Chardonnay

New Zealand Chardonnay 

Chardonnay is one of the most widely consumed white wine varieties worldwide. It enjoys great popularity among wine lovers due to its versatility and its ability to suit various occasions and dishes.

Chardonnay is often referred to as the white wine of red wine drinkers. Chardonnay wines are typically dry and develop a full body and multifaceted aromas on the palate – obvious red wine parallels.

Chardonnay wines had fallen into disrepute. The motto ABC “Anything But Chardonnay” influenced the sales of Chardonnay worldwide. Wine lovers withdrew from boring, consistently tasting, and wood chip-treated Chardonnay wines. They developed a taste for other wine varieties that were more aromatic, fresher, and more interesting to drink, such as Sauvignon Blanc.

That has changed again. Chardonnay is extremely versatile and can be grown in various wine regions around the world. This has led to Chardonnay wines being available in different styles and flavors, ranging from dry and mineral to rich and creamy.

Chardonnay Wine in New Zealand

In New Zealand, Chardonnay is in 3rd place. Only 6% of wine production and 2% of wine exports is Chardonnay. With a very low yield of 7 tonnes per hectare, the focus is on quality over quantity. New Zealand's Chardonnays are mostly dry.

“I started drinking New Zealand Chardonnays in London in the late 1980s and I have always been a big fan. ” – James Suckling
 

“New Zealand makes a lot of really excellent Chardonnay” – Alder Yarrow, vinography, August 27 2025
 

Top 5 Chardonnay Growing Regions

1. Marlborough
2. Hawke's Bay
3. Gisborne
4. Nelson
5. North Canterbury

Marlborough typically produces a vibrant Chardonnay wine with good acidity and powerful aromas of nectarine, grapefruit, and other citrus fruits that work well with or without oak.

Hawke's Bay Chardonnays tend to be very concentrated wines with medium to full body. They have aromas of peach, melon, and lemon/grapefruit.

Tips for enjoying Chardonnay

Serving Temperature for Chardonnay Wines

A very good serving temperature for barrel-aged Chardonnay wines is around 10 °C - 12 °C (50 °F - 54 °F). For a Chardonnay wine fermented only in stainless steel tanks, approx. 7 °C (45 °F) is recommended.

Suitable Food Pairings for Chardonnay

The special thing about Chardonnay is its flexibility and ability to produce wines in a wide range of styles and flavors. Chardonnay wines thus pair well with many dishes. For richer dishes like roasts and cheese, it is best to serve an older Chardonnay that has itself had time to develop character.

A light, young Chardonnay wine with little oak influence and lots of freshness pairs wonderfully with fish, seafood, and shellfish.

Rich and oak-aged Chardonnay wines complement hearty dishes as well as chicken, veal, and rabbit with creamy sauces, refined with garlic and a splash of lemon.

Our Tip: Combine barrel-aged Chardonnay with a lukewarm salad, with hot-smoked salmon, small potatoes, and asparagus.

Chardonnay Flavour

The aromas in Chardonnay wines can vary depending on the growing region and production techniques. Common aromas include green apples, citrus fruits, peaches, melons, butter, vanilla, and nuts.

Chardonnay wines can have a rich and creamy texture, especially when matured in oak barrels. This gives them an additional layer of flavour and aromatic complexity. Barrel aging results in flavours of vanilla, toast, lanolin, coconut, caramel, cheese, yeast, bread, and butter.

If you want to emphasize the wine's crispness, it is aged in stainless steel tanks. Here, peach, apricot, melon, fig, honey, lemon, and lime are highlighted.

The acidity reduction through malolactic fermentation (the conversion of malic acid into lactic acid) creates the typical buttery flavour of Chardonnay. Here, too, the winemaker has the option to influence the taste of the Chardonnay by choosing not to carry out this fermentation.

Overall, it is an incredibly malleable grape, whose wines are constantly evolving, with a balance of minerality and fruit.

Chardonnay: Ageing Potential

Chardonnay wines often have the potential to age well and develop positively over time. This means that some high-quality Chardonnays can develop more complex aromas and textures after several years of storage.