Chardonnay

One of the really great Chardonnays from South Tyrol: bright, intense light golden yellow in colour. In the powerful yet harmonious Chardonnay Baron Salvadori, the aromas of fine vanilla cream and ripe fruit change in quick succession. Fresh and round on the palate, the accentuated fruit is accompanied by balanced acidity, a fine salty vein and well-integrated wood spice. SUPERIORE.DE

50 years of Grande Annata! The Grande Annata by Mattia Vezzola seduces you with a beautiful blend of ripe apples, pears, candied ginger and subtle nuances of blood oranges. This outstanding Metodo Classico from Lake Garda is both round and perfectly structured as well as vibrant with its bright acidity and salty minerals clearly taking centre stage. A hint of raw almonds and sour apples lingers on the final, along with a subtle hint of lime that literally tickles the cheeks. Every year, Grande Annata brut is a top sparkling wine of great complexity and with a wonderful arc of tension! SUPERIORE.DE

"Pio di lei", for the ladies. A name that pays homage to the strong women of the Pio Cesare family. When Pio Boffa planted the first Chardonnay vines in 1981, it was a revolutionary act in the Langhe. Here, in the realm of Nebbiolo, where Barolo and Barbaresco have reigned supreme for centuries, growing a French white wine bordered on heresy. But Pio had a vision: to create a white wine that possessed the body, complexity and ageing potential of the great reds. The first vintage was released in 1985. Today, almost four decades later, his daughter Federica is carrying on the legacy and proving that the women of this family are not merely the namesakes, but the architects.

In the summer of 2008, Alvaro Pecorari embarked on an experiment – and a test. The Valle dell’Isonzo, that valley between Friuli and Slovenia through which the river of the same name flows with its characteristically clear, alpine water, had long since established itself as one of the most compelling white wine regions in north-eastern Italy. But Metodo Classico? That was new territory, a commitment: that this land, with its distinctive minerality, its continental-Adriatic climate and its Chardonnay, is capable of producing something extraordinary in this way too. 100% Chardonnay, cultivated using integrated pest management without herbicides. The base wine is crafted with the care that has characterised the estate since its founding by Alvaro Pecorari’s father, Alvaro. Then comes patience: more than 40 months of yeast ageing – well above the legal minimum, with the conviction that finesse takes time. Extra Brut – no dosage sugar to mask the acidity, only what the wine itself brings.

Satèn – the name alone promises what this Franciacorta delivers: silky-soft texture, reduced perlage intensity, pure elegance. Bellavista vinifies this exclusive category exclusively in outstanding years from pure Chardonnay from the higher vineyards that catch the first morning light. The 2020 vintage shows what Vittorio Moretti's vision of perfection means: hand-picked grapes, vinified in small oak barrels, then matured on the lees for at least four years in the bottle – time that you can taste.

Sometimes the oldest things are hidden. While the Chardonnay Sol, the founding wine from 1981, tells the story of Ronco del Gnemiz, the Corrado di Manzano has even deeper roots: its vines were planted between the two world wars, at a time when no one could have guessed that one of the most important Chardonnay vineyards in the Colli Orientali would one day be created here. The name honours a family member, as is the tradition at Ronco del Gnemiz: Dottore Palazzolo, Iris, now Corrado. The location in Manzano, exposed to the south-east, differs from the headquarters in Rosazzo. The soils are rich in organic matter and, despite their biblical age, the vines show enviable vigour year after year – year after year. Christian Patat takes a different approach here than with Sol or Ronco Basso: the must matures for ten months in stainless steel and wooden barrels, not exclusively in barriques.

On the lower slopes of Ronco, where the hills of Rosazzo gently fade into the valley, lies a plot of land that Christian Patat planted in 2001 with a mission: to make the best Chardonnay in Friuli. Not a modest ambition, but anyone who knows the wines of Ronco del Gnemiz knows that nobody bakes small rolls here. The vines come from Selezione Massale, vegetatively propagated from the estate's oldest Chardonnay vines. They are rooted in the Ponca, Friuli's famous marl soil, which gives the wines their mineral tension. Exposed to the south-west, they capture the warmth of the afternoon sun – and yet they retain the freshness that only the Adriatic breeze and the proximity of the Alps can provide. What distinguishes Ronco Basso from the other white wines of the estate: It is the only one to undergo malolactic fermentation. Christian Patat gives it this creamy dimension because the Chardonnay can take it – no, because it needs it. Whole-cluster pressing, then eleven months in French barriques, a third of them new, the rest second and third vintages. Rare bâtonnage, a lot of patience.

What does it mean to elicit the highest form of expression from a grape variety? For the Ferragamos, it is the essence of their wine philosophy – and this Chardonnay is their white manifesto. In a region that, since Cosimo III de' Medici's decree of 1716, has been one of the four noblest wine zones in Tuscany, Il Borro dares to do the unexpected: a white wine that wants to compete with the great Burgundies. The vines are rooted in metamorphic soils interspersed with fossilised sea shells – witnesses to a time when water still covered the land here. At the foot of the Pratomagno, they find that balance of warmth and night-time coolness that gives the Chardonnay both ripeness and freshness. After being harvested by hand in small crates, an unrivalled ageing process begins: part of the must ferments in stainless steel, while the rest is divided between clayver, acacia and oak barriques. Maturation on the fine lees lends texture and depth – each vessel contributes its own nuance before merging into the final cuvée.

In 1981, a wine was bottled that would finally put Ronco del Gnemiz on the map. Not the biggest, not the most expensive – but the one that showed what was possible on this hill in Rosazzo. Sol Chardonnay was the beginning of a story that continues to this day. The vineyard from which it comes is a rarity: half a hectare, planted between the two world wars, when no one could have guessed that these vines would one day be among the oldest Chardonnay vines in the Colli Orientali. Today they are over 80 years old – and still produce grapes of astonishing vigour year after year. The soils are rich in organic matter, the eastern exposure catches the gentle morning light and protects the grapes from the afternoon heat. 20 hectolitres per hectare: less than half of what is considered low elsewhere. Christian Patat presses the grapes as whole clusters and ferments the must entirely in barriques – a third of them new, the rest already used. Bâtonnage? Rarely.

Half a hectare in Rosazzo. Two plots that touch like old friends: one was planted in 1954, when Friuli was still licking the wounds of war. The other followed fifty years later, in 2004, as if someone wanted to continue the story. Together they form one of those patches of land that are known in the Colli Orientali as authentic Grand Crus – a word that is not used lightly here. The winery does not (yet) reveal who Ana Freire was or is. Just this much: the name is written on the label like a dedication, preceded by an "a" like a silent "for you". At Ronco del Gnemiz, wines bear the names of those who matter – serena's mother Iris, her father Dottore Palazzolo. This Chardonnay joins this silent gallery of affection. Christian Patat vinifies it like its siblings: whole bunch pressing, fermentation in wood, the same meticulous process as for the Sol or Ronco Basso.

The Viognier/Chardonnay glass of the Veritas glass series is fine, well-proportioned and is a classic all-rounder for all those who are looking for "one for all white wines". The classic glass shape expresses both the freshness of younger wines and the spicy aromas of more mature wines. As usual, the high-quality glass impresses visually with its classic line and is pleasant to hold.

The voluminous Chardonnay glass is ideal for revealing the intensity and complexity of more complex white wines. Thanks to the extra volume and the wide goblet opening, rich bouquets and variety of aromas can be experienced particularly intensively.

In the rolling hills of Buttrio, where the history of Friulian winemaking has been woven into the landscape for centuries, lies the "Dominin" vineyard – named after Domenico Meroi, the great-grandfather who laid the foundations for today’s winery in 1920. The nickname ‘Dominin’ has become legendary, synonymous with a family tradition that Paolo Meroi, now in the fourth generation, continues to this day. What once began as a small farm with five hectares of Sangiovese (!) – whose wine was sold only in bulk – has long since matured into one of the most respected names in the Colli Orientali.

Andrea Franchetti discovered this tiny, terraced plot back in 2000 – a narrow strip of black sand, as fine as face powder, between 870 and 950 metres above sea level on the northern Etna slope. Here, on the highest Chardonnay vineyard in Italy, he recognised an exceptional habitat for this Burgundian grape variety. However, it was only after years of precise observation, micro-vinifications at various stages of maturation and the realisation that this site has a personality all of its own that the estate decided to bottle the wine separately as Contrada PC in 2018. 36 hours of maceration, fermentation in neutral 20-hectolitre barrels, then 17 months of ageing in large oak barrels – at least six months on the fine lees to enrich the wine and emphasise its potential. The naturally occurring malolactic fermentation in the barrel gives the wine a creamy fullness without disguising its mineral precision. Bottled unfiltered according to the cycles of the waning moon, followed by a further year of bottle ageing to reach its full potential.

The individual parcels (micro-locations) on Etna are called Contrade and the Contrada Passochianche (PC) is the Chardonnay cru from the magical hand of Andrea Franchetti. The visionary, who sadly passed away in 2021, planted high-density Chardonnay here at an altitude of around 900 metres back in 2000. The 2018 vintage marked the debut of a wine that impressively reflects Franchetti's many years of experience on Etna. Like all Contrade wines, it has its very own personality and demonstrates very clearly how a grape variety gains its very own form of expression in different locations. Just 2,660 bottles of this fresh, characterful and salty-mineral Chardonnay were filled. SUPERIORE.DE

Fine traditional brut from the Lunelli family, who work tirelessly on the authenticity of their Trentino classics. A wide range of aromas and an elegant flavour with a good structure offer first-class enjoyment on many occasions. On the nose, crisp green apple, tangy lemon and a hint of toasted brioche. On the palate, citrus fruits harmonise with white peaches with a subtle hint of minerality. The bubbles are fine and persistent, the finish refreshing and clean. SUPERIORE.DE

Terlan is a small village south of Bolzano – and one of Italy’s most exceptional white wine regions. The combination of porphyry rock, calcareous subsoil, marked temperature fluctuations between day and night, and the Alps, which shield the valley from cold Atlantic winds, creates a terroir that gives white wines a longevity unrivalled anywhere else in the world. Founded in 1893, the Cantina Terlan has brought this potential to life like no other in the region.

Maximum was one of the first labels created by Giulio Ferrari at the beginning of the 20th century. A Blanc de Blancs with an unmistakable style that still stands for freshness and elegance today. This Trento DOC epitomises the perfect symbiosis between Chardonnay and the mountains of Trentino like no other Casa Ferrari sparkling wine. The grapes come exclusively from carefully selected Chardonnay vineyards on the slopes of the Trentino mountains between 300 and 700 metres above sea level. Facing south-east and south-west, the vines benefit from optimal sunshine and cool nights - ideal conditions for a Chardonnay with structure and finesse. The grapes are harvested by hand in the first half of September, when they have reached perfect aromatic ripeness. Gentle pressing is followed by Metodo Classico vinification with traditional bottle fermentation. The maximum matures on the fine lees for 24 months.

Chardonnay Cuvée Bois - a white celebrated year after year with an elegant bouquet of citrus fruit, butter and vanilla. The flavour is captivating with good acidity and minerality. SUPERIORE.DE

"The Löwengang Chardonnay is an expression of classic refinement: An elegant, fine wine with good complexity, great structure and a pronounced body, whose origin characterises its character. When the Chardonnay came onto the market and a suitable name was sought, it was clear that the Margreid vineyard should take centre stage. It was the perfect opportunity to revive the name Löwengang and give the newly created, high-quality wines this name." Alois Lageder

South Tyrol's Chardonnay legend writes another chapter. Since 1994, the Löwengang has characterised the perception of Alpine white wine excellence like no other. The historic estate above Margreids holds a secret: Chardonnay vines, whose roots reach up to five decades deep into the South Tyrolean soil, thrive on barren limestone soils between 230 and 330 metres. The warm microclimate with its nightly drops in temperature produces grapes of concentrated minerality. The Lageder family gives this terroir free rein. Organic farming without compromise, spontaneous fermentation in hand-picked barriques from the Tronçais and Vosges forests. One third new wood lends structure, while eleven months on the lees give the wine its silky texture. A further twelve months of ageing in the cellar bring the final harmony.

In 1986, Hans Terzer took the bold step of vinifying a Chardonnay in the Burgundian style, a wine that was to set international standards. The grapes for this wine, which has since become the flagship of the Sanct Valentin range, come from the finest single vineyards in the municipality of Eppan, situated between 450 and 550 metres above sea level on calcareous gravel soils. Warm September days, cool nights – the microclimate of the South Tyrolean mountain vineyards lends the Chardonnay that aromatic depth and structure which allow it to mature year after year. Each plot is vinified separately. Fermentation begins in barriques, where malolactic fermentation also takes place, followed by eleven months on the fine lees – only then is the blend assembled, followed by a further eight months' ageing in stainless-steel tanks to perfect the balance between fruit, oak and minerality.