The vineyards of Australia in 2002 was about 160,000 ha (including grapes). About 40% of production in the white wines. On approximately 62,000 acres of vines are the white varieties Chardonnay (strong and spicy) with approximately 24,000 ha, Semillon (elegant) with approximately 6,000 acres, Riesling (fruity, sweet and noble) with approximately 4,000 hectares and Sauvignon Blanc (fine aromatic) grown to about 2,800 ha.
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As Cabernet Sauvignon is the king of reds, so is Chardonnay the king of white wines, for it makes consistently excellent, rich and complex whites. This is an amazingly versatile grape that grows well in a variety of locations throughout the world. In Burgundy, it is used for the exquisite whites, such as Montrachet, Meursault and Pouilly-Fuissè, and true Chablis; in Champagne it turns into Blanc de Blancs. Among the many other countries that have caught Chardonnay fever, Australia is especially strong.

Chardonnay was introduced to California in the 1930s but didn’t become popular until the 1970s. Areas such as Anderson Valley, Carneros, Monterey, Russian River, Santa Barbara and Santa Maria Valley, all closer to cooler maritime influences, are now producing wines far superior to those made a decade ago.
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A country known for decent, inexpensive wine is combining winemaking talent and financial committment to develop a unique style.

Chile has been known for years as a source of easy-drinking varietal wines at very reasonable prices, and a recent Wine Spectator tasting confirmed the truth of its reputation. We also discoveredthat Chile is developing its own unique style, with wines that are refreshing, balanced and great with food.

If you’re shopping for wines under $10, Chile delivers the goods. Wine Spectator editors in New York tasted 141 reds and whites from Chile and found 16 Best Buys. In fact, only 15 wines cost over $10; Chilean producers are intent on maintaining their value status. Very few wines were frankly disappointing; it’s hard to go wrong in Chile.
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Australia made its reputation with American wine drinkers on a raft of good-value wines, especially Chardonnay that cost less than $10. Every year, however, a larger number of small-production, hand-crafted, highly individual wines are reaching our shores from across the Pacific. Many of these wines cost $20 to $30 and more. Many of them are gems waiting to be discovered.

The Australian wine industry has worked hard to satisfy a market of Aussies who like to drink wine and prefer to spend as little as possible on it. The past decade has seen an explosion of interest within Australia in wines that Americans like, too: Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. These two types, plus Australia’s red wine specialty, Shiraz, make up the bulk of Down Under exports to the United States. Riesling is big in Australia itself, where it has long been the quaffing white wine of choice, but few brands bother to export the stuff in this direction.
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Bright with fruit and supple in texture, this harmonious white has a generous dose of peach and pear flavors and a hint of honey on the finish.

An 87-point wine is “very good, a wine with special qualities,” and this Chardonnay offers virtues without flaws. Australia is known for a full-bodied, ripe style of winemaking, and that heritage is reflected in this wine’s “supple” texture, “generous” fruit flavors and “hint of honey,” which all imply fully ripe grapes. Yet the adjectives “bright” and “peach” suggest some refreshing tartness, so it avoids fatness or dullness.
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More people choose wines by their labels than are comfortable admitting it. Novices reach for pretty pictures; snobs demand famous names. But in fact, a wine label reveals a great deal about the flavors in the bottle. You can begin your tasting even before you’ve pulled the cork.

There are basically three kinds of labels: varietal-based, terroir-based and sheer fantasy. The information they offer–much of it required by law–overlaps to a large extent, but each one reflects a different approach to winemaking.

Have you ever bought a Chardonnay? Then you’re already familiar with the varietal approach: wines named for the grape variety that makes up all (or some legally defined minimum) of the juice in the bottle. California pioneered this method, and most of the New World producers have adopted it. However, some European wine regions–Alsace in France, Friuli in Italy, for example–have traditionally followed this approach.
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Visited winery is located just south of Napa. For Californian experience it is more likely to be small businesses. The company itself owns about 38 hectares of vineyards. The remaining third of the total quantity of grapes to be purchased during the harvest.

Every year about 15000-20000 cases (boxes) filled, which is about 180000-240000 bottles. The winery specializes in Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

The berries are read by hand to 80% of Mexicans. The remaining 20% earns a harvester. In the white bins, the grapes are delivered with a truck near the main building. Bins are plastic containers, which hold about 450 kg of grapes.
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The Chardonnay grapes are one of the most popular and most cultivated vine in the world. Chardonnay originated from a cross between Pinot vines and Heunisch.

Many people believe (maybe you)? That the origins of this so coveted wines in France. But that is only partially true, because its true origin, as well as various other wines, the chardonnay in the Middle East.

Only with its spread, the Chardonnay came to France and is now mainly located in Burgundy. In Burgundy, the monasteries were then beginning to become synonymous with care and distribution of this now so valuable wine.
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One presses the Aligote white wine from the white grape Aligote, which is mainly cultivated in Burgundy. Here in Burgundy Aligote white wine is the second most widely planted wine. However, wines from more modern varieties displace the Aligote white wine rapidly. Aligote is the variety of white wines from Burgundy, probably, it is not only there, but also cultivated in Eastern Europe. However, have grown in Eastern Europe Aligote white wines usually only use the quality of a wine. The quality of most Aligote white wine still comes from Burgundy. Grown here in higher positions, an Aligote white wine in good years to keep up with a very good quality Chardonnay.
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The regions where the cultivation was expanding the Chardonnays in the last 10 to 20 years, lie in the warm-dry climate zone from which the grape is likely. Their distinctive acid is not under these climatic conditions reduced as much as with other white grape varieties, so that the alcohol-acid balance in a warm, dry growing regions to produce a relatively lively and fruity wine or a full-bodied, soft enough, but not gangrenous acting white wine permits. The Chardonnay grape is therefore ideal for warm-dry wine growing regions in the world, which is why every year thousands more hectares are planted with this variety.
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