What To Look For If You Want A Buttery Chardonnay

Like any wine, chardonnays have nuanced personalities and profiles, all bringing their own gifts to oenophiles throughout the world. But sometimes, you just want a smooth, buttery chardonnay and all the love it brings to the palate. Unless you already have a hard-set favorite, choosing the best one can create a gentle conundrum. For some insight on which regions and flavor notes to look for when craving a buttery chardonnay, we turned to an expert in the field, Gabriel Corbett, Sommelier of Two-Michelin-starred Jônt. 

As you can imagine, there's no cut-and-dried definitive answer to that — but certain characteristics do present in these types of wines. According to Corbett, buttery chardonnays tend to have such aromas as brioche dough, ripe or overripe yellow apples, and pears. "These flavors don't necessarily correlate to a buttery Chardonnay," he explains, "but in my experience they all come together in that style of wine." 

There's a good bit of science involved in winemaking, much of which determines taste and perception. Corbett clarifies that the flavor of butter we commonly associate with Chardonnay comes from something called Malolactic conversion or fermentation. "Essentially, a bacteria will eat the really harsh and tart malic acid (what you find with green apples) and converts it into a creamy lactic acid," he says, comparing it to what you have in yogurt.

Some wine growing regions associate strongly with specific varietals or grapes, such as cabernet sauvignon and merlo from Bordeaux or sangiovese from Tuscany. But when seeking a somewhat elusive wine characteristic, things are a bit more nuanced. Though a search for creamy or buttery chardonnay wines can be subjective to personal taste or interpretation, there are indeed ways to more wisely focus your attention.

"For this style of chardonnay, your best bets are to look in Napa Valley," says Gabriel Corbett, "where producers like Rombauer really put that style front and center. Lots of oak (is) used to add some spice that people also associate with this style." He shares that Australia is also known historically to produce a similar style of so-called buttery chardonnays, but things are shifting as many worldwide producers have started to dial it back a bit. The hopes are that "they can provide a fresher wine that strikes a balance between the malic and lactic acids."

To learn more about the wide range of chardonnay proclivities, as well as renowned growing regions and varying chardonnay styles, check out our extensive guide to chardonnay. When it comes to meals, the types of wine matter a lot. It helps to compare the buttery options you love with other hard hitters at the dinner table, so here's a look at chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, and pinot grigio for specific food pairings and dining scenarios.