Known as the "window to the winemakers soul", the chardonnay grape produces a wide variety of wines and is one of the most widely grown grapes around the world, from France to Australia to California. It has the adaptability of a chameleon and is a flexible friend in the vineyard, as well as the winery. Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make white wine, believed to have originated in the Burgundy wine region of eastern France. The chardonnay grape produces wine varietals such as Chablis, Chardonnay (of course!), and sparkling wines like Champagne.
Enough history, here's what you really need to know... Wines made with the chardonnay grape can be a great starter wine and segue into experimenting with other wines. With such a wide variety in styles you are sure to find a wine that suits your palate. However, because it varies so much, it is very important to check the description of the wine to see if it is one that YOU will like. You can't always trust the critics' score since your taste and palate is likely different from theirs. Your best bet is to "try before you buy" at a winery, wine tasting, or restaurant. But once you have a feel for your taste preferences, you should be able to pick a bottle from the store based on the winemakers description on the back label.
A Chablis is usually a light, unoaked wine with tastes reminiscent of green apple, lemon, or pear. It typically will pair well with grilled fish or Thai food. It is not necessarily an acidic wine (a good quality when pairing with food), however it makes an excellent porch wine for hot summer day in Georgia! This is a great varietal to experiment with as a wine novice.
A Chardonnay wine is often aged in oak, which can give a variety of added dimensions depending on the amount of oak flavor that comes through. If you prefer a lightly oaked Chardonnay, you can look for descriptions such as "buttery" or look for flavor comparisons like baked apple, nutmeg, or oatmeal. A lightly oaked Chardonnay is a great one to sneak into the movie theater to pair with your popcorn! It should also pair well with the foods listed in the paragraph below.
Heavily oaked Chardonnays may have flavors that compare to butterscotch, vanilla, lemon curd, praline, bacon fat, or woodsmoke. They will go well with Chicken or pork dishes with butter or cream sauces.
A Champagne or sparkling wine is most commonly served at a special occasion, but I recommend trying some just because! When choosing a type of sparkling wine to toast with, the most important information to know is the level of sweetness. Here's a chart (thanks Wikipedia!) with wording to look for on the bottle. It goes in order from the dryest to the sweetest to help you buy a better bottle of sparkling wine:
* Brut Natural or Brut Zéro (less than 3 grams of sugar per liter)
* Extra Brut (less than 6 grams of sugar per liter)
* Brut (less than 15 grams of sugar per liter)
* Extra Sec or Extra Dry (12 to 20 grams of sugar per liter)
* Sec (17 to 35 grams of sugar per liter)
* Demi-Sec (33 to 50 grams of sugar per liter)
* Doux (more than 50 grams of sugar per liter)
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This was great information! Can you tell me how the "shelf life" of a white wine differs from a red wine. Which wines should I expect to "age?"
ReplyDeleteTypically white artisan wines, which do not have added preservatives (sulfites), should be consumed by 1-2 years after release, where as red artisan wines may actually continue to improve with age over 5 or so years. Check with your Wine Consultant or winery for specifics on your favorite wine and then use wine tags or indelible marker to note the "expiration" of that particular wine.
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