Editing Chardonnay (section)

==France==
In France, Chardonnay is the second-most widely planted white grape variety just behind [[Ugni blanc]] and ahead of [[Sémillon]] and [[Sauvignon blanc]]. The grape first rose to prominence in the [[Chablis]] and [[Burgundy (region)|Burgundy]] regions. In [[Champagne (wine region)|Champagne]], it is most often blended with Pinot noir and [[Pinot Meunier]], but is also used to produce single [[varietal]] ''blanc de blancs'' styles of [[sparkling wine]]. Chardonnay can be found in ''[[Appellation d'origine contrôlée]]'' (AOC) wines of the [[Loire (wine)|Loire Valley]] and [[Jura wine]] region, as well as the ''[[vin de pays]]'' wines of the [[Languedoc wine|Languedoc]].<ref name="Oxford pg 154-156"/>

===Burgundy===
{{See also|Burgundy wine}}
[[File:Harvest in Chablis Premier Cru Fourchaume 1.jpg|thumb|left|Harvesting Chardonnay in the Chablis Premier Cru of Fourchaume]]
Chardonnay is one of the dominant grapes in Burgundy, though Pinot noir vines outnumber it by nearly a three-to-one ratio. In addition to Chablis, Chardonnay is found in the [[Côte d'Or (escarpment)|Côte d'Or]] (largely in the [[Côte de Beaune]]), as well as the [[Côte Chalonnaise]] and [[Mâconnais]]. It is grown in eight [[List of Burgundy Grand Crus|''grand cru'' vineyards]]; The "Montrachets"-[[Montrachet]], [[Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet]], [[Bâtard-Montrachet]], [[Chevalier-Montrachet]], and [[Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet]], as well as [[Charlemagne (wine)|Charlemagne]], [[Corton-Charlemagne]], and [[Le Musigny]]. In addition to being the most expensive, the Burgundy examples of Chardonnay were long considered the benchmark standard of expressing ''terroir'' through Chardonnay. The Montrachets are noted for their high [[alcohol (drug)|alcohol]] levels, often above 13%, as well as deep concentration of flavors. The vineyards around [[Chassagne-Montrachet]] tend to have a characteristic [[hazelnut]] aroma to them, while those of [[Puligny-Montrachet]] have more steely flavors. Both ''grand cru'' and ''premier cru'' examples from Corton-Charlemagne have been known to demonstrate [[marzipan]], while Meursault wines tend to be the most round and buttery examples.<ref name="Oxford pg 154-156"/>

South of the Côte d'Or are the Côte Chalonnaise and Mâconnais wine regions. The villages of [[Mercurey]], [[Montagny-lès-Buxy]], and [[Rully, Saône-et-Loire|Rully]] are the largest producers of Chardonnay in the Côte Chalonnaise, with the best-made examples rivaling those of the Côte de Beaune. In the Mâconnais, white wine production is centered on the town of [[Mâcon]] and the [[Pouilly-Fuissé]] region. The full-[[body (wine)|bodied]] wines of the Pouilly-Fuissé have long held [[cult wine]] status with prices that can rival the ''grand cru'' white burgundies. Further south, in the region of [[Beaujolais]], Chardonnay has started to replace [[Aligoté]] as the main white wine grape and is even replacing [[Gamay]] in some areas around [[Saint-Véran (Beaujolais)|Saint-Véran]].<ref name="Oxford pg 154-156"/> With the exception of Pouilly-Fuissé, the wines of the Mâconnais are the closest Burgundy example to "New World" Chardonnay, though it is not identical. Typically, Mâcon blanc, basic Bourgogne, Beaujolais blanc, and Saint-Véran are meant to be consumed within two to three years of release. However, many of the well-made examples of white Burgundy from the Côte d'Or need at least three years in the bottle to develop enough to express the aromas and character of the wine. Hazelnut, [[licorice]], and [[spice]] are some of the flavors that can develop as these wines [[Aging of wine|age]].<ref name="Rob pg 101-106"/>

===Chablis===
{{Main|Chablis (wine)}}
[[File:Chablis - Serein 1.jpg|right|200px|thumb|The Serein River runs through the town of Chablis, with many of the region's most prestigious vineyards planted on hillsides along the river.]] 
Chardonnay is the only permitted AOC grape variety in the Chablis region, with the wines there developing such worldwide recognition that the name "Chablis" has taken on somewhat generic connotations to mean any dry white wine, even those not made from Chardonnay. The name is protected in the [[European Union]] and for wine sold in the EU, "Chablis" refers only to the Chardonnay wine produced in this region of the [[Yonne]] ''{{lang|fr|département}}''. The region sits on the outer edges of the [[Paris Basin]]. On the other side of the basin is the village of [[Kimmeridge]] in England, which gives its name to the Kimmeridgean soil that is located throughout Chablis. The French describe this soil as ''argilo-calcaire'' and is a composition of [[Kimmeridge Clay|clay]], limestone, and [[fossilized]] [[Seashell#Molluscan seashells|oyster shells]]. The most expensive examples of Chardonnay from Chablis come from the seven Grand Cru vineyards that account for around {{convert|247|acre|ha}} on the southwest side of one slope along the [[Serein]] River near the towns of Chablis—Blanchots, Bougros, Les Clos, Grenouilles, Preuses, Valmur, and Vaudésir. The wines from these crus most often capture the ''goût de pierre à fusil'' or "gunflint" quality that is characteristic of Chablis wine.<ref name="Oxford pg 148-149">Robinson, 2006, pp. 148–149.</ref>

Chardonnay was believed to be first planted in Chablis by the [[Cistercians]] at [[Pontigny Abbey]] in the 12th century.<ref name="Johnson pg 130">H. Johnson ''Vintage: The Story of Wine'' p. 130, Simon and Schuster (1989) {{ISBN|0-671-68702-6}}.</ref> Today, the Chardonnay made in the Chablis region is one of the "purest" expression of the varietal character of the grape due to the simplistic style of winemaking favored in this region. Chablis winemakers want to emphasise the ''terroir'' of the [[calcareous]] soil and cooler climate that help maintain high acidity. The wines rarely go through [[malolactic fermentation]] or are exposed to [[oak (wine)|oak]] (though its use is increasing). The biting, green apple-like acidity is a trademark of Chablis and can be noticeable in the bouquet. The acidity can mellow with age and Chablis are some of the longest-living examples of Chardonnay.<ref name="Robinson pg 106-113"/> Some examples of Chablis can have an earthy "wet stone" flavor that can get mustier as it ages before mellowing into delicate [[honey]]ed notes.<ref name="Rob pg 101-106"/> The use of oak is controversial in the Chablis community, with some winemakers dismissing it as counter to the "Chablis style" or ''terroir'', while others embrace its use, though not to the length that would characterise a "New World" Chardonnay. The winemakers who use oak tend to favor more neutral oak that does not impart the [[vanilla]] characteristic associated with American oak. The amount of "[[:wiktionary:char|char]]" in the barrel is often very light, which limits the amount of "toastiness" perceived in the wine. The advocates of oak in Chablis point to the positive benefits of allowing limited [[Oxygenation (environmental)|oxygenation]] with the wine through the permeable oak barrels. This can have the effect of softening the wine and making the generally austere and acidic Chablis more approachable at a younger age.<ref name="Oxford pg 148-149"/>

===Champagne===
{{See also|Champagne}}
[[File:Blanc de blanc grand Cru champagne.jpg|left|200px|thumb|A ''Blanc de Blancs'' Champagne made only from Chardonnay grapes]]
In the Champagne, Chardonnay is one of three major grape varieties planted in the region. It is most commonly found in the [[Aube]] and [[Marne (department)|Marne]] ''départments'' which, combined with Chablis, accounted for more than half of all plantings of Chardonnay in France during the 20th century. In the [[Côte des Blancs]] (white slope) district of the Marne, Chardonnay thrives on the [[chalk]] soil. The three main villages around the Côte grow Chardonnay that emphasizes certain characteristics that the [[List of champagne producers|Champagne producers]] seek depending on their house style. The village of [[Avize]] grows grapes that produce the lightest wines, [[Cramant]] makes the most aromatic, and [[Mesnil (Marne)|Mesnil]] produces wines with the most acidity. The Côte des Blancs is the only district in the Champagne region predominately planted with Chardonnay. In the four other main districts – Aube, [[Côte de Sézanne]], [[Montagne de Reims]], and [[Vallée de la Marne]] – Chardonnay lags behind Pinot noir in planting. In the outlying region of [[Aisne]], only Pinot Meunier has a significant presence. Despite being less planted, the ''Blanc de Blancs'' style of Champagne (made from only Chardonnay grapes) is far more commonly produced than ''Blanc de Noirs''. This is partly because Pinot noir and Pinot Meunier produce very coarse and heavy wines that lack the finesse and balance that Chardonnay brings to the mix. Non[[sparkling wine|sparkling]] still wine Chardonnay is produced under the [[Coteaux Champenois AOC]]. The wine is much more acidic than that of Chablis and is normally made bone-dry.<ref name="Robinson pg 106-113"/>

Despite receiving the same amount of sunshine as the Chablis region, Chardonnay grapes in Champagne rarely attain full ripeness due to the [[mean]] temperature of the region being around {{convert|10|°C|abbr=on}}, barely above the minimum average temperature needed to ripen grapes. Therefore, the Chardonnay grapes do not fully develop their fruit flavors and the still version of Champagne can taste very "un-Chardonnay"-like because of this. However, it does lessen the premium on needing to keep yields low that other wine regions battle, since not much flavor is going to develop in the grapes, anyway. Rather, the element in Chardonnay that Champagne wine-makers look for is the finesse and balance of acidity that it brings to the blend. Some flavors that can emerge from, particularly with extended time on its [[lees (fermentation)|lees]], include creamy and nuttiness with some floral notes.<ref name="Clarke pg 63-73"/>

===Other French regions===
[[File:French chard from pay d'oc.jpg|right|thumb|A Chardonnay from the Pay d'Oc region of the Languedoc]]
Champagne, Chablis, and Burgundy account for more than three-fifths of all Chardonnay plantings in France. The next-largest concentration is found in the [[Languedoc]], where it was first planted around the town of [[Limoux]] and up to 30% can be blended with [[Mauzac (grape)|Mauzac]] in the sparkling ''[[Limoux wine|Blanquette de Limoux]]''.<ref name="Rob pg 101-106"/> Every year since 1991, Chardonnay production is celebrated in [[Limoux]] during the [[Toques et Clochers]] festival. By 2000, more than {{convert|9000|ha|acre}} were planted, with many being used for wines under the ''Vin de Pays d'Oc''. These wines were unique in that they were some of the first examples of Chardonnay to be [[varietal|varietally labeled]] as "Chardonnay". Other French wine regions with Chardonnay plantings include [[Alsatian wine|Alsace]], [[Ardèche]], [[Jura wine|Jura]], [[Savoie]], and the [[Loire Valley]].<ref name="Oxford pg 154-156"/> In Jura, it is used to create ''[[vin de paille]]'' [[dessert wine]]s. Here, the grape is known as Melon d'Arbois or Gamay blanc and is sometimes blended with [[Savagnin]]. It is most widely found in [[Arbois]], [[Côtes du Jura AOC|Côtes du Jura]], and [[L'Étoile AOC]]s. In the Loire, up to 20% of Chardonnay can be included in the [[Chenin blanc]]-based wines of ''[[Anjou (wine)|Anjou]] blanc'' and more producers are using the grape to soften some of the edges of Chenin blanc.<ref name="Robinson pg 106-113"/> It can also be used in the sparkling wines of [[Saumur (wine)|Saumur]] and some [[Muscadet]] producers have begun experimenting with oak-aged Chardonnay.<ref name="Rob pg 101-106"/>