Chardonnay

	Our first bottle of Chardonnay coming off the bottling line. We bottled 60 cases, and they will go fast. Tastes like Rombauer but at half the price. Click here to see the wine being bottled.

Color: White Grape Variety White
Notes: Chardonnay produces the white wines of Burgundy as well as being widely planted in the rest of the world. It is used in blends and varietal wines. It is also known as Aubaine (Burgundy), Noirien Blanc (Eastern France), Pinot Chardonnay, Auvernat Blanc (Loire), Auxerrois Blanc (Moselle) and Beaunois (Burgundy).

Alt names: Morillon

The best Chardonnays in the world continue to arrive from the region where the grape first emerged: the chalk, clay, and limestone vineyards of Burgundy and Chablis. While the origins of the grape were disputed for many years, with some speculating that the grape came all the way from the Middle East, DNA researchers at the University of California-Davis proved in 1999 that Chardonnay actually developed, most likely in eastern France, as a cross between a member of the "Pinot" family and an ancient, and nearly extinct variety called Gouais Blanc.

Chardonnay vines are temperamental, as they are relatively small, thin-skinned, fragile, and oxidize easily. Furthermore, harvest time is crucial to winemaking, for the grape loses acidity rapidly once it ripens.

A particularly delicate grape, Chardonnay readily expresses the characteristics of the growing region as well as the specific techniques employed in the winery.

Courtesy of Organizational Development Services Plus | Updated March 17, 2010