All about the Chardonnay variety of wine grapes

Ask anyone to describe chardonnay in one word and he would say rich. Grown in the Chablis region of France it is a very delicate and citrusy white wine. The green grapes used are grown world over and it can be safely termed as a wine connoisseur’s delight. It has the unique quality of being the perfect blend. It is a good blend for most wines and also is an important component for champagne.

The cultivation conditions required:

Chardonnay grows relatively easily and is malleable in any conditions. The soil most suitable seems to be limestone, clay and chalk. The fruit is covered thoroughly by the leaves and careful pruning and snipping is required for the fruit to get the benefits of sunlight and rain. It has to be planted sparsely in order to yield a premium quality grape.

Where is it grown?

Chardonnay is grown all over the world but it has been immensely successful in California ,Australia. France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Israel, New Zealand, South Africa, Canada and other new world countries have also been cultivating chardonnay variety of grapes along with other variants of the fruit.

The wine making:

Chardonnay has the distinct quality of blending itself into any flavor or aroma. Because of its malleability it can be made in any style but the use of oak in fermentation has been cut down. The traditional wine making process used yeast for fermentation. The temperature used to ferment the wine and the time on the shelf is also to be considered. The flavors associated with this wine are region based. Colder temperatures produce fruity flavored chardonnay like mango or pineapple.

Harvesting:

Grapes always have to be harvested at the right time, which is before they start ripening. As they ripen they lose their acidity. A perfectly harvested grape crop produces the best chardonnay. When the grape is slightly raw it can be made into sparkling wine with distinctive fruit aromas. As it ages the wine acquires a toasty flavor.

Food and chardonnay:      

Gourmet foods teamed with good wine complement each other and make a complete meal. An unoaked Chardonnay’s fruity and mineral flavor allows it to be teamed with sea food and butter effectively. The barrel soaked toasty chardonnay goes well with cheese and cream. Well oaked and aged wine can stand up against strong flavors like mustard and heavy cream too.

Chardonnay is a favorite with most wine connoisseurs because of its delicacy and richness. From the heavily oaked toasty wine to the unoaked fruity wine, chardonnay pairs well with most food and suits most palates. It’s a popular component in most cocktails. It’s faced severe opposition because of the oaky heaviness and lost its popularity for a short period but now once again it’s the most marketed and sold wine of all times. All over the world chardonnay is the most grown grape variety. The challenges associated with growing chardonnay and the costs involved in the process of the wine making along with its increasing popularity and demand has labeled this wine as exclusive and expensive.

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