Bourgogne Chardonnay Madame Veuve Point 2020

Varied and elegant: the Burgundy Chardonnay

There are times when we don’t want to think about what wine to have on the table. When we want something predictable, reliable and classic. Burgundy can be a good choice. Chardonnay as a variety can also be an excellent choice. And all of this together: as perfect as possible!

Burgundy wines are also not boring: one of the world’s most famous wine regions, Burgundy has a very varied soil, with areas close to each other producing completely different wines. The region’s strength is also that it is based mainly on its natural assets, its vineyards.

This versatility is also reflected in the wines made from the main white variety here, Chardonnay. Chardonnay is a cross between Pinot noir and the little-known Gouais blanc, and is one of the relatively well-adapted world varieties. This means not only the natural environment but also the different growing methods. (Although it does not like frost, so sometimes the cellars are heated to keep it happy.)

The variety of the grape variety also makes it unfair to think of Chardonnay as a boring wine, as everyone can find their own style of Chardonnay. In the north, there is Chablis, mysterious in its reductive simplicity, which takes a lifetime to truly appreciate. Moving south, we are enchanted by the fuller, more complex styles that are increasingly emerging from their citrusy, green-apple character, the golden wines of the Cote’d Or, which produce the world’s best and (sadly) most expensive white wines.

Top quality Chardonnay is naturally aged in oak barrels, usually for 6-9 months. This was not the case in the past, but nowadays it is kept in barrels for a shorter period to allow its characterful aromas to be better appreciated. Another way of doing this is to age it in larger or older barrels. Chardonnay is excellent at showing off the great terroirs: but it is undoubtedly the most elegant in Burgundy, where the best structured versions come from, and which we can open with confidence after decades: they will not disappoint.