Chardonnay

Question 1

Describe the structure of cool climate Chardonnay

Answer 1

Pale, dry, high acidity, light to medium body.

Question 2

Describe the primary flavour of cool climate Chardonnay

Answer 2

Green fruit (apple and pear), citrus (lemon, lime) and wet stones

Question 3

Describe the structure of moderate climate Chardonnay

Answer 3

Medium colour, medium to high acidity, medium to fully body

Question 4

Describe the primary flavours of moderate climate Chardonnay

Answer 4

medium to pronounced lemon, stonefruit (peach), tropical fruit (melon)

Question 5

Describe the structure of warm climate Chardonnay

Answer 5

Pronounced colour, medium acidity, full body

Question 6

Describe the primary flavours of warm climate Chardonnay

Answer 6

Pronounced stonefruit (peach) and tropical fruit (pineapple, banana)

Question 7

What climates is Chardonnay grown in?

Answer 7

Cool, moderate and warm climates

Question 8

What vessels are used to ferment Chardonnay?

Answer 8

Inert or oak

Question 9

Is Malolactic Fermentation used on Chardonnay? Why?

Answer 9

Yes, to soften acidity and add creaminess

Question 10

Are the lees used during maturation?

Answer 10

Sometimes, especially Burgundian styles, with lees stirring, called Batonnage

Question 11

What blending options are available?

Answer 11

As a single varietal or blended with local varieties

Question 12

In what climate would you see acidification of wine? What about chaptalization?

Answer 12

Warm climate, cool climate

Question 13

What flavours does bottle aging bring to Chardonnay wine?

Answer 13

Hazelnuts, mushrooms

Question 14

List the important Chardonnay regions in France

Answer 14

Champagne, Burgundy, South France

Question 15

List the important Chardonnay regions in the US

Answer 15

Carneros, Sonoma, Napa Valley, Santa Barbara County, Oregon

Question 16

List the important Chardonnay regions in Australia

Answer 16

Yarra Valley, Adelaide Hills, Margaret River

Question 17

List the important Chardonnay regions in New Zealand

Answer 17

Marlborough, Hawke’s Bay

Question 18

List the important Chardonnay regions in Chile

Answer 18

Casablanca Valley, Central Valley

Question 19

List the important Chardonnay regions in South Africa

Answer 19

Western Cape, Walker Bay

Question 20

What flavours does oak bring to Chardonnay?

Answer 20

Smoke, vanilla, coconut

Question 21

Describe Bourgogne AOC Chardonnay

Answer 21

Simple, unoaked, apple and lemon, high acidity

Question 22

Describe the Chablis region climate. Describe Chablis AOC wine, describe and discuss Premier and Grand Cru Chablis wine

Answer 22

Chablis is the most northerly and coolest growing region of Burgundy, at higher elevation and with limestone soil. Often suffers from spring frost which can destroy crops but also concentrate individual fruit on a vine.

Chablis AOC wine is simple, unoaked with apple and lemon and high acidity.

Premier and Grand Cru are riper, more flavoursome and complex and can see oak. They sit on south to south east aspect hillsides which make the fruit riper.

Question 23

What are the two most important villages of Cote-d’Or for Chardonnay?

What is the quality of the wine?

What maturation options are used?

What tertiary qualities are produced from bottle aging these wines?

Answer 23

Meursault AOC and Puligny-Montrachet.

Outstanding quality

Oak barrel fermentation and aging, lees maturation

Hazelnut, mushroom

Question 24

What are Macon AOC wines like?

Answer 24

Simple, fruity, unoaked

Question 25

What is the most important village in the Maconnais? What are the wine like? Why?

Answer 25

Pouilly-Fuisse Ripe and concentrated, wil see oak fermentation and maturation. The slopes of Pouilly-Fuisse are steep and sun exposed so the grapes ripen more

Question 26

What is the level of production of Chardonnay in South France? What is the ripeness level? Is oak used?

Answer 26

High volume, ripe to very ripe, on the best fruit

Question 27

Describe the climate and wine of Central Valley, California

Answer 27

Very warm and dry, high volume production Ripe, medium acidity, medium body, oak chips / staves used

Question 28

Describe the climates of Carneros and Sonoma, What influences their climates? What is their wine like?

Answer 28

Both have moderated climates. Carneros recieves sea morning fog from San Pablo Bay Sonoma's exposure to the Pacific Ocean Intense, well balanced, complex

Question 29

What is Santa Barbara County known for? What influences its climate? What styles does it produce, what distinguishes these styles from each other?

Answer 29

High quality Sea breezes funnelled inland through hills A range from Beaune to new world ripeness - higher alcohol and new oak

Question 30

What is the climate of Napa Valley like compared to other coastal regions of California? What style of wine is it known for?

Answer 30

Warmer and sunnier, especially in the north. Full bodied with pronounced ripeness and new oak

Question 31

What is the climate of Oregon? What style of wine does it produce? How does it production level compare to California?

Answer 31

Moderate Refreshingly high acid with a range of flavours from citrus to melon. Lower production levels

Question 32

What does South Eastern Australia consist of? What is the fruit of these wines often blended with?

Answer 32

A very broad area including SA, NSW, VIC, QLD, but usually warm, irrigated inland vineyards. High acid fruit like semillon, or fruit from cooler vineyards to achieve a balance

Question 33

What are two cooler climate regions in Australia? What moderates their climates? What does this result in? What is their wine like?

Answer 33

Adelaide Hills and Yarra Valley Adelaide Hills has superior elevation, Yarra Valley is exposed to ocean currents from the south (breezes). A longer growing season Ripe to tropical fruit with medium to high acidity and balanced oak.

Question 34

What is the climate of Margaret River like? What is a moderating influence and what does this result in? What is the wine like?

Answer 34

Warmer but moderated by ocean breezes and winter rainfall, producing a longer growing season. medium to full bodied with ripe flavour

Question 35

What is the climate of Marlborough like? What is the wine like? What is the climate of Hawke's Bay like? What is the wine like?

Answer 35

Cool to moderate with ocean influences of sea breezes and winter rainfall. Very good, ripe lemon, peach and melon with high acidity and subtle oak Moderate climate, full bodied with high acidity and ripe stone fruit.

Question 36

What is the climate of Chile's Central Valley? What is the yield like?Where can outstanding examples be found? What is the climate of Casablanca Valley? What is the wine like?

Answer 36

Warm and dry, vines are high yielding. Higher altitude vineyards can produce outstanding wine Casablanca Valley has a moderate climate due to morning fogs and sea breezes from the Pacific Ocean The wine has citrus and stone fruit with varying degrees of oak

Question 37

What is South Africa's Chardonnay known for? What is it sometimes blended with? What is the climate of Walker Bay like? Why? What is the wine like?

Answer 37

High volume production, Chenin Blanc. Cooler climate due to strong sea breezes from the south. Good quality wine with high acidity, ripe fruit and oak