The Chardonnay and its different faces

chardonnay different faces

The grape variety Chardonnay is not only one of the most widespread varieties in the world, but the most popular as well.Some love it a lot, but it is neglected by others who claim to be “tired” of the variety. Have they tried so many different Chardonnay wines from all regions of the world, with their terroir characters and richness of styles that no other white wine can offer?

The variety can be found in every wine region of the world, which is due in part to its adaptability to different climates and soils but also due to its wide popularity.

Depending on the region in which it is grown, Chardonnay has a wide range of flavors. In Chardonnay grown in very warm wine regions, tropical fruit aromas of pineapple, mango or papaya appear in the wine and they have soft acidity, while in Chardonnay, grown in cool areas, the aromas of apples, pears, peaches and citrus dominate and the wines have higher acidity.

 

The charm of this variety is that it can be presented in different styles, which depends more on the technology chosen by the oenologist in the cellar than on the character of the grapes themselves. Very often different styles of wine from Chardonnay can be found in the portfolio of a winery. Whether from an experimental approach or to satisfy the different tastes of consumers, it is tempting to try all its styles to get to know the best the different faces of the wine.

Different styles of Chardonnay

If you don’t like the oak and vanilla falovours in the wines and you want to feel the typical varietal aromas of the grapes grown in the area, the fresh Chardonnay, which has not been aged in barrels, is your wine. A remarkable example of the world wine scene are the wines from Chablis, Macon and Western Australia.

Our representative in this style is Chardonnay Early Birds, and the current harvest is 2018. Our vineyards are young, 800 meters away from the beach in Pomorie and they reveal more and more of their potential every year, namely that even without aging in a barrel, the wine grows wonderfully in a bottle and retains its freshness, fruity character and salinity.

The clones we have planted are 95 and 96 and they are preferred for making high quality white wines.

What to expect from a bottle of Chardonnay Early Birds: Fresh wine, with floral aromas, fruity character of green apple and nectarine, medium and juicy body.

The wines aged in oak barrels have a completely different character and  everything depends on the oenologist’s signature. Depending on the barrel (new or used), the duration of maturation into the barrel, the toasting of the wood, the aging on the lees and whether the wine was 100% in contact with oak, the profile of the wine can be very different.

In many of these wines, controlled malolactic fermentation takes place after the end of the alcoholic one, in which malic acid is converted into lactic acid. The wine becomes full-bodied, creamy and  with a rounder taste. Aging on the lees and the batonnage enrich the density and taste of the wine, and in combination with the aromas extracted from the oak wood – smoky, toasted bread crust, vanilla, coconut, nuts, cinnamon and others, a real elixir is obtained, completely different. wine style.

We approached experimentally, both to the wine and to the taste of our customers and we have created 2 different Chardonnays.

Chardonnay SoulmateS has been aged for 11 months in 70% French and 30% American barrels. Аged for 2 years in a bottle, the wine has a beautiful golden color, complex aroma of coconut, cream, vanilla and citrus. It is full-bodied, with a long finish and aftertaste of nuts and fruits.

With lighter contact with French oak barrels for 2 months, in 2018 we decided to make Chardonnay Picky Magpie. It combines fruity varietal aromas, the oak is slightly hinted and well integrated, complementing the aromatic profile with sweet spices and vanilla.

If you like BLANC DE BLANCS sparkling wines, than you probably drink Chardonnay Blanc de Blancs Champagne is a sparkling wine made from white Chardonnay grapes, while standard Champagne is a blend of Pinot Noir, Pinot Munier and Chardonnay

Apart from having different profiles, the various Chardonnay styles are also combined with different food. We advise you to pair local wine with local food.

Even if you are not a fan of Chardonnay wines, our advice is to try all the wines that are served to you, because you can never know whether the next wine will pleasantly surprise you.

If your are interested to find the difference in our 3 Chardonnays and you want to enjoy them, we prepared for you a PROMO BOX with 20% discount. Grab a box of 6 bottle with 2 bottles of each brand.