Chardonnay DOC
The Burgundy grape, in small plots
Chardonnay is not a local grape: it comes from Burgundy, and it reached the Aosta Valley long after the native varieties. On the map of the designation it appears in small, scattered plots, from La Salle down to the lower valley, between 300 and 900 metres above sea level.
What the designation requires
To bear the name Valle d’Aosta Chardonnay, the wine must contain at least 85% Chardonnay. The rest may come from other white grapes permitted in the valley.
Two ways of making it
Some winemakers ferment it in stainless steel tanks: the wine stays fresh, with aromas of apple, pear and flowers. Others age it in oak casks: it becomes rounder, with notes of butter and hazelnut.
At the table
Lake fish, polenta with mushrooms, the cheeses of the valley.
