Discovering a grape variety with explosive aromas: Chardonnay
Golden colour, freshness on the palate and explosiveness of its aromas: Chardonnay Barollo owes its characteristics to the land in which it originates. A vine that contains a fascinating history, waiting to be discovered.
History and diffusion in the world
An international variety grown in all wine-growing areas of the world, Chardonnay is an excellent base for Classic Method sparkling wines such as Champagne, Trentodoc and Franciacorta. Its origins are not univocal: there are those who believe it has Middle Eastern roots and those who claim it comes from a spontaneous cross between a pre-domesticated vine and a vine from Illyria. Spread in Europe starting from Burgundy at the hands of the Cistercian monks of the Pontigny Abbey, it owes its name to the village of the same name in the Mâconnais.
Among the areas of greatest cultivation in Italy we find Sicily, Trentino-Alto Adige, the Piedmontese Langhe, Franciacorta in Lombardy, Veneto , Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Abruzzo. In France it is widespread everywhere, especially in the Chablis and Coté d'Or areas. It is also found in Australia, California, Chile and South Africa, where it gives rise to complex and structured wines.
Ampelographic characteristics
Chardonnay is a vine capable of adapting to very different soils and climates, even if it prefers temperate-warm climates , clayey and calcareous soils and ventilated and cool environments. Its plant is characterized by a medium and round leaf, a medium-sized and pyramid-shaped bunch . The grape is also medium sized, with firm, tender and golden yellow skin. It has regular and abundant productivity and requires a rather early harvest (its early sprouting can often put it at risk of spring frosts).
Harvesting this vine at the right time is very important to guarantee the correct acidity , especially in grapes intended for the production of classic method sparkling wines. Chardonnay also has great aging capabilities!
Wines made from Chardonnay grapes
The wide range of aromatic components that Chardonnay gives to the wines follows the typical features of the soils and climates where it is grown, making tasting an ever new experience.
Wines obtained from Chardonnay grapes generally have a straw yellow color and a fruity and elegant palate, expressing a wide range of aromas on the nose. Their peculiarities vary depending on the terroir in which they grow, ranging from marked acidity and freshness , up to buttery and spicy notes when aged in barrique.
Chardonnay, where the dream of the Barollo brothers began
Its elegance and versatility fascinated us immediately and the invaluable advice of family friend and experienced winemaker Carlo Corino , pioneer of Sicilian Chardonnay, was welcomed with great enthusiasm when we started the Barollo project in 2001.
In a land with such unique characteristics, halfway between the Venetian lagoon and the Dolomites, Chardonnay finds a natural flavor that enriches it with aromas, freshness and acidity. Limestone rock, clayey and marly soil, sediments and incursions of sea water guarantee the Chardonnay grapes a minerality that lays the foundations for three different types of winemaking: classic method sparkling winemaking, steel and wood.
An ideal microclimate for a grape variety like Chardonnay on which we bet and which, after 20 years, continues to give us great satisfaction and important prizes.
Discover our interpretations of Chardonnay!
🥂Chardonnay sparkling with the classic method - 100% Chardonnay - 72 months on the yeasts --> Classic Method Riserva Alfredo Barollo
🥂Chardonnay vinified in steel - 100% Chardonnay - DOC Venezia --> Frater Bianco
🥂Chardonnay aged in French oak barriques for 10 months, winner of the Gambero Rosso Tre Bicchieri award 2022 --> Barricaded Chardonnay