How to Find an Incredible (and Balanced) Chardonnay

Chardonnay’s versatility makes it one of the world’s most popular wines. From crisp, fresh and acid-driven profiles to more full-bodied pours with toasty and buttery flavors, the multidimensional white grape is not only influenced by the manner in which it’s produced but also where it’s planted, resulting in a wide range of styles available to thirsty wine lovers around the globe. 

As such, no two regions that grow Chardonnay produce the same expression of the wine. This is largely because of terroir — the environmental factors that influence grape growing such as soil and climate. 

“Climate is the foundation of wine — a dry or wet season will affect the ripeness of the grapes giving the wine unique characteristics based on its location,” says Julia Coney, wine writer and educator, who will be hosting a panel on wines from extreme regions at this year's Food & Wine Classic in Aspen. 

Of course, in the glass, a Chardonnay’s profile doesn’t solely depend on a region's terroir. What winemakers do in the cellar, like malolactic fermentation or oak aging, influences the wine as well. While climate may be the foundation of a wine, Coney says, “the winemaker's choices are the walls of the house.”

Although Chardonnay is a world-class wine, it is often misunderstood, even divisive, among wine lovers. “Anything But Chardonnay” is a catch phrase coined by wine drinkers who were tired of the heavily-oaked, “butter bomb” Chardonnays that were coming out of Napa Valley during the ‘90s. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying Chardonnay that’s rich in toasty vanilla and buttery notes — you should drink what you like, after all — but if you’re interested in zippier, crisper, and mineral terroir-driven profiles of Chardonnay, check out these dynamic wine regions to please your palate.   

Chablis, France

Chablis is the northernmost region of Burgundy, which is renowned as the birthplace of Chardonnay. It is home to more than 14,000 acres of vineyards, and Chardonnay is the only grape variety allowed in the four Chablis Appellations d’Origine Contrôlée (AOCs): Petit Chablis, Chablis, Chablis Premier Cru and Chablis Grand Cru. 

The iconic region is said to exhibit some of the purest profiles of Chardonnay. The classic Chablis-style focuses on expressing the area’s terroir, with chalky minerality and mouthwatering acidity. The cool-climate region is influenced by the Serein River, which flows through the region from south to north and helps moderate the temperature for surrounding vineyards and preserve Chardonnay’s natural acidity. 

“We have a semi-continental climate with cold winters, rainy springs, hot and dry summers,” says Romain Chevrolat, winemaker at Domaine Laroche. “Tradition in Chablis is about how and when to prune the vines, density of plantation, pressing, fermentation, and aging. In these conditions, Chardonnay gets a specific taste of salinity, tension, freshness, and notes of wet chalk when grown on Kimmeridgian limestone — the main soil where vines are planted in Chablis.”

Most Chablis wine is unoaked, but there are some Premier Cru and Grand Cru Chablis that are oak-kissed, giving them a touch more body and nuanced toasty accents. 

Willamette Valley, Oregon

Situated about an hour’s drive south from Portland is Oregon’s most famous wine region. The Willamette Valley, an American Viticultural Area (AVA) in itself, is home to more than 700 wineries and 11 additional nested AVAs within the region: Chehalem Mountains; Dundee Hills; Eola-Amity Hills; Laurelwood District; Lower Long Tom; McMinnville; Mount Pisgah, Polk County, Oregon; Ribbon Ridge; Tualatin Hills; Van Duzer Corridor and Yamhill-Carlton. 

The renowned region is widely known for its world-class Pinot Noir. However, winemakers in the region also produce fantastic Chardonnay with exceptional balance and finesse. 

“Our moderately warm daytime temperatures, combined with our cooler nighttime temperatures during the ripening period, give us lots of flavor development, while moderating sugar accumulation, and retaining acidity,” says Tom Fitzpatrick, head winemaker at Alloro Vineyard in the Willamette Valley. “This gives us balanced Chardonnays that are full of flavor, with moderate alcohol levels, and a tension provided by the acidity we’re able to retain.”

Sta. Rita Hills, California

California is a large state with multiple winegrowing areas and microclimates from north to south, so its wine regions and AVAs are not a monolith. While some California regions are regarded for producing a more full-bodied, oak-driven style Chardonnay, the Sta. Rita Hills AVA is crafting the variety in a different style all its own. 

While the cooler-climate, Pacific Ocean-influenced region received its AVA status in 2001, the pioneering vines were planted in 1972. Home to more than 60 wineries and 3,000 acres of planted vines, fog-laden mornings are abruptly followed by mid-morning sunshine, and then tempered again by early-afternoon ocean breezes to moderate daily temperatures, which yields vibrant terroir-driven expressions of Chardonnay.

“The region’s transverse east-west mountain range allows cold Pacific Ocean air and fog through the valley, which would otherwise be quite dry and hot given the latitude we are on,” says Samra Morris, winemaker at Alma Rosa Winery and Vineyards. “This ‘refrigerated sunlight’ effect creates a long, slow growing season, which is ideal for developing complex flavors in Chardonnay grapes while preserving bright natural acidity.”

Margaret River, Australia

With significant maritime influence to the west, north, and south, winemakers in this small region in Western Australia produce excellent, terroir-driven Chardonnay of vitality, verve, and purity of fruit. With its ancient soils and Mediterranean climate, the versatile white variety thrives here.

The unique terroir of the region lies in its Forest Grove gravel soil, which is not found in any other wine region in the world. Dating back over a billion years, these soils are great for drainage during heavy rain seasons, but they also retain water during dry seasons. As a result, Chardonnays that come from this 50 year-old region are vibrant and crisp fruit-driven, with loads of natural acidity.