Chardonnay is the world's most famous white-wine grape and also one of the most widely planted. Of course, the most highly regarded expressions of the variety are those from Burgundy and California, but many high-quality examples are made in Italy, Australia, New Zealand and parts of South America.

Describing the flavours of Chardonnay is not easy. This is not thanks to the complexity of the varietal itself but usually due its susceptibility to winemaking techniques - such as Malolactic fermentation which gives distinctive buttery aromas or Fermentation or maturation in oak barrels which contributes to the wine with smokey notes of vanilla, honey and even cinnamon, and not last the lees contact while in barrel imparts biscuity, doughy flavours. And all these incorporated with the varietal aromas of tropical (banana, pineapple and guava) to stone fruits (peach, nectarine and apricot), sometimes even citrus and apple notes. Climate plays a major role in dictating which fruit flavours a Chardonnay will have - warm regions (California, Australia ) make more tropical styles; temperate zones (southern Burgundy, New Zealand) - stone fruit notes, while the very coolest (Chablis, Champagne) lean towards green-apple aromas.