CHARDONNAY
Quick overview
Chardonnay changes it's taste depending primarily on how it's been produced, and also where it's been produced, more than most other grape. For example;
​
A Chardonnay from Australia that has been grown in lots of heat, oaked and left on the lees (dead yeast cells - a process called malolactic fermentation) - a wine making process that makes a wine more creamy - will be worlds apart from a Chardonnay that has been grown in a cool region of France (such as the Loire Valley) such as a Chablis, which are generally unoaked (and fermented in stainless steel tank rather than oak) and will therefore be quite acidic.
On the grapevine...
Chardonnay has been given a bad reputation by some Australian producers due to their excessive use of oak fermentation, which can lead to an overtly vanilla flavour. However the grape itself produces some of the best and most expensive white wines in the world such as: Montrachets and Mersaults, which come from Burgundy in France. Montrachets can sell in excess of £2000. There are also many Australian produces who make some fantastic wines. Kevin John being one of them.
More about the grape...
Chardonnay is a very robust grape and can be grown almost anywhere. The grape also ages better than most other white wines so can be a good investment...
​
The hotter the climate the more there will be tropical fruit flavours. The cooler the climate there more there will be green apple and high acidity.
Random information...
France and other 'old world' producing countries (essentially Europe) will rarely put the grape varieties on the bottle) so a Chardonnay in France, for example can be a multitude of names (these will be regions where the wine was produced): Chablis, Montrachet, Mersault, Pouilly Fuisse (not to be confused with Pouilly Fume - a Sauvignon Blanc wine) etc. In 'new world' countries such as Australia, New Zealand and America, South Africa they normally put Chardonnay on the bottle.
Safe bet countries/ regions (this is a VERY general guide)
-
Burgundy - France (Unoaked from Macon and Chablis)
-
Adelaide Hills, Barossa Valley and Margaret River - Australia
-
Sonoma and Carneros - California
-
Chile and Argentina - South America
-
Walker Bay - South Africa