Chardonnay is the world's great white grape, planted almost everywhere wine is made and capable of more styles than any other. It is a blank canvas, shaped as much by climate and the cellar as by the fruit, which is why a lean Chablis and a golden Californian bottle can taste like different wines entirely.
Chablis to the Côte de Beaune: white Burgundy's home ground
Burgundy is the spiritual home of the grape and maps the whole spectrum. In the cool north, Chablis stays taut and stony, usually unoaked, with green apple, lemon and wet-flint minerality; houses like William Fèvre set the benchmark. South in the Côte de Beaune the wines turn richer, barrel-fermented and often taken through malolactic fermentation for a creamy texture. Meursault gives buttered hazelnut and ripe stone fruit, with Coche-Dury its most coveted name, while Puligny-Montrachet and Chassagne-Montrachet, from growers such as Leflaive, add mineral tension. The wider Burgundy range shows how far one grape can travel across a few villages.
Champagne Blanc de Blancs and the New World
Chardonnay is also central to Champagne, where a bottle labelled Blanc de Blancs is made entirely from it, bringing length, finesse and the acidity that lets fine fizz age for decades. In the New World the fruit ripens further and the wines grow more generous. California runs from cool, mineral Sonoma Coast bottlings to opulent, tropical Napa styles, while Australia's Margaret River and Yarra Valley make balanced Chardonnay that holds its acidity. For more, browse our wider white wine selection.
Chardonnay FAQ
What does Chardonnay taste like?
It depends on where it grew and what the winemaker did. Unoaked, cool-climate versions are crisp and citrusy, with green apple and mineral notes. Oaked wines that go through malolactic fermentation turn buttery and full, with vanilla, toast and hazelnut.
What food pairs with Chardonnay?
Lean, unoaked styles love oysters, sushi and grilled white fish. Richer oaked bottles suit roast chicken, lobster, crab and creamy pasta or risotto. Crisp sparkling styles are brilliant with anything salty or fried.
What temperature should I serve Chardonnay?
Serve crisp, unoaked Chardonnay and Chablis cool, around 8 to 10°C. Give fuller oaked wines a little more warmth, closer to 12°C, so the aromas open up. Blanc de Blancs Champagne is best well chilled, at 6 to 8°C.