Notable Chardonnay Regions

Notable Chardonnay regions are:

• USA - California and Washington
• France - Bourgogne (Burgundy)
• Australia
• Italy

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Chardonnay Plantings

USA France Australia Italy South Africa Chile Argentina New Zealand Spain

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France - Bourgogne (Burgundy)

Chardonnay was born in France.

Bourgogne (Burgundy) is the world's most famous Chardonnay region.

The area was a prehistoric (Jurassic) sea, and the taste of seashells in the soil, you can also find in its wines.

The most famous light Chardonnays are Chablis and Petit Chablis.

The most famous full body Chardonnays are Mersault and Montrachet.

Bourgogne AOC
Unoaked dry Chardonnay.

Chablis AOC
Chablis (Unoaked dry Chardonnay with high acidity)
Petit Chablis (Unoaked dry Chardonnay with high acidity)

Mâconnais
Mâcon AOC (Unoaked dry floral and aromatic Chardonnay)
Pouilly-Fuissé AOC (Oaked full body Chardonnay)

Côte d'Or
Mersault AOC (Oaked full body Chardonnay)
Montrachet AOC (Oaked full body Cardonay)

The most famous Chardonnay in the light side is Chablis. Chardonnay from Mâcon and Saint-Véran is floral, mild and round, while Mersault and Montrachet are identified as buttery and full bodied.

In France, you often find only the name of a place (Chablis, Meursault, Montrachet) on the label, not the name of the grape.

You are just supposed to know your geography! And the region’s AOC hierarchy.

7 Regional AOC (e.g. Crémant de Bourgogne).

44 Village AOC (e.g. Chablis, Nuits-Saint-George, Mercurey).

Village Premier Cru AOC 640 Climats ranked as Premier Cru. The name of the village is followed by the name of the Climat (e.g. Beaune 1er Cru "Les Cents", Pommard 1er Cru "Les Rugiens", Meursault 1er Cru "Les Perrières").

33 Grand Cru AOC (e.g. Romanée-Conti, Le Clos de Vougeot).

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Chardonnay in USA

USA is the largest wine market in the world, and Chardonnay is the number one selling wine. The best Chardonnays comes from Northern California.

High Quality areas / regions:

Sonoma Coast (Cooled by Pasific Ocean breezes)
Napa Valley (Warmer and more tropical)
Russian River (Cooled by sea breezes)
Los Corneos (Cooled by San Pablo Bay morning fog)
Santa Barbara County (Cooled by sea breezes)

California

California is a southerly, hot growing region with plenty of sunshine and little rain. Soils are warm and fertile, derfor is ripening accelerated: it`s not uncommon to harvest grapes in August. It`s even blessed with weather predictability!

Russian River Valley, Sonoma and Mendocino Counties (apples, pears, peaches)
Carneros, Sonoma and Napa Counties (flinty)
Monterey County (citric, lemony)
Santa Maria Valley, Santa Barbara County (pineapple, tropical)
Edna Valley, San Luis Obispo County (apricot, fleshy).

Washington State

Chardonnay is the most widely plantet white grape in Washington, and the state produces stunningly good Chardonnays with fruit flavours ranging from apples, pears, peaches and apricots to full-blown tropical.

The climate is colder than in California and results in bright fruit and tropical flavors both in stainless-steel and oak-aged styles.

The winemakers in Washington often use french oak barrels, and the result are often very elegant and "french".

Oregon

In Oregon big winemakers from California and Burgundy (France) have invested in new Chardonnay vineyards.

New York State

New York State has a similar climate to Rhine region in Germany: the area remains cool due to proximity of 11 deep glacial lakes.

This results in a Chardonnay with brisk acidity and clean aromas of apple, pear, white stone fruit and melon.

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Chardonnay in Italy

Italian Chardonnay is typical lean and crisp. Unoaked Chardonnay can be found in Friuli, Trentino and Alto Adige.

Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Blanc are the main grapes permitted in the famous italian Franciacorta.

Early Italian wine production in Südtirol (Trentino-Alto Adige), often confused Chardonnay with Pinot Blanc. Pinot Blanc was called "Weissburgunder" (White Burgundy) and Chardonnay was called "Gelber Weissburgunder" (Golden White Burgundy).

In the late 20th century, Italy started to produce pure Chardonnay, and in 1984, Chardonnay was granted its first DOC (Denominazione di origine controllata) in Alto Adige.

Most Chardonnay is planted in the north, but it can also be found as south as Sicily.

The north areas produce a light bodied unoaked Chardonnays with noticeable acidity and flavors of citrus, green apple, and pear.

High Quality areas / regions:

• Trentino-Alto Adige
• Veneto
• Friuli-Venezia-Giulia
• Valle d'Aosta

In Lombardia and Trentino-Alto Adige Chardonnay is used for high quality Sparkling Wines (Franciacorta and Trento DOC).

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Chardonnay in Austria

Chardonnays from Austria are typically fresh and mineral driven.

The name Morillon is traditionally used as a synonym for Chardonnay in Steiermark.
The best calcareous terroirs are in northern Burgenland and Steiermark,
and from some sites in Niederösterreich and Wien (Vienna).

Chardonnays from Austria are typically fresh and mineral driven.

Burgenland is the most famous region.

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Chardonnay in Australia

Australia has 10% of the world's Chardonnay plantings and is the third largest Chardonnay grower after France and USA.

High Quality areas / regions:

• Adelaide Hills in South Australia
• Margaret River in West Australia
• Morning Peninsula in Victoria
• Yarra Valley in Victoria

Australian Chardonnays have changed dramatically from rich, fully ripened, heavy oked versions to less oaked, better balanced, cooler climate versions.

Adelaide Hills (South Astralia)

Adelaide Hills is very well suited for producing cool climate omplex Chardonnay.

With an average altitude of 400 metres, it is the coolest wine region in South Australia.

Adelaide Hills Chardoneys are typically complex and textured with peach and citrus flavours.

Morning Peninsula (Victoria)

The cool Morning Peninsula climate and cooling of the ocean, is ideal for producing Chardonnay.

Morning Peninsula Chardonnays are typically medium-weight with flavours of melon, white peach and citrus.

Yarra Valley (Victoria)

The Yarra Valley has an array of micro climates and vineyard aspects which impacts Chardonnay’s style.

Elevated vineyards sites produce Chardonnays that are typically medium-bodied, textured wines with signature flavours of white peach.

Margaret River (Western Australia)

Margaret River is one of Australia’s premier Chardonnay producing regions.

The warm climate is tempered by the effects of the Indian and Southern Oceans.

Margaret River Chardonnays are typically concentrated, rich and complex with typical lime-like acidity.

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Chardonnay in Chile

Chile produces cool climate Chardonnay with apple, pear, and tropical fruit flavors.

High Quality areas / regions:

Liamari Valley (Cooled by morning fog)
San Antonio (Cooled by sea breezes and morning fog)
Cassablanca Valley (Cooled by sea breezes)
Central Valley (Only the high altitude areas)

Limari Valley is said to be a perfect region for growing Chardonnay. The soil and climate here tend to produce old world acidity, minerality, and earthiness, combined with new world fruit (the best of both worlds).

Chilean Cardonnay is often good value for money.

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Chardonnay in New Zealand

New Zealand Chardonnays get first prize for French imitations.

High Quality areas / regions:

Marlborough (North-east on the South Island)
Hawke's Bay (East on the North Island)
Gisborne (East on the North Island)

Map credit: New Zealand Winegrowers

New Zealand Chardonnay is known to be fruit-driven with concentrated citrus and tropical fruit, but a wide range of styles are produced in New Zealand, from fruit-driven and unoaked, complex examples with elegance, and a touch of oak.

Cool climate regions like Marlborough produce medium to light bodied wines with citrus and savoury flavours, minerality, and great acidity. They often holds good quality, with an elegant balance of citrus, minerals, and tropical fruit.

Warmer climates produce wines with full to medium body, rounder and richer flavours, and softer acidity.

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Chardonnay in South Africa

High Quality areas / regions:

Walker Bay in Overberg (Cooled by sea breezes)

The highlight for South Africa was De Wetshof’s Bateleur Chardonnay 2020 making the "Top 10 Chardonnay in the World" list in addition to winning a Gold medal.

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Chardonnay in Argentina

The cool regions of the Andes produces a mineral-heavy and vegetative style of Chardonnay.

Argentinian Chardonnay is closer to Burgundy Chardonnay than California Chardonnay.