Chardonnay is one of the world's most popular and versatile white wines. In 2024, it regained the position of Australia's most-crushed grape by volume, surpassing Shiraz for the first time since 2013 — a clear indication that consumers are seeking expressive, premium Chardonnay once again.
Chardonnay is perfect every day of the year, from casual alfresco lunches to elegant dinner tables. From the limestone slopes of Burgundy, the minerally villages of Chablis, the experimental soils of Jura, to vigorous vineyards in Australia and New Zealand, Chardonnay continues to intrigue wine drinkers around the world.
At FAB, we celebrate organic and biodynamic Chardonnay that tells the story of the land, people, and philosophy of the wines. Let's take a closer look at some of the world's most distinctive Chardonnay regions, styles, and producers — and explore the FAB organic wine offer.
What Is Chardonnay? Origins and Style
Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape originally from Burgundy, France, and the parent of hundreds of traditional and modern white wines. Its remarkable adaptability allows it to express a wide spectrum of styles.
Chardonnay is inherently a neutral, non-aromatic grape, making it a versatile canvas for winemakers. In France, particularly Burgundy, Chardonnay is celebrated for elegance, minerality, and terroir expression. Chablis, for example, is known for its steely, crisp, mineral-driven profile, while the Côte de Beaune produces fuller-bodied wines that still balance richness with finesse, often with subtle oak integration rather than overt butteriness.
In the New World, especially in the United States (California) and Australia, winemakers popularized richer, buttery, and more oaky styles. California Chardonnays often showcase tropical fruit, vanilla, and creamy textures from oak aging and malolactic fermentation, creating the iconic “buttery” profile that became globally famous in the late 20th century. Australia’s expressions can range from lush, oak-driven styles in warmer regions to leaner, more restrained versions from cooler areas like Yarra Valley or Adelaide Hills.
Italy, Austria, and Spain offer another perspective. Italian Chardonnays are generally elegant and bright, often unoaked or lightly aged, emphasizing acidity and subtle fruit. Austrian Chardonnays focus on freshness and minerality, reflecting cooler climates and restrained winemaking. In Spain, Chardonnay is less ubiquitous but often displays crisp fruit and moderate oak, blending into regional whites or single-varietal wines.
Recently, a new wave of global winemakers emphasizes lower-alcohol, unoaked Chardonnays that highlight purity, freshness, and vibrancy. These wines celebrate the grape’s versatility, offering a counterpoint to the heavily oaked, buttery styles that dominated previous decades.
White Burgundy Wines: The Reference Point for Chardonnay
Chardonnay originated in Burgundy, and it is here that the grape reached its full potential, becoming the benchmark for white wine worldwide. The diversity of Burgundy’s terroirs, combined with centuries of meticulous winemaking, creates wines that range from elegant and restrained to rich and opulent.
Key French regions for Chardonnay include:
Côte de Beaune — Home to Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, and Chassagne-Montrachet, this area produces full-bodied, complex Chardonnays, often barrel-aged. Flavours typically include stone fruit, hazelnut, honey, and subtle vanilla, balanced by freshness and structure.
Chablis & Petit Chablis — Geographically part of Burgundy but stylistically distinct, Chablis sits further north, with Kimmeridgian limestone soils that impart lean, precise, and highly mineral wines. Characterised by crisp acidity, green apple, lemon, and flinty notes, these wines are usually unoaked, making purity of fruit and site expression the focus.
Jura — A small, artisanal region east of Burgundy, Jura produces traditional, often oxidative Chardonnays. These wines have a distinctive textural richness, nutty complexity, and can develop savory, almost sherry-like characters over time.
South of France & Languedoc-Roussillon — Chardonnay is widely planted here, usually yielding approachable, sun-kissed, fruit-forward wines with moderate acidity. Often used for blends or unoaked bottlings, these wines offer value and freshness.
Chardonnay’s journey across France demonstrates both the grape’s versatility and the influence of terroir and winemaking tradition. Burgundy remains the ultimate reference, but from Chablis to Jura and beyond, French Chardonnay expresses a remarkable range of styles, from crisp and mineral to textural and nutty, offering a spectrum of choices for any wine lover.
Chardonnay in the Old World
Chardonnay’s journey begins in Europe, where it has been cultivated for centuries and refined into some of the world’s most iconic white wines. France, particularly Burgundy, remains the reference point, but the grape has also spread across Italy, Spain, Austria, and other regions, adapting to local soils and climates:
Italy — Regions like Alto Adige, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, and Tuscany craft elegant, mineral-driven Chardonnays, often unoaked or lightly aged, reflecting a precise expression of terroir.
Spain — Though better known for Tempranillo and Albariño, regions such as Penedès and Rioja produce fresh, balanced Chardonnay, frequently used in sparkling Cava blends or as standalone white wines.
Austria — Chardonnay is grown in small parcels in Burgenland and Styria, producing crisp, energetic wines with vibrant freshness and subtle oak influence.
Other regions — Switzerland, Germany, and Slovenia also nurture Chardonnay, often in smaller, artisanal productions, highlighting finesse, minerality, and local identity.
Chardonnay in the Old World is defined by elegance, site expression, and a diversity of styles—from lean and mineral to textural and nutty.
Chardonnay in the New World
The New World has embraced Chardonnay with creativity and scale, producing styles that range from bold and expressive to restrained and elegant. Countries like Australia, New Zealand, and the United States have led this movement:
Australia — From the cool-climate Yarra Valley to the Hunter Valley and Margaret River, winemakers are producing Chardonnays that balance ripe stone fruit, purity, and sometimes gentle oak. Organic and biodynamic practices are increasingly shaping the style, emphasizing terroir and freshness.
New Zealand — Marlborough and Central Otago Chardonnays are celebrated for their clarity, layered fruit, and textural complexity, often showing bright acidity and refined oak integration.
United States — California’s Sonoma Coast, Carneros, and Santa Barbara regions craft a wide spectrum of Chardonnays, from lean, mineral wines to rich, buttery, barrel-aged expressions. Oregon and Washington are emerging with precise, elegant styles.
Other regions — Chile, Argentina, and South Africa produce vibrant Chardonnays with varietal purity and regional character, often at excellent value.
New World Chardonnay demonstrates versatility and innovation, blending tradition with modern winemaking techniques.
Why Organic Chardonnay?
Organic and biodynamic cultivation encourage purity of flavour, terroir expression, and environmental sustainability. At FAB, all Chardonnays are 100% certified organic, carefully selected for integrity and low-intervention winemaking, letting each wine speak clearly of its place and philosophy.
Chardonnay Food Pairing Guide
Discover how Chardonnay’s style and structure guide the perfect food pairing.
1. Elegant, Rich, Oak-Influenced
Flavours: Full-bodied, layered, subtle oak, elegant richness
Ideal Pairings:
- Chicken or pork roasted with herb or fruit glazes
- Mushroom risotto, creamy pastas
- Brie, camembert, or mild goat cheese
Regions: Burgundy (Côte de Beaune, Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, Chassagne-Montrachet), Pouilly-Fuissé
FAB Highlight: Domaine Jean Michel Giboulot - Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Beaune 2021
2. Minerally, Crisp
Flavours: Lean, precise, high acidity, mineral-driven
Ideal Pairings:
- Oysters, white fish, scallops
- Light seafood dishes with lemon or herb dressings
- Simple pasta or risotto
Regions: Chablis, Petit Chablis, Loire Valley (Mâconnais, Pouilly-Fuissé), Italy (Alto Adige, Friuli), Spain (Penedès, Rioja whites)
FAB Highlights: Jean-Marc Brocard Chablis Vieilles Vignes 2020
3. Fresh, Layered, Fruit-Driven
Flavours: Ripe stone fruit, citrus, vibrant, sometimes gentle oak
Ideal Pairings:
- Grilled vegetables, citrus salads
- Richer poultry dishes with stone fruit sauces
- Soft, nutty cheeses
- Light Asian-inspired dishes
Regions: Australia (Hunter Valley, Yarra Valley, Margaret River), New Zealand (Marlborough, Central Otago), South Africa (Walker Bay, Elgin), Chile (Casablanca Valley)
FAB Highlights: Krinklewood Hunter Valley Chardonnay 2022
4. Textural, Nutty, Oxidative
Flavours: Nutty, textural, sometimes oxidative, savory complexity
Ideal Pairings:
- Nutty or creamy cheeses
- White meats, roasted root vegetables
- Fresh herbs, lemon-based sauces
Regions: Jura, Austria (Burgenland, Styria), Switzerland (Valais), Germany (Baden)
FAB Highlights: Domaine de Villet Arbois Chardonnay 2019
5. Opulent, Oak-Influenced
Flavours: Buttery, toasty, vanilla, stone fruit, full-bodied
Ideal Pairings:
- Roasted chicken or turkey
- Creamy pastas, lobster thermidor
- Aged hard cheeses like Comté or Gruyère
- Sweet-spiced dishes (e.g., Moroccan tagines with apricots or almonds)
Regions: United States (California – Sonoma Coast, Carneros, Santa Barbara), Australia (Adelaide Hills, Margaret River), New Zealand (Gimblett Gravels, Hawke’s Bay)
FAB Highlights: Birgit Braunstein - Chardonnay Leithaberg DAC 2019
FAB Wine Highlights
France:
Domaine Jean-Michel Giboulot – Savigny-lès-Beaune
12 hectares including Beaune 1er Cru and Pommard. Strict organic techniques and low-intervention winemaking allow pure expression of the vineyard.
Domaine Huguenot – Marsannay-la-Côte
Five generations of family winemaking in Marsannay, Fixin, and Gevrey-Chambertin. Sustainable farming produces expressive, terroir-driven Chardonnay.
Jean-Marc Brocard – Chablis
Village Chablis from 50-year-old vines with creamy-buttery texture, integrated acidity, and vanilla-apricot aromas. Elegant now, with aging potential.
Clos des Rocs – Pouilly-Fuissé
Old-vine Chardonnay from sun-drenched southern slopes. Density and richness in balance, aged in neutral demi-muids for refined elegance.
Domaine de Villet – Jura
Natural wine champion producing Chardonnay with white fruit, hawthorn, and acacia flavors. Minerally, precise, and expressive of Jurassic limestone soils.
Krinklewood – Hunter Valley
Certified biodynamic vineyards yield Chardonnay with citrus and stone fruit purity, subtle oak, freshness, and food-friendliness.
Castagna – Beechworth
A blend of Chardonnay and Viognier, textural, floral, and expressive through low-intervention biodynamic winemaking.
New Zealand:
Walnut Block – Marlborough
Full-bodied, structured, with depth and elegant acidity. Serious, world-class Chardonnay.
Austria:
Michael Opitz – Burgenland
Sun-drenched vineyards of Seewinkel produce energy, elegance, and vibrant freshness. Vanilla integrates seamlessly with a crisp, lively finish.
