|
Taste of the Grape | The Story of Chardonnay
|
|||||
|
Wine Articles Buying Inexpensive Wine Buying Wine in a Restaurant Wine: Cabernet Sauvignon Wine: Chardonnay Wine: Merlot Wine: Pinot Noir Wine and Cooking Wine and Its Unique Taste Wine and Winemaking Processes Wine Glasses Wine Serving: Letting Wine Breathe Wine Tasting Red Wine Grape Varieties Enjoying Bordeaux Wine Making Wine At Home Winemaking - A Family Project Varietal and Blended Wines 10 Tips When Visiting Wineries Colorado Wines Wine Etiquette Sparkling Wines Buying Wine Online Storing Wine Properly Wine Recipes - Sangria Local Wine Events Health Benefits of Red Wine Finding Wine Trails To Explore The Best Wine Rack For Your Home The Wineries of Rhode Island Wine Refrigerators Special Tips on Wine Tasting Review of Winemaking Resources/ebooks The Right Wine for the Right Purposes Arizona Wine Country How To Choose The Right Wine More Wine Articles Wine Cellar Section Privacy Policy  Secret Wine Making Recipes - Discover new secrets of perfect self made wines. Taste of the Grapes - Links Wine Directory and Winery Search Wine & Restaurant Links
Make Your Own Wine!!
|
The Story of ChardonnayChardonnay grapes are used to make the austere, bone-dry wines of France’s Chablis sub region; they are truly great seafood wines. Chardonnay is a crucial component of champagne and the sole grapes in premium Champagnes. Chardonnay makes the great white Burgundies from France – the most expensive dry white wines in the world. The Chardonay grape also makes the best white wines in California; they are fruity and sometimes syrupy and is usually high in alcohol. Chardonnay can even accommodate a dose of noble rot and yield a gloriously rich and sweet dessert wine. (Noble rot is the benevolent form of a grey fungus that can grow on grapes during humid conditions. If the grapes are picked at a certain point during infestation can produce particularly fine and concentrated sweet wine.) Finally, Chardonnay blends well with other grapes, especially with Semillon, as commonly blended in Australia. What makes thw white grapes of Chardonnay so versatile? Perhaps Chardonnay has the ability to reflect the indigenous character of where it is grown and thus displays the best characteristics of the soil and climate it is in... Yet, in all of its different incarnations, Chardonnay does display a propensity for both glycerin and acid, whose interplay results in the most velvety, sensually delightful texture of all white wines. So, under all its trappings, Chardonnay is mostly about texture. That is what one looks for in even simple Chardonnays. Unlike the red wine kingpin Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnays can be of high quality in the $8-$10 price range. So what does Chardonnay taste like? It depends on whom you ask. It is difficult to define a standard of varietal correctness in a grape variety with so many personalities. However, some generalizations about Chardonnay can be made. The astringent flavor imparted by oak barrels marries well with Chardonnay in different regions. So well, in fact, that it can be difficult to separate in one’s mind the flavor of the grape and the flavor of the oak! The Burgundy sub region of France tend to produce beautifully structured Chardonnays that are brilliant and clean, with acidity, mouth-filling body, and aromas of toast, nuts, butter and a variety of subtle fruits. 
The grape-growing climate in Australia is unique to wine producing countries. The Hunter Valley in Southeastern Australia experiences intense sunshine. This would normally over ripen wine grapes, but the ripening effect of the sun in this region is greatly tempered by cool breezes. This combination of plentiful sunlight and refreshing air brings grapes to a full ripeness slowly, so as to develop the most intense flavors imaginable in Chardonnay. Chardonnay has such a range of styles that one needs to consider the type of Chardonnay when trying to find the right wine for a particular meal. Chablis is the driest, most acidic interpretation, and belongs with seafood. The rounder white Burgundies are also seafood wines, but can accompany meats such as chicken and veal. Seafood does not match so well with fruitier Chardonnays such as those from California and Australia. If you insist on a fruity Chardonnay with your fish, California cuisine comes into play. The flavorful ingredients used in California cuisine – generous additions of fresh herbs and various chili peppers, and wood grilling – can transform a delicate piece of fish into a jam session of loud flavors. A big wine is called for; and in response the California Chardonnay is ideal. In fact, big Chardonnays like these can stand up to many dishes not normally paired with white wine – even grilled meats! Finally, if you want to drink Chardonnay without food, the Australian versions, with their generous fruit and mild acidity, are an excellent choice.
About the Author: Scott Harker is the publisher of several websites including: Sherlock Holmes Pastiches, Harvest The Sun | Renewable Energy, Grilled To Perfection - Barbecue, News and Information about Mutual Funds, and On The Hook | Fishing Supplies. News About Chardonnay A chardonnay revival - The Gazette (Montreal) 4 Jul 2009 at 2:54am The Gazette (Montreal) But what I find really interesting is that a few of these letters were asking about alternatives to chardonnay. I guess the ABC club (Anything But ... and more » Jess Jackson took fast road to winner's circle - San Francisco Chronicle 4 Jul 2009 at 4:01am San Francisco Chronicle Jackson started growing Chardonnay grapes after tiring of the family's pear orchard. He turned his hobby into Kendall-Jackson Winery, one of the dominant ... and more » Keuka Spring to pair several Chardonnay vintages with shrimp - Rochester Demo... 2 Jul 2009 at 3:09pm Rochester Democrat and Chronicle Keuka Spring Vineyards will begin its annual summer wine education series with ?Shrimp and Chardonnay? from 11 am to 5 pm Saturday, July 11. ... and more » WEEKEND COLUMNISTS Jancis Robinson - Financial Times 3 Jul 2009 at 10:25pm Financial Times Take Chardonnay. For years, with the exception of such long-standing over-performers as Kumeu River of Auckland and Neudorf of Nelson, it seemed as though ... and more » Late-harvest Chardonnay dessert pairing - Examiner.com 1 Jul 2009 at 3:46pm Examiner.com However, one local winery is applying this artful technique with Chardonnay. A current release from Big White House in Livermore, CA is the 2005 Liquid ... and more » Southwest Airlines (?!) touts new on-board wine - Dallas Morning News 2 Jul 2009 at 9:01am Dallas Morning News ... of Southwest Airlines, which announced Wednesday that it will stock two new wines on its airplanes, Coastal Ridge Merlot and Coastal Ridge Chardonnay. ... Southwest makes wine, coffee upgradesBizjournals.com all 8 news articles » Wine: $20 or less Pacific Coast whites for the summer - San Jose Mercury News 30 Jun 2009 at 7:06pm  New Zealand Herald San Jose Mercury News CHARDONNAY: Chardonnay isn't the first white wine I reach for in the summer, but there are some refreshing examples that would pair well with grilled fish ... South Africa is fertile wine areaNews-Leader.com Recipes for good wineRochester Democrat and Chronicle Refreshing, well-priced wines for hot summer daysExaminer.com Alexandria Times all 21 news articles » Victory for Chardonnay in Mylor Yacht Club race - This Is The Westcountry 2 Jul 2009 at 4:33am This Is The Westcountry In E class, Chardonnay Girl crossed the start line first on port tack but didn't have enough speed to clear Alexis and was forced to tack under the larger ... and more » Mark Beringer & Artesa Chardonnay - Examiner.com 24 Jun 2009 at 8:06am  Examiner.com Examiner.com Among them is the Artesa Chardonnay, which is a particularly nice, balanced wine, in contrast to other California Chardonnay wines that some say receive ... The craft of winemakingFrederick News Post (subscription) all 2 news articles » Drink wine with beer can chicken - Chicago Tribune 30 Jun 2009 at 8:20pm  Examiner.com Chicago Tribune Of the wines, the top three were made from chardonnay grapes. This California sparkler scored big with the chicken. The wine sported notes of green apple ... Holiday invites cool, casual winesAbilene Reporter-News ON WINE: Something sweet for all Proud patriotsSan Angelo Standard Times This one is for all the wine-drinking ladiesDaily Press Examiner.com -The Tribune -Ashland Daily Tidings all 12 news articles » |
Copycat Recipes Easily Prepare the Most Guarded Restaurant Recipes in Your Own Kitchen - Applebee's, Red Lobster, Olive Garden, etc. 
Dragonfly Page
|
|||
|
OTHER LINKS OF INTEREST: Pin-Up Artists , Sherlock Holmes Pastiches, Make Money Filling Out Surveys, Play Online Games, Coin Collector's Dream, Gardening & Landscaping, Hybrid Cars |
Alex Chui's Immortality Rings
Free Apple Recipes
