Chardonnay is grown on nearly every continent in the world. It’s the world’s most widely planted white wine grape for several reasons: It thrives in a range of climates, it deftly expresses characteristics of the terroir it’s grown in, and it’s amenable to a wide range of winemaking styles. Despite its distinctly international nature, when people in the U.S. think of Chardonnay, they tend to think of just two countries: the United States and France. And while there’s no question that both nations produce some of the world’s greatest Chardonnays, there’s also so much more to explore. As a result of the shifting climate, Chardonnay now thrives in regions once too cold to fully ripen it.
Chardonnay’s brighter side comes to life in cool-climate areas like Germany’s Pfalz region and oceanside vineyards in New Zealand, Australia, and Greece. Hawke’s Bay is located on New Zealand’s North Island, where the temperate climate is ideal for balanced Chardonnays (and for red Bordeaux-style varieties). The 2024 Craggy Range Kidnappers Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay offers yellow-grapefruit flavors and minty-green herbal notes, the latter imparted by 70% whole-cluster fermentation.
Excerpt Taken From: Food & Wine
Author: Lucy Simon
