Here Are the Differences That Matter

As one of the world’s most noble grape varieties, Chardonnay often stands in a league of its own. Not only does it produce dynamically complete still wines, but also exceptional sparkling and sweet styles.

And while Chardonnay can be planted and thrive anywhere in the world, it’s often most regarded from two specific regions: France and the United States.

The differences between bottles from the two regions are more than just geographic. Price point, winemaking style, flavor profile, and aging potential also play a role in how Chardonnay is perceived and received by consumers all over the world.

“Chardonnay gives a winemaker the broadest canvas to work with,” says Niki Wente, fifth-generation winegrower and director of vineyard operations at Wente Family Vineyards. “We produce more than five different styles of Chardonnay to show there really is one for everyone. Even in our richer, oak-aged wines, balance is key. We always want the fruit to shine, with oak as an accent rather than a mask.”

Whether it is a steely, acidic expression with notes of green apple and ripe lemon, or a creamy, rich expression with notes of pineapple, succulent peach, and a touch of oak, there is indeed a Chardonnay for every palate.

French Chardonnay

Burgundy, the cool-climate wine region in east-central France, is known to be the birthplace of Chardonnay. And when it comes to prominent Chardonnay winemaking techniques, Burgundy is the pioneer for barrel aging, barrel fermentation, malolactic fermentation, and lees incorporation during the aging process.

With four prominent sub-regions that dominate in world-class Chardonnay production — Chablis, Côte d’Or, Côte Chalonnaise, and Mâconnais — white Burgundy is a wine that never goes out of style. And because of the diversity of place, with varying production volumes and methodologies that go with each area, prices of French Chardonnay can also differ.

At Perman Wine Selections in Chicago, Illinois, owner Craig Perman carries a wide variety of Chardonnay from France including Chablis, Côtes d’Auxerre, Côte d’Or, Mâconnais, and Jura.

“We sell a lot of Chablis, but I also think we sell a lot from Chassagne-Montrachet, Puligny-Montrachet, and Meursault,” says Perman. “We offer styles from around 35 to 60 dollars, and to the older, more complex wines, which can be in the 125-to-225-dollar range.”

If a customer walks in asking what makes French Chardonnay special, Perman gives what he calls a canned response, simply because it is often difficult to generalize the category when it comes to the abundant flavor profiles and styles available.

“French Chardonnay has more freshness and natural acidity, with a mixture of citrus and stone fruit along with a deeply mineral personality,” he says. “We tell our customers that each wine is different, even within a range from a producer, so we try not to generalize and heed to examples of what they’ve enjoyed in the past.”

For various reasons — including demand, availability, and challenging import conditions, among others — prices for some of the most famous appellations of Burgundy, including Puligny-Montrachet, Chassagne-Montrachet, and Meursault, are at an all-time high. This can present a roadblock to those eager to drink in the category; even what used to be considered more value-minded appellations, such as Bourgogne Blanc, have seen recent price increases.

“Expect a Bourgogne Blanc from a good producer to cost between 50 and 80 dollars,” says Perman. “When it comes to the village-level wines, between 125 and 200 dollars; expect Premier Cru wines to be between 200 and 600 dollars per bottle. Finally, Grand Cru wines can range from 500 to 3,500 dollars per bottle.

American Chardonnay

From cheap and chuggable to costly and coveted, there is a wide variety of American Chardonnay available from across the states. However, the grape variety is most notably known for planting its roots (literally) in The Golden State.

When it comes to cultivating grapevines, cuttings are important to the growth and expansion of a particular grape variety. The now-prolific Wente clone is attributed to Ernest Wente — Niki’s great-great grandfather — who created the clone in the early 1900s through grafting hand-selected vines imported from a nursery in Montpellier, France and planting them in Livermore Valley, California.

This act of curiosity is responsible for Chardonnay being one of the leading grape varieties in the state. Today, more than 75% of all California Chardonnay stems from the Wente clone.

“Since we first planted Chardonnay in 1908, my family has been meticulously selecting the best vines for propagation, the ones with the strongest growth, ideal clusters, and most concentrated flavors,” says Wente. “Each generation has continued that careful selection, ensuring the original parent material of the Wente clone remains on our property for more than 115 years.”

Today, Wente Family Vineyards is not only preserving history, but also adapting through thoughtful farming with sustainability in mind to ensure this iconic clone thrives in a changing climate.

Wente says their Morning Fog Chardonnay is the quintessential expression of California’s Central Coast, balancing bright fruit and quenching acidity with just enough oak to lend a lush, silky mouthfeel.

“It’s approachable, versatile, and shaped by the cool coastal breezes that define our vineyards,” she says. “I think the balance in this Chardonnay is what makes it a fan favorite and so well-regarded by critics.”

While Perman doesn’t sell a lot of American Chardonnay, he does carry some from Oregon because, with a more moderate climate and overall cooler conditions than much of California, they largely offer styles that are more European influenced.

“Producers from the Willamette Valley like Goodfellow and Crowley offer good value Chardonnay,” says Perman.

At L’Ecole No. 41 Winery in the Walla Walla Valley of Washington, owner and managing winemaker Marty Clubb states that majority of the Chardonnay vineyards he harvests grapes from are within cooler sub-appellations like the Yakima Valley, Snipes Mountain, Ancient Lakes of the Columbia Valley, and the Royal Slope. In this part of the country, weather conditions are crucial to ensuring the ripening of Chardonnay grapes is perfect.

“There has not been much change in spring and fall temperatures, which helps to preserve the large diurnal daily temperature swings during our fall ripening season,” says Clubb. “This is critical for slowing down maturation, maintaining higher acidity levels, and producing better balance of fruitfulness and minerality in the wine.”

With low rainfall in the region, accumulations of caliche (calcium carbonate, which is similar to limestone, a key soil component in renowned parts of Burgundy, and particularly within the Côte d’Or) add more mineral-rich complexity to L’Ecole’s best Chardonnays.

“Chardonnay is endlessly fascinating to me because it’s a grape that wears so many expressions,” says Wente. “From bright and citrusy to round and lush, it never stops surprising me. There really is a Chardonnay for everyone.”