Chardonnay is the world’s best known white grape, and also one of the most varied. On its own it has fairly neutral flavours of apple, citrus and stone fruit, which is why it reflects the climate and the winemaker’s choices so clearly. The same grape can make a crisp, mineral Chablis, a rich and toasty Californian white or a fine Champagne.
If you have decided you do not like Chardonnay, it is likely you tried one style. Knowing the two main levers, climate and oak, helps you find the version that suits you.
Climate: cool or warm
| Climate | Typical flavours | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Cool | Green apple, lemon, high acidity, lighter body | Chablis, Champagne, Tasmania, Leyda Valley in Chile |
| Moderate | Citrus, white peach, balanced | Côte de Beaune in Burgundy, New Zealand |
| Warm | Ripe peach, pineapple, fuller body | California, much of Australia, South Africa |
Cool climates keep acidity high and alcohol moderate, giving fresher wines. Warm climates give riper fruit, more body and often higher alcohol.
Oak and malolactic fermentation
Two winemaking choices explain most of the differences between styles:
- Oak. Fermenting or ageing in oak barrels adds flavours of vanilla, toast and spice, and a rounder texture. New barrels give more flavour than older ones. Unoaked Chardonnay is made in stainless steel or concrete and keeps a purer, fresher fruit character.
- Malolactic fermentation. A natural process that turns sharper malic acid into softer lactic acid. It gives a creamier texture and can add a buttery note. Many fuller Chardonnays go through it; crisper styles may not.
Labels do not always say whether a wine is oaked. Clues include words such as barrel fermented, reserve or oak aged, and a deeper golden colour.
Burgundy and Chablis
Burgundy is Chardonnay’s home, and as with red Burgundy, the grape is rarely named. White Burgundy, labelled Bourgogne Blanc, Mâcon, Pouilly-Fuissé, Meursault or Puligny-Montrachet, is Chardonnay.
Chablis, in the north of the region, makes famously crisp, mineral Chardonnay, often unoaked or with only a little oak. The Mâconnais in the south tends to give rounder, fruitier and usually more affordable wines. The Côte de Beaune is home to some of the most sought after white wines in the world.
Chardonnay in sparkling wine
Chardonnay is one of the main grapes of Champagne. A Champagne labelled Blanc de Blancs is made from white grapes only, almost always Chardonnay, and tends to be fresh, elegant and citrusy. Chardonnay is also widely used in English sparkling wine and in other traditional method sparkling wines. Some of these sit in the Pinot Noir category because they blend both grapes.
Choosing a bottle
- If you like crisp whites such as Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio, try unoaked or cool climate Chardonnay, including Chablis.
- If you like rich whites, look for oaked Chardonnay from California, Australia or the Côte de Beaune.
- Check the vintage. Unoaked and everyday Chardonnay is best within a few years; some top oaked wines are made to age.
- Look at the ABV. Around 12.5% often points to a lighter style, 14% or more to a fuller one.
Browse the Chardonnay range, and for other white grapes see the guide to Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Pinot Grigio.
Serving
Serve lighter, unoaked Chardonnay well chilled, around 8 to 10°C. Fuller, oaked styles show more flavour slightly warmer, around 10 to 13°C, so take the bottle out of the fridge 10 to 15 minutes before pouring. A glass with a slightly wider bowl suits richer styles. Once opened, recork and refrigerate; most still whites keep for a few days.
Food matching
- Unoaked and Chablis: oysters, white fish, goat’s cheese, salads.
- Lightly oaked: roast chicken, salmon, creamy pasta.
- Fully oaked: lobster, crab, pork, dishes with butter or cream sauces.
The guide to reading a wine label explains region names, and the full white wines range lists every grape.
Common mistakes
- Writing off the grape after one bottle. A heavily oaked Chardonnay and a Chablis are so different that disliking one tells you little about the other.
- Serving rich styles too cold. Straight from a very cold fridge, an oaked Chardonnay can taste flat; let it warm a little in the glass.
- Keeping everyday bottles too long. Most inexpensive Chardonnay is made to be drunk young and loses freshness after a few years.
- Judging oak by price alone. Some affordable wines use oak chips or staves for flavour, while some expensive wines use very little new oak. The back label or product description often says which.
Quick checklist
- Decide whether you want crisp and fresh or rich and creamy.
- Look to cool climates and unoaked wines for freshness.
- Look to warm climates and oak for richness.
- Remember that white Burgundy and Chablis are Chardonnay.
- Blanc de Blancs Champagne is usually 100% Chardonnay.
- Serve unoaked styles colder than oaked ones.
- Recork and refrigerate after opening.
Common questions
Why do some Chardonnays taste buttery?
The buttery note mostly comes from malolactic fermentation, often combined with oak ageing. Crisp, unoaked styles such as many Chablis have little or none of it.
Is Chablis a Chardonnay?
Yes. Chablis is a region in northern Burgundy, and its white wines are made from Chardonnay, typically in a crisp, mineral style.
Is Chardonnay sweet?
Still Chardonnay is almost always dry. Ripe fruit flavours and oak can give an impression of sweetness, but there is usually little residual sugar.
