Chardonnay

Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make white wine. It believed to have originated in the Burgundy wine region of eastern France but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand. For new and developing wine regions, growing Chardonnay is seen as a "rite of passage" and an easy segue into the international wine market.

In France, Chardonnay is used to produce wines such as the famous whites of Burgundy, as a key ingredient in Champagne, and in a number of other regions. It is also used on its own in the Champagne variety known as blanc de blancs. In the United States, Chardonnay is widely grown as a single-varietal wine and is one of the most popular white wines. Chardonnay is also grown throughout New Zealand, South Africa, Australia, Italy, Chile, and nearly every other wine-producing country. Each country has its own distinct take on this varietal, and wines can vary widely from region to region.