Chardonnay is an international white grape variety that is cultivated in almost all wine-growing areas of the world. It is one of the most popular and recognisable white grape varieties. It is difficult to find a wine-growing country that does not cultivate this international grape variety. There are about 210,000 hectares of chardonnay in the world. Our country is the fourth largest in the world in terms of area under Chardonnay cultivation with 20,000 hectares.
The birthplace of Chardonnay is Burgundy. The variety's name is believed to derive from the name of the village, which translates to 'covered with thistles', from the word chardon - thistle. Producers all over the world are very fond of this variety for its flexibility and versatility. 'Generous' is the most accurate word to explain its popularity. This variety is not fussy about the soil, it ripens before the onset of cold weather, which allows for good harvests.
Chardonnay is actively used for the production of sparkling wines such as Franciacorta and Trento DOC. In contrast, still wines are common in South Tyrol, Friuli, Umbria, Tuscany, Apulia and Sicily. The taste and aroma of wine made from this grape variety is largely determined by the growing region.
There are different styles of Chardonnay wines produced in hot and cold climates. Base wines from warmer regions usually have a velvety flavour, with fruit, nuts and oats. wines matured in barrels bring out much riper, honeyed and buttery notes. Wines produced in colder climates give off exotic fruit notes of banana, quince, passion fruit and mango with an aftertaste of fresh leaves and herbs.
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