grape. Any flavors that come from the winemaking process are called secondary flavors, such as flavors imparted from oak or malolactic fermentation. Some classic cool chardonnay regions include Champagne (FR), Chablis (FR), Sonoma Coast (US), Willamette Valley (US), Tasmania (AU), and Leyda Valley (CH). Warm climate chardonnay can typically be found in Spain, Mâconnais (FR), Puglia (IT), Paso Robles (US), Mendoza (AR), and Southern Australia.
Fermentation Vessel - When it comes to fermenting wine the vessel you ferment and store it in can have a major impact. For example, when making white wine winemakers typically choose to ferment in stainless steel tanks to preserve the freshness and fruitiness of the grape(s). Chardonnay fermented and aged in stainless steel will have bright acidity along with fruit and mineral flavors. However, fermenting and aging in something like oak, which is porous can impart oak characteristics on the wine such as spice aromas and flavors, as well as tannins.
Oak - Oak usage with wine at its most basic level is imparting spice aromas and flavors onto the wine. Some of the flavors you might find in oaked chardonnay include baking spices (i.e., nutmeg, clove, allspice, cinnamon), vanilla, and coconut. The most common types of oak used for wine barrels are French and American (there are others, but that rabbit hole is for another day). French oak tends to be more subtle and spicy with smoother texture and tannins, while American oak is bolder and more rustic. New oak barrels will impart more intense flavors, whereas a “neutral barrel” would impart little-to-no oak flavors. Oak also has tannin and wines aging in barrel may pick these up as well. A great winemaker who uses oak well will find the right balance to add nuance and complexity to the wine.
Lees Contact - What are lees? Lees are the dead yeast cells that gradually settle at the bottle of the fermentation vessel. They are both a byproduct of winemaking and an ingredient in the aging process. Chardonnay that spends a considerable amount of time on the less will develop a round, full, and creamy texture, and impart nutty or yeasty-like aromas (aromas I typically think of are almond, and/or sourdough). A great example of wines that have lees aging are the sparkling wines from Champagne. By law all non-vintage champagne must be aged on the lees for a minimum of 12 months, and all vintage champagne must be on the lees for 36 months minimum.
Malolactic Fermentation - Malolactic Fermentation (MLF for short) is when the malic acid in wine is converted to lactic acid. Funny story though, it’s not really fermentation because there is no yeast involved. MLF happens when a special bacteria called Oenoccocus Oeni consumes malic acid and then poops out lactic acid. Yum! The delicious outcome is a wine that has a much richer and creamier texture. When MLF takes place in white wines like chardonnay It also creates those distinct buttery aromatics. MLF is very common in red wine, but it’s done more so to impact texture.
Well, if you’re still reading this that means I haven’t bored you to the point of closing your browser, and hopefully have a better understanding of what goes into making a great bottle of chardonnay! One thing I didn’t mention, but should have, is that many winemakers tend to use the aforementioned techniques on some of their wine and then blend those parts together to make a more complex and layered wine when bottled. Now that you’ve read this it’s probably time for you to stop by the Wine Press and buy a few bottles of chardonnay to taste test! Here are a few of my favorites to help you get started.
Sparkling:
Gruet Sauvage - 100% chardonnay with no oak influence. It’s dry, bright, and fresh showing citrus and minerals on the nose and palate
Barrat Masson, “Les Margannes” Champagne - 10% chardonnay w/ 30% new oak, partial malolactic fermentation, and aged on the lees for 24 months. This sparkling wine shows a lot more layers than the Great. This wine is also dry but has a lot more layers to it. We’re talking green apple, brioche, chalk, minerals, and nuts!
Unoaked Chardonnay:
Mirth - As Chelsie says “Lemony, tropical, smooth. This unoaked Chardonnay has all the weight and fruit you want without the toasty notes. Perfect for salads, sushi, and even baked salmon.” Available at Wine Press Fenway!
Domaine Daniel Seguinot, Chablis - Cool fermentation in Stainless steel tanks to preserve the freshness of this Burgundian Chardonnay. This classic expression of Chablis is citrusy and bright with the linear acidity that you're looking for.
Lightly Oaked Chardonnay:
Au Bon Climat, Santa Barbara County Chardonnay - Fermented in about 10% new oak, 100% malolactic fermentation, and aged on the lees for 8 months. Round and textured this is a benchmark for anyone who likes bigger chardonnays. We get lemon, stone fruit, clove, nutmeg, with some lovely flinty, stony aromas in the background.
Mayacamas, Mt. Veeder Chardonnay - fermented and aged in neutral foudre and 10% new French oak, 12 months on the lees, malolactic fermentation was blocked. This wine has amazing acidity because there is no MLF, and it is accompanied by a rich texture from lees aging. Lemon zest, green pear, acacia blossom and marzipan are all backed by mouthwatering acidity.
Oaked Chardonnay:
Raeburn, Russian River Valley Chardonnay - 75% barrel fermented in French & Hungarian oak, 50% new oak, 75% malolactic fermentation, and 6 months aging on the lees. A great intro into what an oaked chardonnay should be! Apples, pears, nectarines, accompanied by some creme brûlée, and a touch of vanilla.
Evening Land, Seven Springs Chardonnay - Fermented in French oak barrels with about 30% new, and 6 months aging on the lees. If I could only drink 1 chardonnay from all that I’ve listed, it would be this one! This wine has great tension walking the line between richness and brightness.
Henri Boillot, Clos de la Mouchére, Puligny-Montrachet - 70% in 350L new oak barrels, and the rest in single-vintage barrels. If you buy a bottle of the current vintage save it until at least 2025
I hope you enjoyed my apology to and long-winded explanation of chardonnay, and this inspires you to get out there and find one you enjoy as much as I do.
-Chris (resident Chardonnay connoisseur)
