Most of the material is adapted from the WSET textbook “Wines and Spirits: Looking behind the label” and conversations I had in class. I’m not intending to make this a self-containing reference book, so the contents will most likely be heavily condensed and may not cover everything in the curriculum. 

4. Chardonnay

4.1. Overview 

Chardonnay is a rare grape variety that is able to adapt a huge range of climates, ranging from cool (Chablis) to hot (California). Its style varies greatly by where it is grown:  

4.2. Premium regions 

AOC: Appellation d'origine contrôlée GI: Geographical Indicator

4.3. Bulk-production regions

Examples include South Eastern Australia, Western Cape, California, Central Valley, Pays d’Oc IGP, Vin de France, Southern Italy and Argentina. These wines are usually fermented, blended and stored in stainless steel vats. Oak flavour is often added in the form of staves or chips. Alternatively, only a proportion of the wine is aged. 

4.4. Blends

Finest wines are usually unblended. For high-volume market, Semillon-Chardonnay (or the other way round) is a classic Australian blend. In South Africa and California, Colombard-Chardonnay and Chardonnay-Chenin Blanc work in a similar way. Viognier is another successful example. Similarly, unfashionable varieties may be blended with Chardonnay in some European regions.    

Previous notes on wine and spirit: 

The Cooking Sketchbook #4 | Basic knowledge about spirits

The Cooking Sketchbook #3 | Pairing Food with Wine

The Cooking Sketchbook #2 | Tasting and Evaluating Wine