If you travel a lot, you would have realized that Chardonnay (pronounced shar-do-nay, for all those uninitiated out there) can almost be found everywhere. If your country produces wine, it most likely produces this white grape variety. In fact, a grocery near you might be offering a Chardonnay wine or two. The Chardonnay variety is what we can call the “initiation wine” for start-up wineries.

Being the wanderer that we pretend to be, tasting different wines from all around the world is one for our bucket list. Despite coming from the same variety, the world offers a wide range of Chardonnays that not only differs in flavor notes, but also in their stories. From what was referred to as the best Chardonnay producing region of New Zealand, with flavor notes ranging from cashew and hazelnut from oak barrel fermented wines to tropical and citrusy notes from Gisborne and Martinborough, to the baked apple and tropical notes of Argentinian Chardonnays. So let’s take an online “journey” to different Chardonnay producing regions from around the world.

Range of Chardonnays from Around the World

France

France, the home of fine cheese and wine. The so-called origin of all Chardonnay wines, Burgundy, France is what many call “Chardonnay’s spiritual home”. Here, Chardonnay grapes are grown in chalk and limestone soils. Chardonnay wine coming from Burgundy, France is usually referred to as white Burgundy, or named more specifically by its cru origin. A region north of Burgundy, called Chablis, is specialized in producing Chardonnay, usually using malolactic fermentation resulting to a creamy, buttery notes, oftentimes reducing the natural vanilla notes by using neutral oak barrel in fermenting the wine. Other notable regions offering a wide range of Chardonnays includes the Aube region which offers sparkling Chardonnays with mineral and herbaceous notes with a palate-cleansing flavor.

Argentina

Known for its deliciously fermented red wines using sun-drenched grapes on its dessert-like terrain, Argentina also offers white wines of the Chardonnay variety. Several high-elevation vineyards such as in the Andean valleys are able to produce balanced Chardonnays. Argentinian Chardonnays tend to be more on the fruity side with a full-body, one which is distinctive from the highly-acidic Burgundian Chardonnay.

New Zealand

Kiwis are famous for their Chardonnay white wines, which some says is the best New Zealand can offer when it comes to wine. New Zealander wines are usually barrel-fermented, but a range of Chardonnays come in different fermentation style and flavor notes. New Zealand Chardonnays range from nutty notes like cashew and hazelnuts to more bright and acidic citrus notes. Above all this, New Zealand is known for their mastery of acid balance in wines, making them a wonderful accompaniment to a wide range of food, but this usually comes with a price tag to match. But overall, you get what you pay for.

Australia

Despite Australia’s downfall from being the best wine producer to being just in the sideline, several wineries have improved the quality of their wines by sourcing better grapes and using better oak for aging their wines. Australia’s high level of expertise in winemaking was made for a much lower price than other regions. Notable wines include those from the Yarra Valley, Victoria, and Tasmania, although you may have a hard time finding these elsewhere.

If you ever swing by New Zealand, you should try out Advintage. They offer a wide range of wines coming from all the regions mentioned above.