Beaujolais Beyond Gamay & Chardonnay as a Canvas
– the 3% you didn't know existed
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While researching my Beaujolais article, I came across some interesting stats. While most wine regions grow many different grape varieties, Beaujolais is unusual. It grows 97% Gamay and the remaining is mostly Chardonnay.
A few days later, Cork Fine Wines met with a wine rep. When I popped into the store, my colleague was excited for me to taste … you guessed it … a Beaujolais Blanc.
“It represents less than 3% of Beaujolais region plantings,” we said overtop of one another.
Nerds.
I loved its lean mineral character, reminiscent of some Chablis, with just the right amount of fruit.
Does not sound like a butter bomb!
No, this was not that style of Chardonnay.
Is Chablis a similar grape to Chardonnay then?
Chablis is a sub-region of Burgundy, and its wine is made from 100% Chardonnay.
Huh! I thought Chablis WAS the grape.
Chardonnay is referred to as a blank canvas by winemakers, as it is a rather neutral grape. It takes well to various grape growing and winemaking techniques, resulting in styles ranging from sparkling to full body still wines and everything in between.
Chardonnay allows the addition of as many or as few layers as the desired style demands. As an artist layers strokes of paint to get his artwork just right, winemakers can transform the Chardonnay “canvas” into the desired wine style.
I will discuss two different Chardonnay styles to show how aroma and flavor can be stacked onto one another.
As always it starts in the vineyard. In cooler regions, Chardonnay typically has high acidity, with citrus, apple, pear, and wet stone notes. These wines tend to have a light to medium body. In warmer climates, more stone fruit (i.e. peaches and nectarines) and sometimes tropical fruit notes will be added to the flavor canvas, along with a fuller body and lower acidity.
Additional layers can come from winemaking.
For sparkling wines, Chardonnay is one of winemakers’ favorite grapes and is the sole or blended grape in many sparklings throughout the world. Often grapes will be picked when ‘just ripe’, contributing flavors of apple and citrus. These flavors compliment the flavors contributed by the traditional method (aka champagne method) style of sparkling wine.
Let me see if I remember this. The bubbles come from a second fermentation in a closed vessel. The difference between traditional method and Prosecco method (aka tank or Charmat method) is the second fermentation is done in the bottle, correct?
Correct.
But what flavors does this add?
For example, in Champagne flavors of pastry, toast, graham cracker, bread dough, cheese, or yogurt are desired. These develop naturally from contact between the wine and the spent yeast cells after the second fermentation is complete. When this contact exceeds at least nine months the bready and dairy flavors described above result.
To make Chardonnay into a full body still (non-sparkling) wine, winemakers may ferment and age the wine in new oak barrels. After the fermentation is complete, aging the wine on the spent yeast cells gives the wine a smoother texture and cream or cheese notes. Depending on the wood species and how the barrels were prepared, flavors such as smoke, toast, charred wood, baking spice, vanilla, and coconut may arise in the wine. These flavors’ intensity will depend on the amount of time the wine is aged and if the winemaker lets malolactic conversion occur.
Fancy words.
Malolactic conversion is where the malic acid in the wine is converted to lactic acid. This gives the wine a creamier texture, softening the tart flavors into notes of cream, cheese, and sometimes butter.
I had no idea Chardonnays had so many different styles.
And we only covered the extremes above.
Another style is today’s featured wine. It was aged in what is considered neutral oak, as the barrels are 5 to 10 years old. The pronounced wood flavors have dissipated due to years of previous winemaking use. This means more of the grape flavors, such as fruit and minerals, are allowed to shine instead of the winemaking flavors.
Chardonnay often gets a bad rap, but there's truly a Chardonnay out there for everyone. You simply have to be open to exploring.
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Domaine du Petit Pérou Beaujolais Blanc Terrain Rouge Chardonnay 2021 from Beaujolais, France
Style: Old world medium body minerally white
Varieties: 100% Chardonnay
This smooth wine is texturally delicate yet with lively intensity of citrus, pear, under-ripe nectarine, and cheese flavors. It has a long dynamic finish which ends on mineral notes of saline, slate, wet stone, and crushed rocks.
Best pairings: Grilled shrimp, scallops or light fish like sole or cod dishes, Roasted poultry with simple herb seasoning, pasta salad with vinaigrette dressing, Soft cheeses including mild goat cheese.
Serving Temperature: 8-10 degrees Celsius
Serving Tips: Enjoy
Cost: ~$28 Cdn
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SOURCES:
Beaujolais, expressions of a vineyard. Available at: https://carnet.beaujolais.com/en/ (Accessed: 11 August 2024).
Fils, T.& (no date) Beaujolais White Terre Rouge, Domaine du Petit Pérou. Available at: https://www.petitperou.com/en/wines/beaujolais-white-terre-rouge-9.php (Accessed: 11 August 2024).
Harding, J. and Robinson, J. (2023) The oxford companion to wine. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press.
MacNeil, K. (2022) The wine bible. New York, NY: Workman Publishing.
Wine & Spirit Education Trust (2021) D3: Wines of the World - An accompaniment to the WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines. Version 1.2. London: Wine & Spirit Education Trust.
OK I will try this given I love Chardonnay but alas can't find any I like here!