Chardonnay makes a huge range of styles of wine. Philippines wine supplier Manila wine shop discusses wine by the grape variety Chardonnay.

June 15, 2011

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It has the distinction of (probably) being the most popular grape on the planet. And there are a number of good reasons why it is so popular.

In this short article we will explore origins of grape and give you the background to the great Chardonnay and what makes it so special.

Origins

The Chardonnay grape appears to be unrelated to any other significant major vine, despite a long standing belief that it was closely related to the other major Burgundy grape, Pinot Noir. All wine grapes are ultimately descended from wild vines and belong to the Vitis vinifera genus, but there the relationship appears to end for Chardonnay. There are some very minor relatives, including a pink Chardonnay, but its closest relative is probably Muscat.

Another common belief is that Chardonnay’s origins are in the Mâconnais in France, where the village of Chardonnay can be found. It is more likely that, in common with most major grape varieties, its true home is in the Middle East, most likely Lebanon and Syria. “Passing “crusaders probably transported the vine to Europe.

There is now no doubt now that Chardonnay’s homeland is in France and indisputably in Burgundy, where it reaches it apogee, especially in the Côte d’Or. It is however a truly international player, with plantings in almost every country that grows grapes for wine, including England.

Viticulture

Broadly Chardonnay is a pretty easy grape to grow. It adapts well to a wide variety of climates, from marginal in Champagne and England through to the hot Californian Central Valley and Riverina in Australia. Its only real disadvantage is that it buds early and consequently is susceptible to damage due to spring frosts. Chardonnay ripens early however, helping it avoid most of the risk of rot from autumn rain. It is prone to powdery mildew, grey and noble rot in damp conditions, but is generally very hardy.

Chardonnay is a vigorous vine and therefore it is often very densely planted and usually subject to severe canopy management practices. It adapts to most soil types, with the probable exception of very rich and wet soils. It is best suited to poor, calcareous soils and it is in these soils that the vine produces it most interesting grapes.

The vine is a good producer, consistently yielding 50hl/ ha in Burgundy, with relatively high sugar content. Acid levels fall quickly in Chardonnay when ripe and therefore picking at the correct time is vital to avoid a flabby wine.

Vinification

Chardonnay makes a huge range of styles, from fresh lean sparkling wine in Champagne to the rich, oaky blockbusters found in Australia and California. It responds well to a variety of wine making techniques, including a great affinity for oak.

The winemaker can play with Chardonnay, experimenting with new techniques and processes. There have been and are examples of wines being subject to long skin contact, mechanical concentration, warm fermentation (usually a very bad idea for white wines) to very cold (almost Asti like) fermentation. And the grape more often than not responds by producing a high quality wine.

When carefully made, Chardonnay has good ageing potential, especially in French examples.

Wine Styles

As we’ve already observed, Chardonnay makes a huge range of styles and these are greatly influenced by the winemaking practices.

But what does Chardonnay taste like? Well, it doesn’t have a particularly well defined varietal character, more often reflecting its terrior than most other grapes.

Look at and compare a Chablis with a Meursault or even the Shaw & Smith Unoaked Chardonnay with the Catena Chardonnay and you’ll find very different wines from the same grapes grown in very similar climates.

For a description of wine styles and examples of each style in the West Mount Wine catalogue, please look at our section on Chardonnay wine styles.

Conclusions

Well there we have it, an introduction to Chardonnay, probably the most ubiquitous grape in the world. A grape whose popularity owes much to its ability to grow and ripen almost anywhere, give generous yields and respond to a variety of wine making techniques to produce a wide range of wine styles. There may be the ABC (Anything But Chardonnay) crowd, but ultimately it’s a very versatile and commercial grape and it does make great wine.

Source: http://www.westmountwine.co.uk/acatalog/Chardonnay.html

Although wines are widely available in most Asian countries, especially in Hong Kong which has eliminated import tariff on wines altogether, the availability of fine vintage wines is still very scarce. Most wine merchants offer big names, young vintages and cheaper wines for everyday consumption. Wine lovers and connoisseurs looking for something special often travel to Clark Pampanga Philippines to do their shopping at this Wine Shop in Manila.

At Yats Wine Cellars we believe that a little bit of knowledge in wine goes a long way to developing expectations in the wines we choose to buy or drink. Without expectation, it is difficult to really enjoy wine to its fullest. With this in mind, efforts are made by Yats Wine Cellars to make it as easy and enjoyable as possible for our clients to learn more about wine.

Birthday wine gifts is one of the most popular birthday gifts to give someone living in the Philippines. Fine Vintage wine from Yats Wine Cellars is a sure winner and it does not have to cost a great deal to send someone a bottle in Philippines

To avail of wine catering service of Yats Wine Cellars, just contact this wine supplier in Manila or Angeles Clark Philippines for a meeting to design a theme for the event. The venue for a wine event can be in the privacy of a home, the convenience of an office in Manila for example or in a clubhouse of a subdivision. Wine glasses and accessories necessary for wine service are included in the wine catering service. Moreover, interesting wine notes accompany the wine to help participants enjoy the event even more by learning a little bit about wine while enjoying the party. A wine steward will be present to serve the wine.

There is also an exciting collection of white wine from Burgundy at this wine shop in Clark Pampanga such as Meursault, Chablis, Chassagne Montrachet, Puligny Montrachet, Corton-Charlemagne and St. Aubin. Red wines from Burgundy, Bordeaux and Rhone are also available with a good depth of back vintages too. Visitors buy wine in Manila and Pampanga should not miss stopping at this wine shop for a few bottles of fine vintage wines to bring home.

http://www.ClarkWineCenter.com

Getting to this wine shop in Pampanga Angeles City Clark Freeport Zone Philippines from Manila

Getting to the Clark Wine Center wine shop from Manila is quite simple: after entering Clark Freeport from Dau and Angeles City, proceed straight along the main highway M A Roxas. Clark Wine Center is the stand-along white building on the right, at the corner A Bonifacio Ave. From the Clark International Airport DMIA, ask the taxi to drive towards the entrance of Clark going to Angeles City. From Mimosa, just proceed towards the exit of Clark and this wine shop is on the opposite side of the main road M A Roxas.

Clark Wine Center

Bldg 6460 Clark Observatory Building

Manuel A. Roxas Highway corner A Bonifacio Ave,

Angeles Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga 2023

0922-870-5173 0917-826-8790 (ask for Ana Fe)

Wine@Yats-International.com

YATS Wine Cellars

Manila Sales Office

3003C East Tower, Phil Stock Exchange Center,

Exchange Rd Ortigas Metro Manila, Philippines 1605

(632) 637-5019 0917-520-4393 ask for Rea or Chay

Best place to buy wine in Clark Pampanga outside Manila near Subic and Angeles City Philippines is Clark Wine Center.