Oak-aged Chardonnay is particularly popular in the United States. Here is a glass of Chardonnay photographed on The Lawn of the University of Virginia, with Thomas Jefferson's Rotunda reflected in the wine.

Chardonnay vines in Burgundy.

Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make a white varietal wine. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1280x960, 136 KB) Other versions Originally from en. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1280x960, 136 KB) Other versions Originally from en. ... The West Lawn in snow, 1914. ... The University of Virginia (also called U.Va. ... Thomas Jefferson (April 13, 1743 N.S. – July 4, 1826) was the third President of the United States (1801–1809), the principal author of the Declaration of Independence (1776), and an influential founder of the United States. ... Jeffersons Rotunda, University of Virginia. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2560x1920, 3322 KB) Description: Chardonnay grape vines in Chassagne Montrachet, Burgundy 2005 Photographer: User:Justinc File links The following pages link to this file: Chardonnay Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2560x1920, 3322 KB) Description: Chardonnay grape vines in Chassagne Montrachet, Burgundy 2005 Photographer: User:Justinc File links The following pages link to this file: Chardonnay Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to... Species Vitis acerifolia Vitis aestivalis Vitis amurensis Vitis arizonica Vitis x bourquina Vitis californica Vitis x champinii Vitis cinerea Vitis x doaniana Vitis girdiana Vitis labrusca Vitis x labruscana Vitis lincecumii Vitis monticola Vitis mustangensis Vitis x novae-angliae Vitis palmata Vitis riparia Vitis rotundifolia Vitis rupestris Vitis shuttleworthii Vitis... In botanical nomenclature, variety is a rank below that of species: As such, it gets a ternary name (a name in three parts). ... Varietal describes wines made from a single named grape variety. ... Wine is an alcoholic beverage produced by the fermentation of the juice of fruits, usually grapes. ...

It is believed to be named after the village of Chardonnay in the Mâconnais region of France, where Pouilly-Fuissé is currently produced and it is possible that the variety was first bred there. DNA fingerprinting research at the University of California, Davis suggests that Chardonnay has originated as a cross between Pinot and the Croatian Gouais Blanc grape varieties. Gouais Blanc is not popular in its own right and is almost extinct. The Mâconnais region is the southern limit of the Burgundy region in France(Bourgogne in French). ... Pouilly-Fuissé is a dry, medium-full bodied, white wine from the Burgundy wine-producing region of France located approximately in the center of the country and is commonly made from the chardonnay grape variety. ... Genetic fingerprinting or DNA testing is a technique to distinguish between individuals of the same species using only samples of their DNA. Its invention by Sir Alec Jeffreys at the University of Leicester was announced in 1985. ... The University of California, Davis, commonly known as UC Davis, is a public, coeducational university located in Davis, California, which is about fifteen miles west of Sacramento in Californias Central Valley. ... A Greek cross (all arms of equal length) above a saltire, a cross rotated by 45 degrees For other uses, see Cross (disambiguation). ... Pinot can refer to several grape varieties, as well as their associated varietal wines: Pinot Blanc Pinot Grigio / Pinot Gris Pinot Meunier Pinot Noir This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Gouais Blanc is a white grape variety that is hardly grown any more. ...

Chardonnay is also known by the names Aubaine, Beaunois, Melon Blanc, and historically, Pinot Chardonnay. Pinot can refer to several grape varieties, as well as their associated varietal wines: Pinot Blanc Pinot Grigio / Pinot Gris Pinot Meunier Pinot Noir This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...

Part of the attraction of Chardonnay, for wine makers and lovers alike, is its versatility. In the U.S., it is often made using full malolactic fermentation to soften the acidity and some oak handling. Without oak, Chardonnay generally produces a soft wine, often with fruity flavors. When aged with oak, Chardonnay can acquire a smokey, vanilla, caramel, and butter aroma. The origin of the oak - either French or American - will affect the final flavor, along with the degree to which any oak barrels were toasted. For budget wines, the oak is added as staves or even chips to stainless steel containers, which is cheaper than oak barrels. United States is the current Good Article Collaboration of the week! Please help to improve this article to the highest of standards. ... Malolactic fermentation is a process of fermentation where tart malic acid is converted to softer-tasting lactic acid. ... Species See List of Quercus species The term oak can be used as part of the common name of any of several hundred species of trees and shrubs in the genus Quercus, and some related genera, notably Cyclobalanopsis and Lithocarpus. ...

In the historic home of Chardonnay, the much cooler climate winemaking region of Chablis, oak treatment of wine has traditionally been unpopular. Malolactic fermentation is not typically used either. This produces a wine with generally more noticeable acidity which focuses on minerality and purity. Other regions of Burgundy produce more full-bodied styles that have oak and cheese-like aromas. Winemakers often use carboys like these for ferment smaller quantities of wine Winemaking, or vinification, is the process of wine production, from the selection of grapes to the bottling of finished wine. ... The Chablis wine region is the northernmost sector of Burgundy, France, and also the name of a town located there. ... Chardonnay vineyards in the south of the Côte de Beaune surrounding the town of Meursault. ... Cheese is a solid food made from the milk of cows, goats, sheep, and other mammals. ...

Chardonnay is also an important component in Champagne and there are some 100% Chardonnay Champagnes labeled blanc de blancs. It is also used by sparkling wine producers who want to produce a Champagne-like wine. Champagne is often drunk as part of a celebration Champagne is a sparkling wine produced by inducing the secondary fermentation of wine. ...

In 2001, Chardonnay stood eighth-ranked in global planting of grape varieties by area, with an estimated 140,000 hectares, mostly in the United States of America, France, Australia and Italy. Its popularity (and its vapidity, according to some) have caused a backlash from some wine lovers, who declare themselves interested in ABC, or Anything But Chardonnay. Wine expert Oz Clarke noted that some wine drinkers view Chardonnay as "...the ruthless colonizer and destroyer of the world's vineyards and the world's palates."^[1] This popularity led to a character in the British TV series Footballers' Wives being named Chardonnay. 2001: A Space Odyssey. ... A hectare (symbol ha) is a unit of area, equal to 10,000 square meters, commonly used for measuring land area. ... Oz Clarke is a well-known British wine expert. ... This article or section is not written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia article. ...

In Australia and New Zealand, Chardonnay varietal wines are among the most popular white wines. As of 2005, Chardonnay is the most widely planted grape in Australia.

Australia is one of the few locales where Chardonnay is blended to make a still wine. The traditional blending partner there is Sémillon. Sémillon is a golden-skinned grape used to make dry and sweet white wines, most notably in France and Australia. ...

See also

• Great Chardonnay Showdown
• Paris Wine Tasting of 1976
• Grand European Jury Wine Tasting of 1997

The Great Chardonnay Showdown, held in the spring of 1980, was organized by the wine columnist for the Chicago Tribune newspaper with help from three Chicago wine stores. ... French wines were generally believed by most people to be the very best wines in the world until 1976. ... In the Grand European Jury Wine Tasting of 1997, the Grand Jury Européenne, consisting entirely of European judges, conducted a blind tasting of 27 Chardonnays from seven countries. ...

External links

• Chardonnay Du Monde - website of an international Chardonnay competition.
• Chardonnay Grape - Chardonnay Grape Information Page.

Footnotes

1. ^ Oz Clarke The Encyclopedia of Grapes Websters International Publishers 2001, pg 191