The past, present and (bright) future of California Chardonnay
If you are a Chardonnay lover, you might already know that with a long history and valuable forward trajectory, it has earned its preeminent reputation by producing some of the world's finest and most popular varieties. One of Chardonnay’s most distinctive homelands is California, which has played a vital role in earning its worldwide recognition.
Also known as the winemaker's grape, Chardonnay adapts to several diverse climates and produces a wide range and styles of wine sold at various price points, creating a Chardonnay for each type of consumer.
Where does Chardonnay come from?
The noble Chardonnay grape is originally from Burgundy, in France, and its name translates to "a place of thistles" from Latin. Its heritage traces back to the Middle Ages to a small village of the same name in the Mâcon region. However, it took many centuries until this aristocratic grape made it to the sunny valleys of California.
A brief history
Believed to have arrived in California around 1880, Chardonnay was initially confused with Pinot Blanc and Melon de Bourgogne. In 1882 Carle Wente planted his first vines, which he had brought from Montpellier, in a vineyard just east of San Francisco in the Livermore Valley. Later, his son, Ernest Wente, experimented with the source material, and in 1912 arrived at what we now know as the "Wente clone," from which California derived 80% of today's Chardonnay vines. In the first few decades of the twentieth century, Chardonnay experienced a flourishing status in its new home. Unfortunately, by 1920 much of the state's existing Chardonnay was destroyed due to Prohibition. Luckily, the Wente Vineyards had a license to produce sacramental wine for the Catholic Church, meaning that they were already up and running when the “noble experiment” ended in 1933.
Fast forward to the start of the 1960s, and there were just 300 acres of Chardonnay planted across the Californian state. As sales of table wines exceded that of dessert wines in the 1970s, the planting of Chardonnay vines in California increased rapidly. At the same time, farming grapes became a profitable venture, and the work done with clonal selections began to increase the average yields. The world’s interest in Chardonnay piqued at this time due to the result of the Judgment of Paris tasting in 1976, where the Napa Valley winery, Chateau Montelena's 1973 Chardonnay successfully came out ahead against some of the top white wines of Burgundy.
Just over two decades later, in 2000, Chardonnay had become the most-planted grape variety in the state of California, and there are currently over 100 Chardonnay clonal selections. Due to the influence of imports from other parts of the world, a blend of treatments, and heritage selections, there is a diverse variety of plant material in California.
Today, Chardonnay is the most widely planted grape variety in California and it is planted in almost every wine-producing country in the world, from Australia to Argentina, to Spain and even Lebanon. Its rise in recognition has created a bright future, with a new generation of winemakers investing in making the most out of what it has to offer, and there are as many styles as there are climates and winemakers.
How does California Chardonnay taste?
In today's California wine scene, there is no simple answer to this question, as the top producers are creating bottles of the country's favorite white wine that are radically different from the over-oaked, butter bombs of the past.
Generally, it'd be fair to say that Chardonnays are dry, medium to full-bodied white wines, with moderate alcohol and acidity. The truth is that winemakers produce Chardonnay in a variety of styles, from crisp and pure, to creamy and oaky, with flavors ranging from lemon and green apple, to tropical fruit and vanilla when oak-aged. Chardonnay styles rely mainly on two significant facts:
1. Winemaking philosophy
2. Climate.
1. The winemaker's Chardonnay
Chardonnay is a winemaker's dream, as it provides a blank canvas on which they can imprint their personality. When seeking more luxurious and bolder styles, winemakers have a handful of techniques available to shape the wine's character to their will. When searching to promote vanilla and spice flavors, winemakers tend to play around with various French and American oak barrels at different toast levels. They can also encourage malolactic fermentation, a biochemical process that softens the acidity, adds a buttery note, or promotes lees aging, which also enhances the wine's creamy texture.
Chardonnay is an exceptional white wine that mirrors both the place it's been grown and the winemaker’s personality.
When people think of California Chardonnay, the French cellar inspired chardonnay could be the first style that comes to mind - opulent and full-bodied, with a clearly defined oak influence.
Here’s our selection of rich and luscious Chardonnays that showcases the impact of using intensive cellar techniques and the shining through of the winemaker’s character in the wine.
2006 Au Bon Climat, Bien Nacido Vineyard, Santa Maria Valley, Santa Barbara County
With a full classic French approach, it has full malo and extended oak contact, delivering rich flavors of cream and butter flavors, and a weighty texture.
https://www.aubonclimat.com/Wines
2017 Black Stallion, Napa Valley Heritage Chardonnay
Crafted by Ralf Holdenried, this is an opulent entry-level Chardonnay with heaps of oak-driven flavors, and a creaminess from the lees after aging for seven months in predominantly French oak barrels.
2016 Beringer Private Reserve, Napa Valley Chardonnay
Launched in 1978, this Chardonnay has been well-awarded its recognition as a true Napa classic: ripe peach and golden apple flavors layered with vanilla and caramel custard, and a luxurious texture.
https://www.beringer.com/wines/private-reserve/chardonnay-napa-valley/2016
Pair it with food
Oakier Chards tend to show a slightly buttery profile due to the influence of malolactic fermentation, which makes them perfect for rich seafood such as lobster or halibut. They also make a fantastic pairing with eggs benedict, pork chops stuffed with apples, or roasted butternut squash.
2.Climate shaped Chardonnay
The popularity of creamy and rich California Chardonnays took off at the beginning of the 2000s through the influence of Robert Parker and caught the eye of the media. But as the trend started to die down, more and more boutique producers were challenged to redefine California Chardonnay, and they began to search for different terroir, soils, and climates. More than a decade of driven work, combined with the now trendy approach of minimal intervention, the reduction or complete avoidance of oak aging, lower alcohol, California Chardonnay is going through a true renaissance. We can call this California's new style: focused, fresh, and with clear fruit purity. Winemakers are using the climate to create zesty wines, which have become eye-openers to those yawning over the rich-and-ripe model.
If coming from cooler regions, such as the coastal areas like the Sonoma Coast, or Carneros, Chardonnay can develop flavors of lemon zest and green apples, a lean body, and crisp acidity.
Because of its proximity to the ocean, we love the lean and crispy style of coastal Chards. Here are some of our favorites:
2017 Kutch Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast
From 2014, Jamie Kutch welcomed Chardonnay into its Pinot family. The 2017 Kutch Chardonnay balances its flinty intensity with lime and tangerine notes.
2016 DuMol Wester Reach Chardonnay, Russian River Valley
Savory and complex, its firm acidity enhances its restrained fruit with elegant notes of exotic citrus, white peach, and spice flavors
https://www.dumol.com/product/detail/DuMOL-Chardonnay-Wester-Reach-2016/
2017 The Hyde de Villaine Chardonnay, Hyde Vineyard, Carneros
Its generous fruit - exotic citrus, touches of stone fruit - and earthy minerality is wonderfully balanced with vibrant, mouth-filling textures. Its flavor lasts forever.
https://www.hdvwines.com/wines/detail?item=17chy
Pair it with food
The ocean fog lends a degree of cooling and leads to wines with a sharper and leaner personality. It is best to pair crisper, unoaked Chards with prawns, crab cakes, salads with mangos, and even mild curries.
As a general rule of thumb, the colder the climate, the more citrus fruit it develops. Altitude plays a significant role in the development of flavor, as it offers wider thermal amplitude and cool nights that help Chards to build a bright and youthful character with tons of yellow fruit and citrus.
Winemakers sourcing fruit from American Viticulture Areas (AVAs) such as Howell Mountain, Spring Mountain, Atlas Peak, and the Santa Rita Hills have done a terrific job mastering the impact of altitude on Chardonnay. If you enjoy bright and flavorful Chards that are transparent and true to their terroir, you cannot miss our Editor’s selection.
2017 La Jota Vineyard Co. W.S. Keyes Vineyard Chardonnay, Howell Mountain, Napa Valley
Christopher Carpenter has achieved a transparent style that honors the winery’s mountain site. The juicy orchard fruit, impressive minerality, and soft textures balance the structure of the acidity beautifully.
https://www.lajotavineyardco.com/wines
2018 Mayacamas Chardonnay, Mt. Veeder, Napa Valley
Focused pear aromas with white blossom notes and wet-stone minerality, it has a beautiful edge of salinity that is lifted by the textural structure to a bright acidity.
https://www.mayacamas.com/purchase/
2017 Lioco La Marisma Vineyard Chardonnay, Santa Cruz Mountains
Asian pear, lemon blossom, and lime zest aromas shine throughout its vibrant acidity and lean palate.
A warmer climate Chardonnay produces a more opulent fruit character on the tropical spectrum. The wines coming from the valley floor offer fruity and well-rounded examples of Chard.
You can expect to find yellow peach, melon, and even pineapple notes, along with higher alcohol and less acidity. Napa Valley Chards lean toward a riper and fuller style, with tropical fruit notes while some oak aging adds layers of vanilla, spice, butter, and toasted hazelnut. Are you ready to experiment further down from the classic Napa Valley? We have picked two examples of greatly balanced wines coming from the sunnier corners of the state.
2018 Migration Chardonnay, Bien Nacido Vineyard, Santa Maria Valley
This Chardonnay shows extensive citrus blossom aromas, fresh apple and bright lemon, a medium palate, and a great -yet vibrant- structure.
White Hill Chardonnay, Liquid Farm, Santa Barbara County
This Chardonnay has an expressive nose of ripe yellow citrus and white flowers. On the palate, it is medium-bodied, with bright acidity and a gentle oak touch.
https://www.liquidfarm.com/LF-Wines/Current-Releases
In a nutshell, contemporary California Chardonnay is built on over a hundred years of history and has survived phylloxera (a microscopic aphid) and the Prohibition era. It was sneaked into a competition in Paris, thus forging a path for Chardonnay’s increased popularity in the New World. Nowadays, it welcomes a new and promising age, described by many as the Chardonnay renaissance. Californian winemakers are finding their way to leave behind the old heavy days of Chard, and are jumping into this new era with graceful and exciting wines.
