Chardonnay

Chardonnay
Grape (Vitis)
Chardonnay grapes
Color of berry skin	White
Also called	Aubaine, Beaunois, Gamay blanc, Melon blanc (more)
Notable regions	Worldwide
Notable wines	Chablis, white Burgundy, Champagne
Ideal soil	Chalk, limestone
Hazards	Millerandage, powdery mildew, frost and coulure
Wine characteristics
Cool climate	Lean, crisp, high acidity
Medium climate	Honey, tropical fruit

Chardonnay (pronounced: [ʃaʁ.dɔ.nɛ]) is a green-skinned grape variety used in the production of white wine. The variety originated in the Burgundy wine region of eastern France, but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand. For new and developing wine regions, growing Chardonnay is seen as a "rite of passage" and an easy entry into the international wine market.

The Chardonnay grape itself is very neutral, with many of the flavors commonly associated with the grape being derived from such influences as terroir and oak. It is vinified in many different styles, from the lean, crisply mineral wines of Chablis, France, to New World wines with oak, and tropical fruit flavors. In cool climates (such as Chablis and the Carneros AVA of California), Chardonnay tends to be medium to light body with noticeable acidity and flavors of green plum, apple, and pear. In warmer locations (such as the Adelaide Hills and Mornington Peninsula in Australia and Gisborne and Marlborough region of New Zealand), the flavors become more citrus, peach, and melon, while in very warm locations (such as the Central Coast AVA of California), more fig and tropical fruit notes such as banana and mango come out. Wines that have gone through malolactic fermentation tend to have softer acidity and fruit flavors with buttery mouthfeel and hazelnut notes.