Why Chardonnay? A Familiar Grape, a Different Approach

At Bartholomew, we've always encouraged people to "Broaden Your Palate." It's why we've made Carmenère the heart of our production and spent nearly two decades introducing people to grapes they might otherwise never encounter.

 

So naturally, our next unconventional wine is… Chardonnay?

 

Despite our fondness for unusual grapes, Bart has always had what he describes as a "secret love" for a well-made Chardonnay. In fact, some of the best white wines he's ever tasted have been Chardonnays from France. It might not be the most adventurous choice of grape, but there's a reason winemakers hold it in such high regard.

 

What Makes Chardonnay Such a Versatile Wine?

 

Chardonnay might be one of the most familiar grapes in the world, but few varieties can take on such different personalities. On one end, you'll find crisp, refreshing Chardonnays with bright acidity and fresh fruit flavors. On the other, richer, barrel-aged expressions with a fuller mouthfeel and notes of vanilla, toast, and sometimes butter. And there's plenty of room between the two.

This versatility is exactly what Bart appreciates about Chardonnay. As he puts it, "Sometimes you want oak and other times you don't."

But when it comes to his personal favorites, he's partial to barrel-aged Chardonnay, particularly those that balance the influence of oak with fruit and refreshing acidity.

Part of the excitement of working with lesser-known grapes is introducing people to flavors they may have never experienced. Chardonnay presents a different opportunity. With a grape so familiar, the novelty isn't necessarily in the variety itself, but in how the winemaker chooses to interpret it.

 

The Barrel-Aged Chardonnay Bart Wanted to Make

For some time, he'd wanted to make a white wine that offered something texturally different from the rest of our lineup. Something with the fuller mouthfeel and complexity of barrel aging, without sacrificing the freshness and acidity that make white wine so appealing.

When the opportunity to work with Chardonnay presented itself, he finally had the chance to bring that idea to life.

Bart's goal was a barrel-aged Chardonnay that balanced oak, fruit, and acidity, but without the pronounced buttery characteristics often associated with the style.

 

How Malolactic Fermentation Shapes Chardonnay's Flavor

 

To understand how he approached that balance, we have to go back to when the grapes first started fermenting.

 

One of the processes commonly used in Chardonnay production is malolactic fermentation. During this process, bacteria convert sharper malic acid into softer lactic acid, giving the wine a rounder character. The process can also produce diacetyl, the compound responsible for those familiar buttery aromas.

 

Bart wanted the softer mouthfeel that malolactic fermentation provides, but without all the butter flavor. To accomplish this, he conducted alcoholic and malolactic fermentation simultaneously, rather than waiting for one to finish before beginning the other.

 

When the two processes happen together, the active yeast can convert much of the diacetyl as it's produced, reducing its contribution to the finished wine.

 

It's a relatively small difference in technique with a meaningful influence on the result.

 

The result is the style of Chardonnay Bart had envisioned: barrel-aged, with a fuller mouthfeel and the influence of oak, but still retaining the lively acidity and fruit character he enjoys.

 

So why Chardonnay?

 

Because discovering something new doesn't always require an unfamiliar grape. Sometimes it means experiencing something familiar through the choices of a different winemaker.

 

A Winter White: Why Chardonnay Belongs at the Thanksgiving Table

 

We tend to associate refreshing white wines with summer, saving the richer reds for the colder months. But there's no reason white wine can't have a place at the winter table.

 

The balance Bart was looking for makes this Chardonnay especially well suited to holiday meals. Its barrel-aged character gives it enough body to accompany heartier dishes, while its lively acidity provides a refreshing contrast to their richness.

 

As we've discussed before in our article on Aligoté, acidity works much like a squeeze of lemon over a rich dish, brightening the flavors and keeping everything from feeling too heavy.

 

It's a white wine that doesn't need summer weather to shine, and one we'd happily pour alongside Thanksgiving dinner.