Chardonnay's got a new groove!

We get it! You present yourself to the world in one way for too long and you end up being pigeonhold as 'that person', in this case 'that wine'. 

Well in the case of Chardonnay, the truth is you can't blame the grape - you can blame the winemaking that overpowered the grape leading to a blackmark on Chardonnay for many wine drinkers. Sure, there are still wine drinkers that LOVE a big oaked Chardonnay (in fact, we are guilty) but there is a big difference between an unbalanced, flabby oaked Chardonnay and a more restrained, well-judged, oaked Chardonnay - oak done right adds texture, complexity, it accentuate the fruit but doesn't over power it and let's the grapes, personality and sense of place shine through. 

IF you fall into the camp of eschewing Chardonnay for fear of an experience akin to licking a wine barrel then we implore you to take another look, times have changed and the new wave of Chardonnay just may surprise you.... you like Chablis after-all? So you know that Chardonnay has potential!

So what's up with modern Chardonnay?

We're glad you asked! The short answer, good-bye over-oaked butter bombs and hello more refined, toasty, complex styles that will change everything you thought you knew about this grape. The nerdy bit follows (feel free to skip but this shows you just how much winemaking can change the style).

How do you make a butter bomb?

You start with very ripe grapes, IF you are getting a cheap bottle of chardonnay the story will change (for the worse). Grapes are picked and fermented (sugar = alcohol), so the riper the grapes the more alcohol and rich fruit flavours. Next comes secondary fermention aka MLF( malolactic fermentation), a process that changes the acidity from crisp like an apple to creamy like a yogurt. The butter? This is a called diacetyl  and it's a product of the fermentation, without getting too nerdy certain conditions favour the production of this compound in wine which makes it taste buttery - too much and it will taste rancid and overly lactic (the culprit). If you want to umph it up further 'battonage' a process of stirring the lees to release manoproteins and other compounds (though this can take away some of the diacetyl).  Then for the oak - if it's cheap then slap it with some oak essence or oak chip (basically a flavoured powder), if it's more premium age it in a barrel! Barrels can be high-toast (most oaky flavour - vanilla, spice, brownsugar for some) and if they are new barrels, you are going to a lot of more of those flavours soaking into the wine. There you have it - butter bomb!

How do you make a modern chardonnay?

Choose cooler sites, grapes that are ripe but retain there acidity - the best will have a mineral character based on their site, soil etc. Crush them lightly and ferment them cooler - cooler fermentation temperatures means you retain more fresh fruit character. Allow MLF to happen, maybe just partial MLF to keep some crisp acidity to balance the wine. Build texture in the wine through ageing on the lees and battonage, the more you stir the lees, the more texture and biscuity notes you will impart, if you want a flinty 'reductive' style don't stir and allow those smoky, mineral compounds (SO2 byproducts to develop). When it comes to oak, opt for older old or larger barrels giving a lower ratio of wine to barrel and less potent oak flavours which have leached out over time into previous wines. Let the wine mellow out and develop in barrel allowing the fruit to marry together with the oak.

Chardonnay around the world

Modern Chardonnay is flourishing in diverse regions around the world, each bringing its own unique fingerprint to the wine. In Burgundy, particularly in areas like Chablis, the focus is and always has been on purity and mineral-driven styles, where the cooler climate enhances the natural acidity and allows the terroir to shine through. The wines are fresh, with a crisp, steely character and subtle oak influence that doesn't overwhelm the fruit.

Countries like Canada and the UK are making stunning Chardonnay! These cooler climates allow expression that are refined, elegant and beaming with bright acidity and salinity. A careful and talented hand in the cellar makes for wines can give Burgundy a run for it's money in my opinion. 

In California, perhaps the guiltiest of all when it comes to heavy handed, high toast Chardonnay they are singing a new tune and it's delightful. Especially in regions like Sonoma Coast or Santa Barbara, winemakers are dialing back on heavy oak and allowing for a more restrained, nuanced style. These wines still have that signature California richness but with a cleaner, more refined profile. Yes, you can still find super rich oaky wines but this is not the benchmark style anymore! 

Australia, another culprit with too much oak has turned a new leaf! First they went the extreme of 'skinny' Chardonnay, reductive, flinty, a bit austere and now they have found there happy medium with well judged gorgeous Chardonnay - cooler regions, such as the Mornington Peninsula and Yarra Valley, are producing Chardonnays that blend bright acidity with gentle oak aging, resulting in wines that are both elegant and textured, with a focus on freshness and finesse.

IF you love Chablis then look to Kumeu River, these are Chablis style, vivid, energetic, mineral wines with a kiss of complementary oak. You will also find expressions with more oak than Kumeu from cool-climate regions like Marlborough and Hawke’s Bay, but in general this has shifted towards a more subtle, balanced style. Here, winemakers are embracing cooler fermentations and less intervention, allowing the fruit’s natural complexity to shine while maintaining a bright, mineral edge.

The Takeaway

Wine trends and winemaking change and evolve! Winemakers have heard you loud and clear and across these diverse regions, the common thread is a movement toward restraint and elegance—where modern Chardonnay emphasizes the beauty of the fruit, the soil, and a more thoughtful use of oak.