Chardonnay

White · Medium · Dry

The most-planted white grape and the most chameleon-like. Crisp and steely from Chablis; rich, oaky, and tropical from California. Read the label, then match the style to the dish.

Works with Chicken Chardonnay · Chilean Sea Bass-chardonnay · Chardonnay Poached Petrale Sole +4 more Chicken Chardonnay · Chilean Sea Bass-chardonnay · Chardonnay Poached Petrale Sole · Brie Toast With Chardonnay Raisins · Chicken Chardonnay With Mustard Seeds · Crab Cakes With Chardonnay Cream Sauce · Turbot With Chardonnay Beurre Blanc Sauce

White · Light · Dry

Citrus, cut grass, and a wire of acid. Marlborough makes it loudest; Sancerre makes it most refined. Either way, it cuts cleanly through goat cheese, herbs, and anything with shellfish.

Works with Chicken Chardonnay · Bacon Greek's Chardonnay · Chilean Sea Bass-chardonnay +2 more Chicken Chardonnay · Bacon Greek's Chardonnay · Chilean Sea Bass-chardonnay · Chardonnay Poached Petrale Sole · Chicken Chardonnay With Mustard Seeds

Red · Light · Dry

Burgundy's most temperamental grape, but the rewards are real — translucent ruby with a perfumed lift of red cherry, forest floor, and clove. Silken tannins and bright acid make it the most versatile red on the table; serve cool, around 58°F.

Works with Chicken Chardonnay · Brie Toast With Chardonnay Raisins · Chicken Chardonnay With Mustard Seeds +1 more Chicken Chardonnay · Brie Toast With Chardonnay Raisins · Chicken Chardonnay With Mustard Seeds · Turbot With Chardonnay Beurre Blanc Sauce

Rosé · Light · Dry

Provence's gift to summer — dry, pale, faintly strawberry-and-citrus, with low alcohol and crisp acid. Made to drink cold, with food, in the shade.

Works with Chicken Chardonnay · Bacon Greek's Chardonnay · Chicken Chardonnay With Mustard Seeds +1 more Chicken Chardonnay · Bacon Greek's Chardonnay · Chicken Chardonnay With Mustard Seeds · Turbot With Chardonnay Beurre Blanc Sauce

Sparkling · Light · Dry

Méthode champenoise from the most chalk-rich corner of France — fine bubbles, brioche, lemon zest, and a finish that goes on for half a minute. The wine for anything fried, salty, or special.

Works with Chilean Sea Bass-chardonnay · Chardonnay Poached Petrale Sole · Crab Cakes With Chardonnay Cream Sauce

White · Light · Dry

Galicia's gift to summer — citrus, peach, salt air, and acid like a knife. Made for shellfish, paella, and any dish that involves the sea.

Works with Chilean Sea Bass-chardonnay · Chardonnay Poached Petrale Sole

Red · Full · Dry

The benchmark for full-bodied red — structured, age-worthy, unapologetic. Black currant, graphite, and tobacco lead into firm tannins that demand protein on the plate. Decant young bottles; cellar the serious ones.

Works with Bacon Greek's Chardonnay · Brie Toast With Chardonnay Raisins

Sparkling · Light · Dry

Spain's traditional-method sparkling, made in Catalunya. Crisper and chalkier than Prosecco; remarkable value next to Champagne. Pair with jamón, tortilla, and grilled vegetables.

Works with Bacon Greek's Chardonnay · Turbot With Chardonnay Beurre Blanc Sauce

White · Light · Dry

Italy's everyday white — light, lemony, neutral by design. Pleasant with anything; profound with very little. The best Friuli bottles are quietly excellent.

Works with Chilean Sea Bass-chardonnay · Chardonnay Poached Petrale Sole

White · Medium · Dry

Volcanic Greek white from Santorini — laser acid, salt, and stone-fruit minerality. The defining wine for seafood, octopus, and Mediterranean grilled fare.

A specialty bottling we haven't documented in detail. Treat the first sip as research — note the body and acidity, then choose food that matches.

Burgundy's most generous white — rich, buttery, full of stone fruit and toasted nut. The Chardonnay you reach for when Chablis feels too austere.