Richard Esling
Richard Esling
16 May, 2025
News

Richard Esling, On the Grapevine: Celebrate International Chardonnay Day

Chardonnay is perhaps one of the most misunderstood of all wines, which is somewhat ironic as it is produced in virtually every wine-making region of the world. Sometimes it is forgotten that it is actually a grape variety as opposed to a wine type, although many wines carry the name of the grape variety on the label. Hence part of the confusion, as many other wines don’t! The oft heard expression which I have mentioned in past articles “I hate Chardonnay, but I love Chablis”. The latter is, of course, also made from pure Chardonnay, but it may not say so on the label.

Chardonnay wines from France and England

The Chardonnay grape variety is very adaptable as wine grapes go, hence its widespread use around the globe.

 Since International Chardonnay Day falls this week on Thursday 22nd May, time for a little probe into the ins and outs of wines made from it. There are a host of different styles of wine made from Chardonnay and a great deal of variation in quality. 

Virtually always made dry, the flavours can vary from austere, mineral wines with high acidity, to full, fruity, opulent wines with soft tropical notes.

Chardonnay is a grape variety that reacts well to vinification and/or maturation in oak.

 Some years ago, this went a bit too far in some countries, resulting in wines where the flavours of the variety were overshadowed by excessive oak – sometimes achieved by addition of oak chips during fermentation/ageing. 

This was mainly at the lower end of the market and sadly has put some people off the variety. But winemakeing has changed and over-oaked wines are rare and many unoaked wines are produced. 

Time then to try out a chardonnay new to you or perhaps have a glass of an old favourite.

Two perfectly fresh Chardonnays from Burgundy
Two perfectly fresh Chardonnays from Burgundy Credit: Richard Esling WineWyse

One of my favourites is in fact Chablis – understated elegance with a mineral edge and satisfyingly full flavour of pure, dry, chardonnay. Laurent Delaunay Les Grapillages 2023 is a perfect example of this elegant, mineral character, vibrant, fresh, pure and unoaked. £18 from Morrison’s. 

A slightly different style of wine comes from the Abbotts and Delaunay range and the same winemaker, Chardonnay Les Fruits Sauvages 2023, from carefully tended vineyards in the Languedoc region.

 Surprisingly complex with the buttery character of chardonnay, pear, granny smith apple and aromas of acacia flowers. Excellent value at £10 (mix 6) from Majestic.

English Chardonay from Denbies Wine Estate in Surrey
English Chardonay from Denbies Wine Estate in Surrey Credit: Richard Esling WineWyse

Back to Burgundy and the ancestral home of Chardonnay, Louis Jadot Bourgogne Chardonnay Couvent des Jacobins is a beautifully balanced example of one of the classics of Burgundy, from a company with over 160 years of winemaking. Complex, structured, fresh fruit and balanced with a clean, crisp finish, from a blend of rich Cote d’Or fruit and fresh lemony Mâconnais. £20 from Sainsbury’s.

Nearer to home, a lot of Chardonnay is now grown in the UK, much of it for blending in the excellent English sparkling wines (or even pure chardonnay with a Blanc de Blancs). 

But increasingly, as our climate continues to warm, still Chardonnay wines are being produced, particularly in the southern counties of England. Denbies Wine Estate near Dorking in Surrey, produces a still Chardonnay in the best years and 2022 was one of those years. 

Full bodied, with green apple notes and a slight tropical tang and fresh, citrus finish, hinting at baked apples. £24.50 direct from the producer, online or why not visit England’s largest single estate vineyard?

Denbies has recently been honoured with the Kings Award for Enterprise for Sustainable Development.