Wine Grape Cheat Sheets: Chardonnay

The Soundbyte:  Chardonnay may very well be the world’s most widely recognized grape variety.  It was very likely the first wine you ever heard of, and what you will most likely be served if you order a glass of “white wine” at a cocktail party.  The grape itself is quite neutral, but can be transformed via wine making magic into an oak-infused butter bomb, a crisp, citrus-and-mineral balancing act, or even a front porch-chugging box wine.  There’s a lot to be said about the chameleon known as Chardonnay!

Typical Attributes of a Chardonnay-Based Wine:

• Creamy, complex, high alcohol and lush flavors.
• The fruity aromas wary widely depending on the climate.
• The grape itself can be called “delicate” in aroma and flavors, but Chardonnay is very susceptible to the influence of wine making, and can be laden with aromas and flavors of oak, butter, cream, yeast, and vanilla, among others, through wine-making processes.  Whether or not these are “good for the wine” is a matter of personal opinion and much debate.
• Attributes of a European “Chablis Style” Chardonnay: Crisp, Medium-bodied, terroir-driven, fruity, and mineral
• Attributes of a New World, “California Style” Chardonnay:  Full-bodied, highly alcoholic, likely oak-aged, and “buttery”
• Chardonnay is also used in Sparkling wines, including Champagne and Franciacorta.

Typical Aromas of a Chardonnay-Based Wine:

• Fruity:  Green Apple, Red Apple, Baked Apple, Pear, Peach, Apricot, Pineapple and Other Tropical Fruits, Citrus:  Lemon, Lime, Orange
• Caramel: Honey, Butterscotch, Caramel, Brown Sugar
• Nutty: Hazelnut, Toasted Hazelnut, Walnut
• Yeast-Derived: Toast, Baked Bread, Oatmeal, Popcorn
• Butter (from malo-lactic fermentation…of course!)
• Mineral: Flint, Wet Stone, Wet Sand
• Oak-Derived: Vanilla, Coconut, Sweet Wood, Oak, Smoke, Toast, Tar

Where Chardonnay is Grown:

• The Burgundy Region of France, especially the Côte de Beaune and Chablis
• The Champagne Region of France
• Other regions of France, such as Alsace (where it is only allowed to be used in sparkling wines) and the Languedoc-Roussillon
• California, where it is grown in many diverse regions and produces a wide range of styles
• Oregon, where it shines in both still wines and sparklers.
• Australia, where it is a leading white wine grape
• New Zealand, where it is the #2 white wine grape after Sauvignon Blanc
• The cooler regions of Chile
• Franciacorta and other regions in Italy
• Canada, including Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia
• And…almost anywhere wine is grown!

Food Affinities – Base Ingredients:

• Seafood of all kinds
• Crab Cakes, Lobster, Shrimp dripping with butter and garlic…
• Chicken, Turkey, Game Hen, Duck
• Roast Chicken…Roast Chicken…Roast Chicken
• Veal, Pork…Beef.  (About that beef…be careful with the preparation. As certainly as the heavier bodied white wines, including Chardonnay, can pair with beef, that does not mean that it is a good substitute for red wine in every case.   Keep your dishes plain and simple, seasoned with herbs, mushrooms, or grilled onions.  Unless you want to hurt someone, avoid Texas Chainsaw Barbeque Sauce and other condiments that are over-the-top rich and heavy in flavor, texture, sweetness, or spiciness. Trust me on this one.)

 Food Affinities – Bridge Ingredients:

• Corn, Pumpkin, Squash, Polenta
• Tarragon, Basil, Thyme, Oregano and other fresh herbs
• Soft cheeses such as Brie or Camembert (especially good with unoaked versions)
• Semi-firm cheeses such as Havarti, Monterey Jack, Meunster and Gouda. Smoked      versions of Gouda are especially good.
• Firm cheese such as Swiss, Emmentaler, Gruyère, Manchego, and Jarlsberg
• Nutmeg, Cinnamon, and Allspice (but resist the temptation to go sweet…think savory…savory…savory…)
• Hazelnuts, Cashews, Walnuts, Pecans, Coconut (savory…savory…savory…)
• Butter, Brown Butter, Cream, Sour Cream, Olive Oil
• Bacon, Ham, and other cured pork products
• Mushrooms, Onions, Garlic
• Dijon Mustard (think about it…where is the town of Dijon?  hmmmm….)

Note: When it comes to food pairings, by all means—drink what you like!

The Bubbly Professor is…”Miss Jane” Nickles of Austin, Texas   missjane@prodigy.net