Chardonnay Wines Are The Amazing King Of The Whites

Chardonnay Wines – King of the Whites

Chardonnay Wines Are The Amazing King Of The Whites. It is the most popular white wine in the world empowered by France in the Old World and California in the New World. It is made into a variety of wines and styles including some Champagnes and other sparkling wines. I will suggest eight chardonnay wines from all price points, because it deserves it. It’s okay if you can’t afford them all, but maybe one day you will. Oaked chardonnays are rich, colorful, full-bodied. They have additional flavors of vanilla and caramel from the oak. Some are made with no oak which gives you more of a crisper and lighter wine.

Many have a buttery taste from undergoing a process called malolactic fermentation (MLF). Most reds and chardonnays undergo this process. Grapes have alot of malic acid which is sour. Wineries add beneficial bacteria called Oenoccocus Oeni to convert the malic acid to lactic acid. Lactic acid softens the wine. A by product of this is a compound called diacetyl which imparts a buttery taste. A cool climate chardonnay will have more citrus flavors like in France. Many will appear a pale yellow. A warm climate Chardonnay will have more tropical fruit flavors like in California and might be a deeper yellow.

France

One of the reasons chardonnay is so popular is thanks to Emperor Charlemagne in the 8th century. He liked it so much that he decreed that it was the only white grape permitted to be grown in what is now the Burgundy region of France. Eventually, it turned into exquisite wines like Chablis, Pouilly-Fuisse, etc. The region of Champagne is not far away either.

You will come to find that many European wines take the name of the town or region they come from. The image on the left is Louis Roederer Cristal vintage Champagne for about $300. Or you can and should buy their non-vintage Champagne Brut (dry) for about $25-$30. Only a pro can tell the two apart. Sparkling wine made with 100% chardonnay sometimes goes by the name of Blanc de Blancs or white from whites. Blanc de Noirs is sparkling wine made with mostly pinot noir grapes or white from blacks.

Also, France is unusual when it comes to making wine. Many producers don’t own the land or grape vines. Instead, the producers buy grapes from those who own the land and vines. In some regions, one person can own a piece of land smaller than an acre. Therefore, the producers have lots of agreements to buy grapes at harvest. These producers are called negociants and they make wine under their own label. Louis Jadot is one of the larger ones in France, and easy to find at the local store. The wines below exhibit different tastes despite being the same grape. Also, there is another type of wine making called co-ops. Groups of people come together to pool their resources if they can’t afford their own wine making equipment.

Chardonnay Wine Styles

Chardonnay is made into several different styles of wine in all countries. Some producers make a steel fermented version, while others use oak barrels. Barrels are usually made from French or American oak. French oak adds some desirable flavors to the wine like vanilla and spices. So does American oak, if the winemaker doesn’t over do it. It imparts more intense flavors than French oak. There is nothing worst than tasting more oak than wine in your glass. Marc West pinot noir is a great example of an over-oaked wine if you want to see for yourself. Some wineries make all three styles and combinations.

American Chardonnay Wines

Spend at least $15 to get a decent chardonnay. My favorite is Far Niente but it has gotten expensive. I love the vanilla finish. Same goes for La Crema Sonoma Coast. For more affordable chardonnays, I recommend Chateau Ste. Michelle from Washington. The climate here is more like that of Burgundy, therefore it makes sense to grow chardonnay. A great everyday chardonnay is Fetzer Sundial from California. It’s unbelievable that they can make such a good chardonnay for $9.00!

Chardonnay Wines Are The Amazing King Of The Whites

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