From flinty and lean to rich and buttery: the white grape that can be anything.
Where it grows
Chardonnay comes from Burgundy. It makes Chablis in the north, the great white wines of the Côte de Beaune such as Meursault and Puligny-Montrachet, and Mâcon in the south. It is also one of the main grapes of Champagne, where it makes elegant Blanc de Blancs.
It grows almost everywhere wine is made: California, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, South Africa, Italy and the Jura. It is easy to grow and adapts to many climates, which is why styles vary so much.
How it tastes
Chardonnay itself is fairly neutral. Climate and the winemaker give it its personality. In cool places, like Chablis, it is lean and crisp: green apple, lemon and a flinty, chalky note. In warmer places, it tastes of peach, melon, pineapple and mango.
Oak changes everything. Barrel ageing adds vanilla, toast and hazelnut, and a second fermentation (malolactic) gives a soft, buttery texture. Unoaked Chardonnay stays fresh and fruity. The best white Burgundies age for ten years or more.
What to eat with it
- Oysters: with an unoaked Chablis, crisp and saline.
- Roast chicken: a lightly oaked Chardonnay mirrors the rich skin.
- Lobster or scallops with butter: rich wine for rich seafood.
- Carbonara: a textured, lightly oaked white matches the silky sauce.
- Smoked salmon and fish and chips: with a Blanc de Blancs Champagne or Crémant.
- Comté and other mountain cheeses: a Jura Chardonnay is the local match.
A little history
Chardonnay takes its name from a village in the Mâconnais, in southern Burgundy. Monks spread it through the region in the Middle Ages. It became a global star in the 1980s and 1990s, when California and Australia made rich, oaky, buttery versions that defined the style for a generation. A backlash followed, the “anything but Chardonnay” years. Today the trend has swung back towards fresher wines with less oak, closer to the Burgundian original.
One bottle to start with
For the fresh style, look for a Chablis or a Petit Chablis. For a richer, rounder wine, a Mâcon-Villages from southern Burgundy is great value. For bubbles, a Blanc de Blancs Champagne or a Crémant made from Chardonnay.
Good to know
- Chardonnay is a natural cross of Pinot and the old Gouais Blanc grape.
- “Blanc de Blancs” Champagne is made only from white grapes, usually 100% Chardonnay.
- Serve unoaked Chardonnay at 8–10 °C and oaked styles at 10–12 °C: too cold and the richness disappears.
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Prices were checked in October 2026 and can change. Please drink responsibly. L’abus d’alcool est dangereux pour la santé, à consommer avec modération.