CHARDONNAY

Med Bag of Chips

Ham, cheddar cheese, fresh tomatoes, and arugula.

Ham and Cheese Sandwich

Sliced turkey, lettuce, tomato, and mustard in a whole wheat wrap.

Fit Turkey Wrap

Chardonnay is a white wine that’s fruity, acidic, and light-to-medium-bodied, with flavors of lemon, butter, and pineapple. Because it’s so versatile, it pairs well with most foods.

Sanitize all equipment (crusher, press, fermentation vessels, hydrometer, siphon tubing) by rinsing with a solution made from potassium metabisulfite (1 tsp dissolved in ~1 L water) and then rinsing with potable water. Ensure surfaces are clean and dry before use.

Sanitation

Harvest approximately 100 kg of ripe Chardonnay grapes. Immediately sort and discard any unripe, rotten, or moldy fruit. Keep grapes cool and process as soon as possible to preserve fresh aromatics.

Harvest and Sorting

Destem and crush the grapes, keeping skins intact if you want more texture, but for classic Chardonnay press gently to separate juice from solids. Transfer the juice (must) to a sanitized receiving vessel. Aim to minimize skin contact to keep the wine light-bodied and clear.

Crushing and Pressing

Measure the must's Brix (sugar) and acidity. If must shows excessive pectin haze, add pectic enzyme (2 g) and stir gently; let sit 4–12 hours. If yeast nutrients are required, add 10 g yeast nutrient and mix. If total acidity is low, adjust carefully with small additions of tartaric acid to reach desired TA (target about 6–7 g/L). If Brix is low and you plan to chaptalize, dissolve required sugar in a small amount of must and add; re-check Brix.

Must Treatment

If desired, add a small sulfite addition (e.g., ~20–40 ppm SO2) to inhibit wild yeasts—calculate dosage for your volume. Wait 12–24 hours after sulfiting if you used higher doses, then rehydrate and prepare your chosen wine yeast according to manufacturer instructions. Pitch the prepared yeast into the must and aerate gently to supply oxygen for healthy fermentation.

Sulphite Adjustment and Inoculation

Allow fermentation to proceed at a cool temperature for Chardonnay (12–18°C / 54–64°F) to favor fruity aromas and preserve acidity. Fermentation should take approximately 7–21 days depending on temperature and yeast strain. Monitor specific gravity with a hydrometer daily; when SG approaches 1.000–0.995 proceed to next steps.

Primary Fermentation

Decide whether to allow malolactic fermentation for a buttery character. If desired, inoculate with a malolactic culture after primary fermentation slows and temperature is stable (around 18–20°C / 64–68°F). Monitor malic acid levels; MLF can take 2–6 weeks. If you prefer a crisp, fruit-driven Chardonnay, prevent MLF by maintaining SO2 and cold temperatures.

Optional Malolactic Fermentation (MLF)

Once primary fermentation finishes (stable SG for 3 consecutive readings, typically ~0.995–0.998), rack the wine off gross lees into a clean, sanitized carboy. Allow to settle and clarify. Repeat racking every 1–3 months as needed until the wine is clear.

Racking and Clarification

Age the Chardonnay in inert stainless steel for a clean, fruity style, or in neutral/new oak barrels (10–30% new oak) for added toast, butter, and vanilla notes. Barrel aging typically 6–12 months; stainless aging 3–6 months is common. If oak is used and you want more buttery, creamy texture, allow MLF to complete and consider sur lie aging with occasional bâtonnage (lees stirring).

Aging

Before bottling, stabilize and filter as desired. Adjust free SO2 to target (usually 25–35 ppm free SO2) to protect against oxidation. Cold stabilize if needed to prevent tartrate crystals (refrigerate around -4°C / 25°F for 1–2 weeks). Bottle into sanitized bottles and cork or otherwise seal. Age in bottle for a few months before release to allow integration of flavors.

Stabilization and Bottling

Chill bottles to about 10–13°C (50–55°F) for serving. Pour and enjoy notes of lemon, pineapple, and butter depending on production choices (oak and MLF increase buttery and vanilla notes). Pair with seafood, poultry, creamy sauces, or enjoy on its own.

Serving

Chardonnay grapes (ripe, hand-sorted)

Potassium metabisulfite (for sanitation)

Yeast nutrient

Winemaking yeast (Champagne strain or neutral white wine strain)

Pectic enzyme

Tartaric acid (if needed)

Sugar (optional, for chaptalization if must is low in Brix)

Cold water (for cleaning equipment and adjustments)

Chardonnay

Pint Glass (16 oz.)

Wine Glass

The Grill Package

Oyster Gift Package

Trucker Hat

Classic T-shirt

Make Chardonnay Recipe in just 72h . Chardonnay is a white wine that’s fruity, acidic, and light-to-medium-bodied, with flavors of lemon, butter, and pineapple. Because it’s so versatile, it pairs well with most foods.

Chardonnay Recipe

Descriptors

Tasting Notes

Food Pairings

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