Chapter 10 Chardonnay Flashcards
What are the main characteristics of Chardonnay?
A white grape variety prized for its ability to produce outstanding quality wines in cool, moderate and warm climates.
It can produce a broad range of wines from inexpensive high volume brands to premium quality wines that can evolve for decades in the bottle.
A cool climatic Chardonnay has high acidity, light to medium body and flavours of green and citrus fruits and wet stones. Moderate climate Chardonnay has medium to high acidity, medium to full body and flavours of lemon, stone fruits and sometimes tropical fruits. A warm climate Chardonnay has full body, medium to high acidity and strong flavours of stone fruit and tropical fruit.
Winemaking and Maturation Options:
Acidification to balance the alcohol and body of the wine
Malolactic conversion (adds dairy flavours such as butter and cream)
Lees contact during maturation
Oak barrel fermentation and or maturation can add body and flavours (smoke, vanilla, coconut)
Oak Chips or Staves
Very good or outstanding Chardonnays can age in the bottle for decades and can develop complex tertiary flavours (hazelnut, mushroom).
France:
Burgundy.
Bourgogne AOC…..can be made from grapes anywhere the regional appellation normally wines with simple apple and lemon characteristics and high acidity.
Chablis AOC. A village appellation. Cool climate in northern burgundy produces dry wines with high acidity, flavours of apple, lemon and wet stones. The best vineyards labelled Premier Cru or Grand Cru are typically situated on hillsides that face south/southeast. This increases sun exposure thus producing riper grapes resulting in flavourful and complex wines. Frost is a danger and can limit harvests. Oak flavours not present. Fermentation in inert vessels.
Côte d’Or. Moderate climate and grapes achieve more ripe fruit flavours. Chardonnay production focused on Beaune. The villages of Meursault AOC and Puligny-Montrachet AOC are famous for producing very good or outstanding quality Chardonnay. The pinnacle of Chardonnay production. Complexity and body are added by fermenting and or maturing in oak barrels and ageing them in contact with their lees. The wines can develop tertiary flavours (hazelnut, mushroom) in the bottle for decades. Expensive.
Maconnais. Fruity and unoaked Chardonnay. Village of Pouilly-Fuisse AOC offer high quality wines with concentrated stone fruit and tropical fruit flavours. Often fermented and or matured in oak barrels to add body and flavour complexity.
South of France. Normally labelled IGP, this warm climate area produces high volumes of ripe fruity Chardonnay with flavours of peach, pineapple and banana. Very good or outstanding wines may see barrel fermentation and or maturation. Oak chips or staves more common in high volume branded wines to lower the cost.
USA:
California. Widely planted and produces all quality levels of wine. In the central valley mass produced grapes for high volume brands. Wines have peach and pineapple flavours, medium acidity and body, any secondary oak likely from oak chipping or staves, wine will be labelled California.
Regions closer to the coast are capable of producing high quality Chardonnay. The coastal influences moderate the climate allowing for a longer slower ripening season. Carneros is cooled by morning fogs that come from San Pablo Bay. Coastal vineyards of Sonoma are cooled by Pacific sea breezes….these help the grapes retain acidity while developing complex fruit flavours. Napa Valley increasingly warm and sunny the further north, produces full bodied Chardonnay with tropical fruit flavours with vanilla and spice from new oak. Santa Barbara County benefits from cooling sea breezes funnelled by lateral valleys. Styles similar to Cote de Beaune through to more tropical flavours….again in new oak.
Oregon. Moderate climate. Chardonnay has refreshingly high acidity and a broad range of flavours.
Australia:
South Eastern Australia labelled wines can be made from grapes grown anywhere in the region, sometimes blended. Adelaide Hills in SA is cooled by altitude and the Yarra Valley in V is cooled by southerly ocean currents. The moderating influences allow for a longer ripening period. Produces wines with ripe stone fruit flavours and occasionally tropical fruit flavours. Medium to high acidity, carefully balanced oak flavours. Margaret River in WA produces consistently high quality Chardonnay. Cooling sea breezes extend the ripening season. Medium to full body with ripe stone fruit(peach) and tropical fruit flavours.
New Zealand:
Marlborough. Cool to moderate region. Ocean influences. Very good quality Chardonnay. Ripe lemon, peach and melon flavours, high natural acidity and subtle oak flavours. Hawkes Bay has a moderate climate and Chardonnay widely planted. Full bodied wines balanced by high acidity and pronounced fruit flavours.
Chile:
Casablanca Valley is exposed to sea breezes and morning fogs, elongating the growing season. Refreshing wines with citrus and stone fruit flavours with varying levels of oak. The warmer central valley produces full range of quality from high volume to outstanding examples from vineyards benefitting from altitude.
South Africa:
Western Cape…..high volume brands in hot inland vineyards often blended. Walker Bay is coolest in SA due to exposure to ocean breezes and has a reputation for producing very good quality Chardonnay with high acidity and ripe ston, tropical fruit and oak flavours.
