Cultivation: Chardonnay is known as an easy going kind of grape that can be grown in many different terroirs with good results. This is a grape that not susceptible to the maladies that befall many other varieties; probably the biggest problem it buds early, leaving it susceptible to late spring frosts. Luckily it is a cold resistant vine that ripens early in the season before the frosts of fall can damage the harvest. It is a vigorous foliage producer to the detriment of its fruit. Growers generally combat this canopy growth with aggressive pruning and not over watering. A practice that has been common in France for many years is planting the vines close together to force them to compete with each other for nutrients and water. Many growers in California have adapted this practice and many newer vineyards are planted too close together for standard tractors to be used.Chardonnay wines have a reputation for high alcohol content, which is directly related to the grapes naturally high sugar content. Combine that with the fact that as this grape ripens the acid levels drop quickly, sometimes leaving a wine that is best described as flabby, and it's easy to see that poor vineyard practices can have disastrous effects on the final product.

Flavor Profiles: A good Chardonnay is like velvet on the palate, soft subtle and with lots of body. The varieties of styles it is made in are almost as varied as the regions where it is grown. This is a grape that can make wines best described as crisp with lively acidity and great tart fruit, to ones that are round, buttery and opulent with flavors of vanilla and butterscotch. When doing side by side tastings it is hard to believe that these various versions can be made from the same grape, and sometimes even by the same winery. Throw in a good Blanc de Blancs Champagne with its razor sharp acidity and wonderful yeastiness and it is truly amazing. It is just this characteristic of Chardonnay that makes it the noble grape it is. To pick the most common flavor and scent profiles makes it necessary to know if the wine was aged in new oak or not and whether the grapes were grown in a warm or cool climate. Cool climate grapes produce higher acidity, tart green apples, pear, citrus and tropical fruit. Warmer climates generally produce wines with lower acid levels, higher alcohol, ripe citrus (like tangerines and oranges), baked apple and pear as well as melon. When aged in stainless steel the wines tend to be lighter in body and with sharper acidity and more prominent fruit. When aged in new oak the wines tend toward honeycomb, toast, vanilla, caramel and baking spice. The best wines made from the Chardonnay grape can be unbelievably complex with long lingering finishes and the ability to age for decades under the right conditions.