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Chardonnay Wine

Chardonnay wine is one of the most popular wines made today. The grapes are easy to grow and many new vineyards and winemakers start with chardonnay because it is the easiest to make. Alone the flavor is fairly neutral, but it is often combined with other flavors and winemaking methods to give it a range of flavors, from rich and buttery chardonnay from Meursaults to the sharp taste of a Chablis wine.

Chardonnay wine gets its buttery taste from a process known as malolactic fermentation which converts bitter malic acid into lactic acid which imparts the buttery taste. Without that process the taste is much crisper, imparting a green apple flavor. Oak plays a huge part in creating chardonnay depending on how and how much is used.

Oak can be introduced during fermentation of chardonnay wine, or during the aging process after the wine has been finished. Often the oak is charred, and depending on how much it is charred can give the wine a smoky flavor with notes of caramel, cream, cinnamon, clove and vanilla. Chardonnay can be paired with a wide variety of foods because of the wide variety of tastes it can convey.

 

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