Canada vs the World: Chardonnay
Ontario (Niagara-on-the-Lake) vs France (Le Mâconnais, Burgundy)
I always thought I didn’t like white wine. I used to think that “real” wine lovers only drank red wine and that white wine was for people who didn’t know or like wine. I’d really only had inexpensive white wine that just reminded me of sour apple juice, so when I first had a white Burgundy, my mind was forever changed.
As an aside, I tasted that white Burgundy more than 25 years ago when taking a wine course at George Brown College. And starting next month, I’m going back to George Brown to continue my wine education, taking the WSET Level 2 course.
Grown in more than a dozen countries, Chardonnay is one of the world’s most popular grapes. Most of the world’s Chardonnay is grown in France (Burgundy,) with the US (California) being a very close second, and Australia coming in third. As with most grapes, it’s going to taste different depending on where it’s grown and how the wine is made. Chardonnay does particularly well here in Canada as it thrives in cooler climates.
The things that changes the flavour profile of Chardonnay are: climate, the use of oak, and malolactic fermentation in the winemaking process.
Climate: Chardonnay is considered a “cool climate” varietal, but it can still grow well in warmer climates. The difference is that the cooler the climate, the higher the acidity in the wine, whereas warmer climates will produce a rounder, fruitier wine.
Oak: this is what brings the toast, nutmeg, and vanilla notes to Chardonnay. White Burgundies such as Chablis, get much less time (if any) in oak, whereas in Burgundy they are aged in oak. In North America (Ontario, BC, and California) you’ll find both oaked and un-oaked chardonnays, often it will say right on the label if it’s un-oaked. So if you prefer a crisper, less oaky style of Chardonnay, Chablis or an un-oaked Chardonnay from Ontario might be more to your taste.
Malolactic fermentation: during fermentation (either primary or secondary) it’s the process of converting malic acid to lactic acid, which smooths out the wine, giving it a smoother, more buttery flavour. Not all Chardonnays will go through this process, which is a decision made by the winemaker.
It’s also worth noting that Chardonnay is one of the primary grapes used in Champagne (along with Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.) Cousin Jano and I did an episode of the podcast talking about some of her favourite sparkling wines, which you can check out here. I’m going to do a separate episode comparing Canadian sparkling wine to another region (yet to be determined.)
Okay, so let’s talk about this month’s wine comparison.
The Contenders
2022 Jacques Saumaize Saint-Véran La Vieille Vigne, AOC Saint-Véran, France, 13.5% ABV, $43 [SAQ link]
2019 Stonebridge Chardonnay Niagara-on-the-Lake VQA, Ontario, 13.8% ABV, $45
This is a good comparison because both of these wines are made from old vines, are 100% Chardonnay, aged in oak, have the same ABV, are only 3 years apart in age, and around the same price.
[Side note: When Hilary and I took our wine courses at George Brown back in the day, it was our instructor who introduced us to Saint-Véran. He said that if we like Pouilly-Fuissé (another top Burgundian Chardonnay) we would like Saint-Véran as it was right next door. But since it wasn’t as well known, the prices would be more accessible. That said, the real heavy-hitters in Burgundy come from further north in the Côte D’Or.]
The Tasting Process
I put both bottles in the fridge a few days before tasting them then took them out about 15 minutes before opening. I used my Coravin to taste a sample of each, then put the bottles back in my wine cellar (aka, my closet.) Here’s my video of the tasting.
[Side note: please let me know if you find these videos helpful for wine tasting.]
Tasting Notes
Saumaize Saint-Véran
Appearance: crystal clear, pale(ish) golden yellow
Nose: toast, citrus
Palate: crisp, good acidity, lemony, tart apple
Overall: elegant, refined, not overly extracted, good on its own or with food (roast chicken or turkey.) Not sure if I would buy it again because there are so many other white wines to try.
Stonebridge Chardonnay
Appearance: identical to the French wine—crystal clear, pale(ish) golden yellow
Nose: creamy, vanilla, nutmeg, buttery, almost caramel, earthy
Palate: medium acid, round mouthfeel, juicy apple, pears
Overall: interesting, different, elegant. I would probably buy this again, but it’s not a “Tuesday night wine” due to the price tag.
Final Verdict
The Stonebridge Chardonnay from Ontario stood up really well against the Saumaize Saint-Véran. Either one would be worth buying. If you want a more traditional style of Chardonnay, that’s what you’ll get with the Saumaize, whereas if you’re looking for something a bit different, the the Stonebridge might be more your style. I tasted these when they were cool—as opposed to ice cold—to allow the flavours to come through, but they would both be fantastic even at a slightly cooler temperature.
If you’re already a Chardonnay drinker, which ones do you like best? If you’re not, would you at least be willing to try?