Is Chardonnay Champagne? Understanding the Differences
Wrapping your mind around the different types of wine can be tricky, especially for new wine enthusiasts. There are so many wines to learn, and people often mix up wines that have similar qualities or appearance when they are first becoming educated on the world of wine. For example: is Chardonnay Champagne?
These two wines are often confused, but while these white wines can appear similar at first glance — and have similar enough names that total wine newbies may get confused — they are completely different wines, each with exceptional qualities of their own.
Are you ready to discover the differences between Chardonnay and Champagne? Read on for everything that you need to know.
Is Chardonnay Champagne? Understanding the Difference
We’ll let you in on a little secret — while Champagne and Chardonnay are two different wines, there is an understandable reason that they may get confused on occasion.
Champagne and Chardonnay are not the same thing, but Champagne is often crafted from Chardonnay grapes. However, while Chardonnay is often a still wine, Champagne is always a sparkling wine — the key difference between the two.
What Is Chardonnay?
Chardonnay is one of the most iconic white wines in the world. Though it's often underappreciated by nature of its popularity, there's nothing like a good bottle of Chardonnay.
As a wine, it has exquisite range. Depending on its age and the style of the winemaker crafting it, Chardonnay can be smooth and buttery, bright and citrusy, or deep and oaky. It's this range that has made Chardonnay so beloved - no matter your wine preferences, there is bound to be a bottle of Chardonnay that you'll love.
What Is Champagne?
At one point or another, most of us have lifted a glass of Champagne in celebration. But what exactly is Champagne?
Simply put, Champagne is a sparkling wine from the Champagne region of France. There are very strict criteria in place to determine whether or not a wine may be considered Champagne, with many regulations in place regarding the Champagne method of production. Only specific grapes are allowed to be used to craft champagne, with the three most popular being Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier varieties.
How Is Chardonnay Like Champagne?
While they are not the same thing, Chardonnay and Champagne do have some key similarities. The predominant similarity between the two is that they are both white wines, which is the biggest visual similarity between the two. Beyond that, however, the key similarity between the two wines is that they may be made with the same grape variety — Chardonnay grapes.
These green-skinned grapes originated in the Burgundy region of eastern France, but have since spread to be grown all over the globe, including in the Champagne region where Champagne wine is produced.
Chardonnay can vary greatly from bottle to bottle, but certain bottles of Chardonnay wine can be quite similar to Champagne — bright, crisp, and acidic, with vibrant fruit notes of apple, citrus, and honey.
How Is Chardonnay Different From Champagne?
While Chardonnay and Champagne wines do have certain similarities, they also have key differences, the biggest of which being that Chardonnay is often a still wine, while Champagne is always a sparkling wine. In other words, if you see bubbles, it's probably a glass of Champagne!
How Is Chardonnay Best Served?
Chardonnay is best served chilled, at a temperature of anywhere from 50-55 degrees. This can be achieved by refrigeration or by chilling the bottle in an ice bath prior to serving. However, be careful — you don’t want it to get too cold.
White wine glasses with a long stem and open bowl keep the Chardonnay wine at the proper temperature while allowing the aromas to open up.
Choosing the proper pairings when serving Chardonnay is crucial to making sure that the wine isn’t overpowered. By sticking with subtle, mild foods, you'll showcase the exceptional quality of your Chardonnay while also complementing the flavors of your meal and bringing out the best in them.
The perfect Chardonnay pairing will highlight the elegance and beauty of this white wine, allowing every sip to be savored. Here are a few of our favorite pairings:
Center your meal around a light, carefully seasoned protein such as shellfish or poultry
Incorporate silky, creamy comfort foods like soups, pastas, and risotto dishes
Lean into sweet vegetables such as corn, sweet potatoes, or butternut squash. Don't be afraid to caramelize them!
How Is Champagne Best Served?
Like Chardonnay, Champagne is best served chilled — a bit more so than Chardonnay, as Champagne is ideally served anywhere between 45-50 degrees.
As a rule, Champagne is typically served in a champagne flute, though some winemakers argue that this does not allow the aromas to be fully released, instead advocating for the use of a slightly larger tulip glass that allows for the wine to be swirled.
When planning to serve Champagne, food pairings are not always at the top of mind, as this elegant wine is most frequently thought of as a wine used to toast a celebration. However, Champagne shouldn’t just be relegated to toasts — it can, and should, be served with food.
There are several types of Champagne, from Rosé Champagne to Blanc de Blancs Champagne and beyond, and pairings can be individualized to each type of Champagne as needed. However, as a rule, here are a few of our go-to pairings when serving Champagne.
Consider featuring subtle, delicate seafood such as oysters, scallops, and sushi
Allow the acidity of the Champagne to brighten the flavors of your favorite salad
For some extra indulgence, you can’t go wrong pairing Champagne with fried chicken!
Enjoy the Best Chardonnay at Pangloss Cellars
At Pangloss Cellars, we’re proud to serve some of the best Chardonnay in Sonoma. Our 2022 Chardonnay vividly expresses its coastal origins, perfectly balanced with bright acidity. And while we don’t make sparkling wine with grapes from the Champagne region of France, we do pour two lovely sparkling wines you should try — our Brut Rose and our Sparkling Chenin Blanc. We invite you to stop by our Tasting Lounge on the Sonoma Plaza to experience them for yourself — make your reservation today.
