Thursday, September 30, 2010

Chardonnay


- Identification / Origin: Champagne and Burgundy: it is the only grape grown in the Chablis appellation

- Synonyms: wrongly called pinot blanc because it is not a white pinot noir, beaunois in Yonne, aubaine in Saône and Loire, auvernat in the region of Orléans, chaudenay in Touraine, melon Arbois, gamay blanc in the Jura, petite Sainte Marie in Savoie.


Description: small to medium clusters, cylindrical, compact sometimes with two wings; berries spherical or sometimes slightly oblong, yellow amber in the sun, thin skins thin enough to break when approaching maturity.

Production ability: bud early, susceptible to spring frosts. Fairly strong vigor, very productive depending on the clone. Moderately susceptible to mildew, it is little affected by mildew and especially by grey rot. Sensible also to rain and low temperatures during flowering which can lead to partial or total coulure and millerandage in some cases. Maturity late1st period.

Clones approved: preference, in descending order, 76, 95, 75, 96, 548, 277, 121, 124, 125, 122 and 78.
Note that the clone 77 has a slight muscat taste.

Type of wine / Aromas: is part of the vine designations Champagne, virtually all white appellations of Burgundy, Saumur, Orleans, Touraine, Vins du haut Poitou, Vins du Thouarsais.
With reasonable production, gives a wine of great finesse with a high aromatic potential.
Chardonnay should be harvested early enough to get a high quality product and we will monitor particularly the sugar/ acidity balance.

Aromas of acacia, almonds, toasted almond, almond green, amber, hawthorn, banana, fresh butter, brioche, orange, freshly cut hay, fern (lightweight), dried fruits, fresh grass, lilac, lilies, mango, brown glossy, mint green, crumb of bread, honey, mousseron, blackberry, hazelnut, toasted hazelnut, notes buttered, the core fishing , Orange, nettle white bread buttered, toasted bread, grapefruit, papaya, almond paste, white peach, rose petal, stone rifle, pear, pepper, apple, licorice, flint, wood, elderberry, blond tobacco , Linden, toast, truffle, vanilla, verbena, purple, ... . .