Chardonnay is hands down the most grown grape varietal for wine. It has endless appeal and is grown in every wine growing region on the planet. Its popularity stems from not only its adaptability to different soils and climates but also from the exceptional ease with which it adapts to different techniques for finishing.
Different regions have histories of handling the grape in different manner. That is why if you ever do a side by side tasting of a true Chablis, a classic California Chardonnay, an Italian Chardonnay and an Australian, you will literally taste a world of difference.
In addition to the growing condition, different regions vary extensively in the time the juice spends on the lees, time in oak-if oaking is used at all- and the addition of malolactic fermentation. This results in a variety of Chardonnays that can pair with a huge range of foods.
So how do you chose which Chardonnay is the perfect white wine for your dinner or party? If does not have to be a challenge. A few simple guidelines will allow you to chose the wine best suited for your food.
The largest contrast is between Old World methods and New World methods. There are, of course, exceptions, but for the most part European Chardonnays will usually be unoaked and not use malolactic fermentation. On the other hand, California and Australian Chardonnays will tend to be oaked and many also use malolactic fermentation, which adds a distinctive buttery quality to the wine.
French Chablis, Loires and Italian Chardonnays will come across as lighter and with more predominant fruit flavors. This means they work ideally not only as sipping wines prior to a meal but will blend perfectly with lighter dishes. They are ideal for salads, white fish such as halibut, vegetables and the full spectrum of soft cheeses. The delicacy of the flavors will not come out at refrigerator temperatures so it is highly recommended that they be served at 50F or 10C. Simply take the bottles out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving.
Chardonnays from California and Australia usually tend to be fairly heavily oaked. You can taste this on the sides of your tongue when you are sipping the wine. These wines will suit slightly stronger dishes than their unoaked cousins. Most chicken dishes are ideal with Chardonnay unless they have strong tomato sauces. Almost all fish and seafood except those with extremely high oil content work ideally with Chardonnay.
As a general crowd pleaser almost nothing tops a Chardonnay. The easy drinkability and broad variety of styles will suit it to virtually all types of cuisine and occasions. Having Chardonnay on hand means that you will never lack for a pairing when unexpected guests arrive.
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