Chardonnay

Chardonnay

Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used in the production of white wine. The variety originated in the Burgundy wine region of eastern France, but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand . It is also used in Italy to produce sparkling wines like Franciacorta for example. For new and developing wine regions, growing Chardonnay is seen as a "rite of passage" and an easy entry into the international wine market.

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. It is vinified in many different styles, from the lean, crisply mineral wines of Chablis, France, to New World wines with oak, and tropical fruit flavors. In cool climates (such as Chablis and the Carneros AVA of California), Chardonnay tends to be medium to light body with noticeable acidity and flavors of green plum, apple, and pear. In warmer locations (such as the Adelaide Hills and Mornington Peninsula in Australia and Gisborne and Marlborough region of New Zealand), the flavors become more citrus, peach, and melon, while in very warm locations (such as the Central Coast AVA of California), more fig and tropical fruit notes such as banana and mango come out. Wines that have gone through malolactic fermentation tend to have softer acidity and fruit flavors with buttery mouthfeel and hazelnut notes.

Chardonnay is an important component of many sparkling wines around the world, including Champagne. A peak in popularity in the late 1980s gave way to a backlash among those wine connoisseur who saw the grape as a leading negative component of the globalization of wine. Nonetheless, it remains one of the most widely planted grape varieties, with over 160,000 hectares (400,000 acres) worldwide, second only to Airén among white wine grapes and planted in more wine regions than any other grape – including Cabernet Sauvignon.

Chardonnay is currently one of the most popular varieties in the UK with over 190 vineyards reported to be cultivating.

Wine styles: 

Chablis, white Burgundy, Champagne, Italian Franciacorta

Synonyms: 

Aubaine
Beaunois
Gamay blanc
Melon blanc

Hazards: 

Millerandage, powdery mildew, frost and coulure

UK Area in production 2015: 

353.37 Hectares

UK Area in production 2017: 

517.96 Hectares

Chardonnay Grape Vine

Northernmost Vineyard Growing Chardonnay in UK & Eire

Latitude

Burn Valley Vineyard

Burn Valley Vineyard
North Creake
Fakenham NR21 9LE
Norfolk
52° 54' 43.0848" N

Largest Vineyard Growing Chardonnay in UK & Eire

Denbies Wine Estate Ltd

Visitor Centre
London Rd
Dorking RH5 6AA
Phone: 01306 876616
Surrey

Chardonnay Where?

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