Nothing says class more than a chilled glass of Chardonnay.
This carbonated white wine gets picked for the finest occasions and has a lot of exceptional qualities!
Chardonnay often gets labelled as “the red wine of white wines” because of its primary and secondary fermentation processes and because of its esteemed reputation.
If you’re stuck with what to look for when you buy Chardonnay online, our wine experts give you all the details you need to be aware of so you know when Chardonnay is the right choice for your next occasion.
Looking for a special drop or want to stock up your wine fridge? Buy wine online in Australia today from I Like Wine! Explore our catalogues to find your favourite or discover something different.
What kind of wine is Chardonnay?
Chardonnay wine originated in southern Burgundy, France, and is now popularly grown around the world, especially in Australia.
In relatively warm locations, such as the Strathbogie Ranges, Victoria, Chardonnay often tastes citrusy, peachy or melony, while hotter conditions like California produce more tropical chardonnay’s, with flavours of fig, mango, and banana.
What is unique about Chardonnay?
The Chardonnay grape is a green-skinned grape that gets used in wines such as Champagne, Sparkling wine, Prosecco, and of course… Chardonnay.
Typically, a drink is labelled as a Chardonnay if it doesn’t use additional grapes in its creation, or uses any Pinot grapes alongside it; this is in contrast to drops like Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, or Pinot Blanc.
Malolactic fermentation is the secondary fermentation process that red wines use, and Chardonnay is the only white wine that uses it too.
This process round ends tannins, decreasing its bitter taste, this process makes Chardonnay more unique than other white wines.
Why is Chardonnay so popular?
Chardonnay is the second most popularly grown white wine grape in the world – after airen which makes wine for many different varieties.
One reason that Chardonnay is so popular is because the beverage doesn’t broadly have a distinct specific flavour or aroma.
What does a Chardonnay taste like?
On its own, it doesn’t have a lot of flavours or qualities so it is a well-chosen drink for those that love the bitter-sweet taste of wine. Therefore, it’s a brilliant go-to drink.
Its neutral taste means brands can make their own imprint on Chardonnay and try to sell and experiment with various flavours of it.
- For instance, Stella Bella Luminosa Chardonnay from Margaret River, WA has hints of cinnamon, oak, almonds, cardamom, and vanilla.
- The Bouchard Aine & Fils Chardonnay, on the other hand, is a chardonnay grown in Burgundy, France – Chardonnay’s origin – that has flavours of nectarine, acacia, lychee, and goji berries.
- Returning to Australia, we’ve also got the Riversdale from Coal River Valley in Tasmania, a dry white that’s ready to enjoy now.
- Full of flavour and exotic aromas, the luxurious Luminosa is perfect for your next celebration
Chardonnay’s blank canvas means that its taste can vary depending on the season, climate, and way it was grown and fermented, and can easily be influenced by outside factors.
It’s often even influenced by the age and condition of the barrel it’s fermented in! Because of this it often has an oaky flavour.
Chardonnay is also easy to grow – it’s currently being grown across 520,000 sites all over the world!
Is chardonnay good for beginners?
Its neutrality makes Chardonnay the perfect wine for beginners.
This is because wine’s bitterness can be jarring and overbearing for inexperienced wine drinkers, especially on top of tiers of various palates and flavours.
Starting with a more neutral wine means it helps newbies get used to what wine consists of, how to detect notes and flavours, and importantly, how to distinguish what they like from what they don’t like.
How do you drink Chardonnay?
All proper wine tasting requires you to do the “five Ss” which are: See, Swirl, Smell, Sip, and Savour.
Seeing means to inspect, to read, and to analyse; this includes not only looking at the wine in the glass, but also inspecting the label on the bottle.
Swirling the wine properly encourages the wine molecules to collide, creating a stronger aroma.
The experience of wine tasting is not properly done if you do not smell your wine before tasting it. So take a sniff (in wine terms, this is called ‘nosing’) and ask yourself what notes or smells hit you.
Of course, now it is time to sip! And the final step, savour.
What flavours emerge seconds after you have taken your sip? Savour the wine to experience fuller and more intense flavours.
Learn more about developing your wine palate in this blog post.
What do you drink Chardonnay with?
A bottle of Chardonnay usually gets cracked open at dinner parties and for almost any kind of celebration.
This isn’t just because of its prestige and reputation, but it’s also because Chardonnay goes down well with hearty meals, such as roast chicken, pasta dishes, grilled fish, seafood, or curries.
What country makes the best Chardonnay?
Not that we want to be biased towards Australian wine: but did you know that Australia has the highest number of Chardonnay grapes growing in the world after France and the USA?
That also means that Australia has the most Chardonnay grapes for any country in the world based on its population size!
Australian also grows Chardonnay across most states and throughout different seasons, therefore giving different flavours.
Including the Margaret River Chardonnay, which has an instant spicy, toasty flavour, with a mid palate of stone fruit and acidity.
As well as the Yarra Valley Chardonnay that has fresh citrus and tropical fruit aromas, a smooth, creamy palate, and a crisp finish.
I Like Wine has a fantastic collection of Chardonnay, from not only Australia but France and Italy, too. Enjoy wine delivery in Melbourne from our wine connoisseurs directly to you.
I Like Wine brings gorgeous varieties from all over the world straight to your door!
If you’re wondering how to buy white wine, look no further than buying wine online at I Like Wine – the Australian online wine store that also sells beers, spirits, and gift hampers.
We offer free delivery for orders over $300*, as well as a $10 flat fee delivery when you buy six bottles or more.
*T&Cs apply
