A Tale of Two Chardonnays

“I don’t really drink Chardonnay”. If you’ve said this without trying all the different styles of chardonnay, you are truly doing yourself a disservice. Chardonnay is grown in many places around the world and depending on the region and the style, the wine can vary in body, acidity, and taste.

Chardonnay can be made in different styles. However, there are generally two types of still Chardonnay.  Depending on the wine style you typically enjoy, you may find yourself drawn to one style or the other. The different styles also pair well with different cuisine.

One style of chardonnay is an unoaked chardonnay. It is an acidic and light body style of the wine made in steel and exposing the wine to less oxygen. The wine does not go through a secondary fermentation process and as a result, it maintains a light, crisp, and citrusy flavor profile.  One of the best regions for unoaked chardonnay is the Chablis region of France.

Another style of chardonnay that is very popular in California is oaked chardonnay. Chardonnay is one of the few white wines aged in oak and when it is, it goes through some pretty dramatic changes. While sitting in oak barrels, chardonnay goes through a process called malolactic fermentation. This secondary fermentation process gives the wine more body as well as the signature buttery and creamy flavor notes that many have come to love from oaky chardonnay.

Dorée, Pur Noire’s 2021 chardonnay, is an oaked chardonnay from Lodi, California. Six months in French oak gives the wine tropical fruit notes but maintains some of the citrus flavors that would be found in an unoaked chardonnay. The wine is also medium bodied with some creamy and buttery flavors.

Visit our tasting room and try Dorée along with our eight other varietals while learning all about our premium wines.