One grape, six completely different expressions — from the chalk of Chablis to the sunshine of California.
Six expressions of Chardonnay, ready for tasting
Tuesday night’s tasting was all about Chardonnay — the world’s most planted and most versatile white grape. We poured six wines from four countries to show just how dramatically terroir and winemaking shape this chameleon of a grape.
The Wines We Tasted
1. Crémant de Bourgogne — Burgundy, France
We opened with sparkling Chardonnay from Burgundy — a Crémant made in the traditional method. Creamy bubbles, lemon curd, and brioche showed what Chardonnay can do with bubbles, at a fraction of Champagne prices.
2. Chablis — Burgundy, France
The benchmark for unoaked Chardonnay. Grown on Kimmeridgian limestone in northern Burgundy, our Chablis was all about steely minerality, high acid, and a saline finish. Pure, precise, and incredibly food-friendly.
3. Bourgogne Blanc — Burgundy, France
A step richer than Chablis, our Bourgogne Blanc showed golden apple, white flowers, and hazelnut — the classic Burgundy white profile with just a touch of oak influence.
4. Willamette Valley — Oregon, USA
Oregon’s cool climate produces Chardonnay that sits beautifully between Burgundy and the New World. This one was vibrant, zesty, with orchard fruit — showing that great Chardonnay doesn’t need to be French.
5. Margaret River — Western Australia
From one of Australia’s most elegant wine regions, this Chardonnay was structured with peach and grapefruit — the maritime climate of Western Australia giving it a backbone rarely seen in Australian whites.
6. Treana — California, USA
We ended with California at its boldest — rich, tropical fruit, and butterscotch from oak aging. The polar opposite of our opening Chablis, proving that Chardonnay is truly a blank canvas for winemakers.
Why Chardonnay?
Chardonnay is often dismissed as “basic” — but that reputation comes from mass-produced, overly oaked versions that dominated the market for decades. The truth is that Chardonnay is one of the most terroir-expressive grapes in the world. From the flinty minerality of Chablis to the tropical richness of California, no two Chardonnays taste alike. Our Tuesday tastings are designed to explore these differences side by side.
Our cheese boards pair perfectly with Chardonnay
Next Tuesday: Ballin’ on a Budget
Can great wine be affordable? Absolutely. Join us March 24 for our Ballin’ on a Budget tasting — six exceptional French and European wines that consistently overdeliver for their price. From Crémant de Loire to Côtes du Rhône, this lineup proves you don’t need to spend big to drink well.
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