When asked about working with Chardonnay, a famous Burgundian winemaker once replied “I don’t make Chardonnay. I use Chardonnay to make Meursault.” That pithy retort pretty much sums up the current consensus about Chardonnay, which is that it is the ideal vehicle for both terroir and a winemaker’s whims. This explains its global appeal, and also why, as a consumer, it can be tricky to know exactly what expression of Chardonnay you’re getting when trying a new region or producer. We’ve put together this sampler so you can experience several different expressions of French Chardonnay, and we think you’ll be amazed at the variety of aromas, flavors, and textures.
            Compare, for example, Régis Bouvier’s Marsannay “Les Longeroies” with Robert-Denogent’s Pouilly-Fuissé “La Croix Vieilles Vignes.” These two domaines are only about sixty miles apart, but sample the cool leanness of the former next to the round, fleshy character of the latter and it’s easy to imagine a much larger separation. Further north, Chablis is considered part of Burgundy, but is actually closer to Champagne. Olivier Savary’s chalky Chablis has similarities to the Bouvier and Robert-Denogent, but what does it have in common with Veuve Fourny’s super-dry blanc de blancs Champagne? Down in Beaujolais, Château Thivin crafts a crisp Chardonnay in the land of Gamay while Eric Chevalier’s Loire Valley Chardonnay, a shop staple for years, is the only wine not grown in limestone soils. What makes them stand out? By looking for what sets these wines apart, we might also pick up on the thread that ties them all together.