The Best Chardonnays From Around the World to Drink Now in 2025
What are the differences among Chardonnays from various regions?
While different climates, soil types, and the hand of the winemaker have a strong effect on Chardonnay’s qualities, you can generally expect flavors of apple, pear, stone fruits, and citrus. Cooler region wines will have more pronounced flavors of stone fruits and citrus while warmer region Chardonnays will have more tropical fruit flavors such as pineapple, mango, carambola, and guava. Wines that are fermented and aged in stainless steel are known for their crispness and bright acidity while wines that are aged in oak barrels will have flavors of caramel, vanilla, and baking spice in addition to the fruit. Barrel aged wines tend to be fuller bodied on the palate as well.
The altitude of the vineyard contributes to large swings in day-to-night temperatures, which aid in maintaining freshness and acidity in the grapes. Different soil types contribute to the flavor profile; volcanic soils or those with high mineral content can add traces of salinity, smoke, or what is simply called minerality. While it is said that pressed grapes are the painting and that oak should act as a frame, the types of oak barrels used and how long wine is aged in them will have a great effect on the final flavor profile, texture, and ageability of Chardonnay.
The birthplace of Chardonnay is Burgundy, but it is now grown around the world with the most sought-after examples hailing from Burgundy, Napa, Sonoma, Oregon, Italy, Spain, South Africa, New Zealand, and Australia.
How should you drink Chardonnay?
Chardonnay should be served in a large tulip shaped wine glass, which is often called a Burgundy glass. A large, deep bowl allows for more airspace above the wine and offers the best conditions for aromas to be released and appreciated and for allowing the wine to open. It should be served at a temperature between 45° and 50° F. If you store your bottles in a temperature-controlled cooler or cellar, they should be chilled in the refrigerator or an ice bucket for about 20 minutes. Decanting an older, oak aged, or fuller bodied wine before serving can also bring out the best in your Chardonnay.
How did we choose the Chardonnay on this list?
We factored in a number of elements when making our choices, and the most important is taste, but how a wine actually “tastes” involves a variety of impressions, including flavor, texture, tannins, acidity, and finish. We also considered ability to age and a combination of rarity and accessibility: We sought out wines that are made in relatively small quantities but at the same time are available to purchase without having to join a winery club or allocation list. The majority were tasted blind in comparative tastings with similar wines, but some were drunk at dinner with winemakers or opened by friends.
Why should you trust us?
Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report’s wine editors, have been writing about wine for two decades, have visited wine regions and wineries around the world, and have tasted wine with the people who make it. Last year they tasted over 7,000 wines and are on target to taste around the same number in 2025. They are judges for the internationally renowned Concours Mondial de Bruxelles wine competition, and their work has appeared in Wine Spectator, Forbes, Wine Enthusiast, Huffington Post, Saveur, and books published by Oxford University Press. They have been featured for their expertise in wine on The Today Show, The Martha Stewart Show, CNN, CBS, Fox, WGN, WPIX and NBC. Known as the World Wine Guys, they are the authors of six wine books which have received various accolades and awards including “Best Wine Book in the World” from Gourmand International.
