Chardonnay

(Shar-doh-nay)

APPEARANCE

ON THE VINE: the bunches are usually cylindrical to conical in shape while the berries are small, round, and pale green to yellow when ripe.

IN THE GLASS: a full straw colour – ranging from a gentle yellow hue, lemon-yellow white, and mellowing with age to a golden yellow.

 

SMELL

Straw aspects may well show on a lighter Chardonnay; forest pine or resin can be part of a simple Chardonnay. Melons, peach and apricot aromas often suggest Chenin Blanc but are also present in supple, unwooded Chardonnay, as are the herbaceous notes regularly associated with Sauvignon Blanc. Good Chardonnay is often distinguished by citrus fruit – lemon, sometimes lime. The typical odours associated with the variety vary depending on whether the wine has been wooded or not. Unwooded Chardonnays retain their fresh, zesty citrus/lime/lemon while wooded ones reflect the influence of barrels by way of vanilla, butterscotch and toasty aromas – spiced nuttiness with age.

TASTE

As with the nose, the taste of Chardonnay is vastly affected by whether it has spent time in barrel or not. Unwooded Chardonnays can show crisp citrusy flavours while the wooded ones are invariably buttery, tasting of toast and vanilla. That said, whereas once most Chardonnays were big, bold, rich and rather profusely wooded, today they come in many guises, alone or in blends – from ordinary, off-dry and bland, to plush butterscotch or caramel when exposed to decent oak, with unfolding layers of tangy fruit, and supported by stylish wood tannin in the more complex examples. Some of the fruit flavours associated with the variety include apple, fig, melon, pear, peach, pineapple, lemon and grapefruit.

ORIGIN

Burgundy in France is accepted as the home of this grape and is where some of the finest examples can be found – there is some speculation that it is a mutation of Pinot Noir, while others advance the theory that it originated in the Middle East.

IN SOUTH AFRICA

The variety arrived in the Cape as recently as the second half of the 20^th century, initially brought in illegally by impatient vintners wanting to keep pace with world trends.

ELSEWHERE IN THE WORLD

Besides Burgundy, Chardonnay is also synonymous with the Champagne region of France, both as a blending partner and on its own as Blanc de Blancs. California (USA) has achieved international success with the wine using the catch-all (French) term “Chablis” as a strong marketing tool. Australia has had great success in marketing its versions, too. The versatile variety does well in a variety of areas around the world

BEST EXAMPLES

Meursault and Montrachet are considered among the finest white Burgundies, whereas South Africa’s top Chardonnays tend to include Avontuur Luna de Miel, Buitenverwachting, Eikendal, Fleur du Cap Unfiltered, Hamilton Russell, Mulderbosch Barrel Fermented.

AGEING POTENTIAL

Good longevity: premium wooded Chardonnays can easily spend six years in bottle, with some of the French classics lasting for 30 years or more.

MATCHING WITH FOOD

Full-bodied Chardonnays go well with buttery dishes, Hollandaise sauce, rich fish and chicken dishes in creamy sauces, shellfish, ratatouille, salads dressed with nut oil, cheeses… Medium-bodied examples complement crayfish, smoked salmon or salmon trout, sushi or Thai food, mild curries, rabbit, chicken, turkey…

SERVING TEMPERATURE

Between 10° and 16° C.