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Wine Me Down: Chardonnay

Chardonnay wines can be “anywhere from bland to extraordinary”…from super lean and crisp to creamy and oaky. When pairing Chardonnay, keep flavor and spice low. Instead, use the Chardonnay to highlight creaminess and buttery flavors!


What to pair with Chardonnay:

· Brie (creamy)

· Lobster (light, buttery texture)

· Chicken Pot Pie (that toasty pie crust)

· Risotto (creamy)

· Popcorn (buttery and light, corn sweetness)


Dominant flavors found in Chardonnay?

· Melon, pear and apple. Along with light tropical fruits like pineapple and star fruit.

· Oak, almond, hazelnut, mushroom, butter, gravel, saline, lemon and lime peel, apricot and toffee! Spend $10-$40 for a good bottle.


Common Styles of Chardonnay:

· Oaky, Creamy, Rich, Buttery

o California

o Chile

o Australia

o Argentina

o Spain

o Cote De Beaune, Burgundy

· Light, Zesty

o Maconnais

o Chablis

o W. Australia


Random facts about Chardonnay:

· Chardonnay is the most widely planted white grape.

· Chardonnay soared in popularity in the 70’s. Humans became enthralled in fitness and health, and viewed red wine as being heavier. Bars that never before even carried wine began to carry Chardonnay.

· The Chardonnay grape variety has a major role in Champagne production.

· The grape variety originated in a small village in France, named Chardonnay.

· Chardonnay grapes are actually pretty hard to grow, as their optimal climate is hard to achieve!

· Chardonnay translates to “thistle covered place”

· Chardonnay wines get most of their flavor from the winemaking methods. It is a wine that is said “to be made in the winery".

· If you see “Blanc de Blanc” on a champagne bottle label you are drinking “the white of whites” and almost 100% drinking Chardonnay.

· The Wente clone (cloned in California from Burgundy in 1912) is the source for nearly 80% of Chardonnay vine plantings today!


Now go get a glass! Where was your wine produced? Are you sipping on a Chardonnay grown in a warm or cool climate, and what effect did that have on the taste of the wine?




References:

Mercedes, H. (2020, March 23). Chardonnay. Retrieved January 27, 2021, from https://winefolly.com/grapes/chardonnay/

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