Spotlight Varietals: Chardonnay & Pinot Noir

By Rachel Brown

In the theme of learning about some of the most well-known and well-grown grapes, we can’t go down this rabbit hole without talking about Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. These two grapes reign supreme in Burgundy, France, where you see them in Burgundy and Champagne. Since their origins, both grapes have risen to cult status in the world of wine and can be done and blended in a myriad of ways. To put it frankly, there are is no shortage of things to say for either grape, but let's start with Chardonnay. 

Chardonnay

One of the most famous and most cultivated grapes in the world, Chardonnay has a lot to offer any wine drinker and any glass. It is the most widely grown grape destined for winemaking in the world! Now that’s something to brag about. There’s a lot to be said about this guy and the powerhouse of its tasting profile, but before that, we need to journey back to its origins.  

Chardonnay originates in Burgundy, in the eastern part of France. With its green-yellow skins, the grape thrives in a cooler climate and can shine with oak maturation or stainless-steel fermentation. Typically, when consumers think of Chardonnay, they think of that buttery-yellow hue and those well-known aromas of butter, vanilla, and cream. What most don’t know, is that Chardonnay naturally smells and tastes like none of those things. 

The grape tends to exude notes of yellow apple, pear, and lemon. When it enters the winery and goes through the preliminary stages of crushing and fermentation, winemakers often like to induce malolactic fermentation or MLF. MLF is a secondary fermentation where malic acid is converted to lactic acid. That lactic acid is what gives the wine the creamy, rich mouthfeel we all know and love. Chardonnay also can be done ‘sur lie’, French for ‘on the lees’. Lees are the dead yeast cells left over after primary fermentation. The wine can rest atop the lees while maturing. Every few months, the winemaker or cellar master will release the bung on the barrel and insert a paddle and gently stir the lees in a process called bâttonage. This imparts bready, toasted, or nutty notes into the wine.  

Barrel aging is common and gives the wine texture and depth that come from the char of the wood. This process adds more notes of vanilla or even burnt sugar, reminiscent of crème brulé. If the wine is left alone in stainless steel with no MLF and no barrel aging, it will stay crisp and refreshing with a welcoming burst of acid and stone fruit.  

Winemakers now are spicing things up with Chardonnay. In the 80’s, wine made from chardonnay fell prey to the ABC movement, aka Anything But Chardonnay. Winemakers in California were barrel aging the heck out of the grape with a little bit of left-over residual sugar. This made the wines come out in the style of movie theatre popcorn, heavy on the butter. Lots of consumers were turned off and went in search of something lighter and more refreshing—thus the rise in popularity of Sauvignon Blanc. 

Since then, many producers have taken heed to the feedback of heavily oaked Chardonnays. While that style still has a place in the market, It’s not uncommon now to see Chardonnay blended with other groups in order to maintain acidity and lightness. 

Depending on its style, Chardonnay can slide through all manners of dishes. If done in stainless steel, Chardonnay begs for raw shellfish, green vegetable dishes, or soft flakey fish. If done in oak, keep in mind that the weight of the wine should complement the weight of the dish. Oaked chardonnay will shine with eggs benedict, French onion soup, or the classic fettuccini alfredo. 

Pinot Noir

When talking about Pinot Noir, the verbiage changes a touch. Known as the ‘heartbreak’ grape, Pinot Noir has frustrated more than one vineyard manager and winemaker. Because of its terribly thin skins, the grape is prone to all sorts of molds, rots, fungus and pests. The clusters grow very tightly together, which prevents any sort of airflow from sneaking in between berries and drying out unwanted moisture. Rot can form easily in these instances and ruin whole clusters. 

These hiccups and challenges don’t slow its popularity with consumers, however. Pinot Noir is in the top 10 of largest planted grapes in the world. And, because of its origin in Ancient Rome, Pinot Noir is nearly 1,000 years older than Cabernet Sauvignon!  

The grape also thrives in its home region of Burgundy within the limestone and clay soils. The usual school of thought? Where there is Chardonnay, Pinot Noir is not far behind. 

With its thin, purplish-gray skins, Pinot Noir is known for its lighter-bodied styles and all of those lovely, earthy aromas and flavors. Usually you’ll find notes of red florals, cherries, raspberries, and soil. With its easy and graceful tannins, Pinot Noir is the ultimate uniter of food pairings. Pinot Noir pairs with poultry, fish, pork, red meat, and mushrooms.

Not only is it done as a single varietal, Pinot Noir is also found in Champagne blends. It can be used in Blanc de Noirs, a sparkling wine made only from Pinot Noir. In Provence, Pinot Noir has made its way into dry rosés, where it imparts spicy berry notes. The grape also gets along with oak, and can age wonderfully in the barrel.

These two grapes have earned their legacies for a reason - and they only get more popular as younger generations come up. If you haven’t spent time with these two, I invite you to grab a glass or multiple glasses, and get familiar. You’ll understand why soon enough.