Chardonnay, reached the height of fashion in the late 1980’s with the advent of varietal labeling, when Chardonnay virtually became a brand name. Chardonnays beginnings are shrouded in mystery, for long it was thought to be a mutation of Pinot Noir, and it has often been called Pinot Chardonnay, but evidence suggests that Chardonnay is a variety in its own right. A village in Maconnais called Chardonnay has excited various theories, while others speculate that Chardonnays origins may be from the Middle East.
A few of California’s top producers of Chardonnay: Sonoma Cutrer Chardonnay, Mer Soleil Chardonnay, Rombauer Chardonnay, Kistler Chardonnay and Far Niente Chardonnay.
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