Chardonnay the Aroma of Chardonnay Is Distinct, Delicate

Chardonnay

The aroma of Chardonnay is distinct, delicate, difficult to characterize, easier to recognize. It often smells like apples, lemons, peaches or tropical fruits. Its delicacy is such that even a small percentage of another varietal blended into a Chardonnay will often completely dominate its aroma and flavour. Oak commonly takes over Chardonnay if the wine is fermented or aged in new barrels or for too long in seasoned ones This delicacy also allows Chardonnay to absorb the influences of both vinification technique and appellation of origin. In the Chablis region of France, it is the only grape permitted and it renders a "crisp, flinty" wine. In the Meursault appellation, Chardonnay takes on a lush, ripe, "fleshy", "buttery" quality. In quality sparkling wines and Champagne, it is the major varietal used. California Chardonnay is as variable because of the varietal quality it develops there. In spite of this variety in style, Chardonnay is unmistakable in the mouth because of its sugar/acid balance, its full body, and its smoothness. Unfortunately, Chardonnay vines are shy-bearing and susceptible to many problems. Chardonnay berries are relatively small, thin-skinned, fragile, and oxidize easily. This makes Chardonnay somewhat more sensitive to winemaking techniques and more difficult to handle from harvest to bottling than most other grape types. Such techniques as barrel fermentation, proportion of new to old cooperage, lees stirring, and partial, complete, or prevention of malolactic fermentation, produce wide variances in the Chardonnay flavour. Chardonnay's intrinsic quality also allows its flavours to be dramatically affected by differences in soil, climate, and vineyard practices. The Chardonnay vine also has a tendency to mutate and research has identified over 400 clonal variants. Each clone has Chardonnay family traits, but displays individually specific tendencies in such characteristics as length of ripening cycle, crop load, berry and cluster size, acid retention, etc., therefore producing wines with various flavour differences. The most common smell and/or flavour elements found in Chardonnay-based wines include: Chardonnay Smell and/or Flavour Elements

Processing Varietal Aromas/Flavors: Bouquets/Flavors:

Stone Fruits: apple, pear, Malolactic: butter, cream, peach, apricot hazelnut

Citric Fruits: lemon, lime, Oak (light): vanilla, sweet orange, tangerine wood, coconut

Tropical Fruits: pineapple, Oak (heavy): oak, smoke, banana, mango, guava, kiwi toast, lees, yeast

Terroir: flint, mineral, Floral: acacia, hawthorn mint

Although California appellations have a shorter history than those of France, distinct regional characteristics have emerged. Characteristics of California Chardonnays are: Russian River Valley, shared by Sonoma and Mendocino Counties (apples, pears & peaches) Carneros, shared by Sonoma and Napa Counties (flinty) Monterey County (citric, lemony) Santa Maria Valley, Santa Barbara County (pineapple, tropical) Edna Valley, San Luis Obispo County (apricot, fleshy). .