Hello All!

today we talk about Chardonnay, which is certainly one of the most popular and widespread white grapes vineyard in the world. The origins are not certain there are those who think it comes from the Middle East and those who think it is a spontaneous cross between Pinot Noir and Gouais Blanc, occurred around the eighth century in France, more precisely in Burgundy.

We are talking about a vine that is cultivated in various parts of the world and as a result, offers wines of very different qualities.

If you like complex wines that age in wood and mature over time, you should try the Chardonnay produced in Burgundy. If you are looking for a more “simple” and less structured wine, you can stay in France you just need to move to the Loire valley.

For the fresher and citrusy version you have to go to New Zealand where, thanks to the climate, you find an extremely fresh wine with almost tropical notes.

Obviously the Chardonnay is produced  also in Italy and more precisely in Friuli and in Alto Adige; regions known at worldwide level for the qualities of their whites. Here you will find a delicate and drier wine.

Tasting the Chardonnay

The aromas

We are talking about a very fragrant wine; depending on the winemaking  (wood or steel) some perfumes change but the characterizing aroma is the butter; you can also find fruit, including tropical fruit and white flowers; for Chardonnays that have spent time in barriques, you will find smoky and vanilla notes that improve over time.

The taste

Also here the taste is very much linked to the winemaking (wood to steel) but we can say that it is always structured (alcoholic component around 13.5% vol.) and savory (rich in mineral salts). When the wine ages in steel, you will always find a nice fresh note while the Chardonnays that age in barriques are drier.

Food pairing

In addition to the classic pairings with fish and white meats, it goes well with fried foods and vegetarian dishes; I advise you to try it with Indian dishes. The youngest and freshest Chardonnays are also good as an aperitif.

And finally … Let’s drink! Here below some of my favorite Chardonnay… taste them and let me know your thoughts!

Chardonnay Ronco Bernizza – 2017 – Cantina Venica e Venica
Navicello Bianco – Bio – 2016, cantina Istituto Agrario San Michele all’Adige
Chardonnay – Jurosa – 2015, cantina Lis Neris

See you soon

Ciao

Ilde