As we speak marks the annual Worldwide Chardonnay Day. In celebration of one of many world’s hottest grape varieties, we spotlight 15 Chardonnay wines from 10 international locations, awarded prime marks on the 2024 DWWA.
From steely and unoaked types to rounded and wealthy, the flexibility of Chardonnay is unmatched, making it a winemaker’s grape and a client favorite.
It’s a favorite amongst the world’s prime wine consultants too, with Chardonnay wines from throughout the globe typically awarded prime scores at Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA).
Its outstanding adaptability, makes it one of the extensively planted grape varieties. From winemaking decisions to rising setting, Chardonnay can provide an unlimited array of various types starting from recent and mineral to full bodied wines with the flexibility to age.
Scroll down to find 15 top-scoring Chardonnay wines from 7 international locations
For one of the best of one of the best from the 2024 competitors, search for Stella Bella’s Luminosa Chardonnay 2022 from Margaret River, Australia – one in every of simply 50 wines awarded a Finest in Present. With ultra-lean citrus-and-matchstick aromas, this wine captures the zeitgeist of recent Australian Chardonnay.
Additionally within the Finest in Present highlight is Delaire Graff Property’s Banghoek Chardonnay 2022 from Stellenbosch, South Africa. A vivid, sheeny wine layered with nectarine and peach fruit, underscored by a quiet creaminess that showcases the range’s finesse within the Cape’s coastal vineyards.
Exemplifying Chardonnay’s world attain and high quality, this 12 months’s top-rated wines embrace expressions from 10 international locations, together with Argentina, New Zealand, the US and past. Over 15 New World Chardonnays scored 95+ factors, confirming the grape’s standing as a worldwide benchmark for excellence.
To have a good time Worldwide Chardonnay Day, we spotlight a very worldwide number of Chardonnay wines nicely price looking for out, with many extra to find at awards.decanter.com
Should-try Chardonnays: 15 prime worldwide picks from DWWA 2024
Argentina
Bemberg Property Wines, El Tomillo Property La Linterna, Gualtallary, Tupungato, Mendoza 2021
Platinum, 97 factors
Exhibiting hanging Gualtallary character with luminous pear, apple and lime fruit which cascades bounteously over a flinty, moist stone mineral core. Alert and intense with a high quality bead of succulent acidity and a really lengthy, trendy end. Alcohol 13.5%
Australia
Stella Bella, Luminosa, Margaret River, Western Australia 2022
Finest in Present, 97 factors
The fourth Margaret River Chardonnay in 5 years to win a spot in our Finest In Present choice confirms what most on the planet already knew – that this area is a supply of world-class Chardonnay. It’s additionally the second 12 months working when a Margaret River Chardonnay from the high quality 2022 classic has impressed our judges. It’s a pale green-gold in color, and its fine-spun, spotlessly clear, ultra-lean citrus-and-matchstick aromas are proper on the zeitgeist for Australia’s Chardonnay vanguard. The palate delivers what these aromas promise: a crunchy freshness squeaking with zest, pith and citrus-laden purity. Give it time in bottle (or within the glass after you’ve poured) and also you’ll uncover quiet floral notes and a refined oatflake breadth to maintain you coming again to the glass. Alc 13.1%
Dawson James, Derwent Valley, Tasmania 2020
Platinum, 97 factors
Oozing magnificence with its great ranges of honeyed fruit, tremendous sensible minerals and vibrant spice which cascade over the smooth, simmering acidity and luxuriously buttery consistency. Critically age-worthy with a moreish tang of texture on the impeccable end. Alc 12.5%
Sidewood, Owen’s, Adelaide Hills, South Australia 2022
Platinum, 97 factors
Smouldering with smoky mineral class, plunged right into a chasm of luxurious peach and keenness fruit and alive with bracing lemon character. Immaculate and centered with a beam of smooth acidity and a splendidly cleaning end. Alc 12.6%
Dalrymple, Single Web site, Pipers River, Tasmania 2021
Gold, 96 factors
Oodles of succulent purple grapefruit, lemon and pear overlay a profile of textured oak and flinty minerals. Strikingly recent and crunchy with a beneficiant end. Alc 13%
Flametree, S.R.S. Wallcliffe, Margaret River, Western Australia 2022
Gold, 96 factors
Fabulous and action-packed with heaps of wonderful apple, pear and peach on grilled nuts and a salty, smoky observe. Creamy and shiny with succulent acidity and size. Alc 13%
Canada
Le Clos Jordanne, Jordan Village, Ontario – Niagara Peninsula 2021
Gold, 95 factors
Alluring white flowers, lemons and stone fruit enhanced by candy vanilla pod oak. Flowing with mineral exuberance, flinty and crisp, with a beautiful stress and charming end. Alc 13.5%
Blomidon Property Vineyard, Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia 2021
Gold, 95 factors
Fascinating inexperienced apple, pear and recent lemon with a linear core of moist stone minerality and a refined creamy complexity which builds in direction of the lengthy, joyous end. Alc 13%
Chile
Arboleda, Aconcagua Costa, Aconcagua Valley 2021
Gold, 96 factors
Full of inexperienced apple peel, recent white fruit and herbs which sit atop a palate of creamy vanilla splendour bedecked with alluring acidity and a flinty end. Alc 13%
New Zealand
Mutu, Reserve, Hawke’s Bay 2021
Platinum, 97 factors
Opulent ripe peach, grilled lemon and grapefruit notes with an underlying cashew nut high quality. Silky and pure with a lustrous, buttery texture and vivid seam of oyster shell acidity. Lengthy and scrumptious with a saline end. Alc 13.5%
Saint Clair, Reserve, Omaka, Marlborough 2022
Platinum, 97 factors
Brimming with fleshy white peach and candy grapefruit with a spine-tingling crushed stone mineral body which teases throughout the palate. Creamy and rounded with an appetising lemon curd acidity and a warming toasted bread end. Alc 13%
South Africa
Delaire Graff Property, Banghoek, Stellenbosch 2022
Finest in Present, 97 factors
That is the eighth South African white to win a spot in our Finest In Present choice. Vin de Constance has featured twice and old-vine Chenin Blanc as soon as — however all the opposite laureate winners have been Chardonnay, underlining simply how pleased this selection is within the Cape and significantly in Stellenbosch (it’s our third Stellenbosch Chardonnay winner). Inexperienced-gold in color, this wine significantly impressed judges with its mixture of recent, nectarine-and-peach fruit with understated creaminess. It’s vivid, sheeny and vigorous within the mouth: a fantastically crafted combination of secondary complexities with main allure. This supremely adaptable wine would nearly be pretty much as good with out meals as with, due to these comely summer time fruits. No want, both, to cellar it when you don’t have that choice, although it is going to definitely reply nicely to half-a-decade’s cool relaxation.. Alc 13.5%
Oak Valley, Groenlandberg, Elgin 2022
Platinum, 97 factors
Thrilling lemon, lime and orchard fruit characters neatly mix with a refined oak element which enhances the sensible acid streak that lifts and extends. Exact and taut with a tasty chalky texture and salted almond-infused size. Alc 13.2%
United States
Domaine Serene, Facet, Dundee Hills, Oregon 2021
Gold, 96 factors
Luminous confit lemon and ripe orchard fruits radiate over the seam of evenly toasted oak and creamy, butterscotch texture. Trendy and opulent with a gliding acidity. Alc 13.5%
Grgich Hills, Paris Tasting Commemorative, Napa Valley, California 2021
Gold, 96 factors
Understated fashion with ripples of ripe pear, apple and citrus fruit embraced by a glaze of creamy vanilla oak and enriched with a high quality mineral spine. Alc 14.1%
