Chardonnay Grapes

It’s not a secret that wine is made from grapes. In fact, there are over 10,000 different strains of wine grapes. However, only about 1,300 of those strains are used to create our wine.

If you’ve ever wondered, there is a difference between regular grapes and wine grapes. Wine grapes tend to have a much thicker skin and are significantly smaller in size. These factors assist in bringing more concentrated flavors into the wine.

Ever wondered about the specifics of Chardonnay grapes?

Chardonnay grapes are green-skinned and used in the creation of white Chardonnay wine. The strain originated from the Burgundy region of France but is now grown everywhere from Australia to California.

Look no further if you’re looking to get even more specific with the scientific name and classification rank. In general, the scientific name for grapevines is Vitis often called Vitis vinifera (vineyard grape). Chardonnay is also referred to as Aubaine, Beaunois, Melon blanc, and many more.

What grapes are in Chardonnay wine?

The type of grapes in Chardonnay wine is none other than a Chardonnay green grape. Green grapes only produce white wine, and there’s no such thing as a red Chardonnay. Therefore there are no existing red Chardonnay grapes. Chardonnay grapes are not only used for Chardonnay wines. They are also used in other blended varieties of wines.

Can you eat Chardonnay grapes?

Technically, wine grapes are edible but are not meant to be eaten like table grapes. However, although wine grapes have thicker skins and contain more seeds, they tend to be sweeter. Sweeter grapes like these are meant for wine because the sugars are better turned into alcohol during fermentation.

Table grapes are more suited for consumption than wine grapes. This is mostly because although wine grapes might be rather unpleasant because they are:

• slightly sweeter
• thicker grape skin
• extra seeds
• smaller size 

What are the parent grapes of Chardonnay?

Chardonnay grapes are a crossbreed strain curated from two other white grape strains. 

• Pinot Noir – a red grape variety originating from France.
• Gouais Blanc – a white grape variety originating from Central Europe.

Interesting facts about Chardonnay grapes

• Chardonnay grapes were first grown in France’s Burgundy vineyards.
• The grapes are not only used to curate Chardonnay wines but also a variety of blends such as Chenin Blanc, Colombard, and Semillon. 
• Since Pinot noir is a parent grape of the Chardonnay variety, it’s considered to be related to Pinot noir. A lot of people wouldn’t have guessed this, considering Pinot noir is a red grape variety.
• Chardonnay grapes are the most distributed white wine grapes in the world.
• The Chardonnay grapes have a large variety of flavors depending on the origin of where those specific grapes are grown.
• France’s Burgundy vineyards produce more Chardonnay than Pinot noir.

Summary

Chardonnay grapes are green-skinned grapes used in the production of white Chardonnay wine created in France’s Burgundy vineyards. The vineyards surprisingly distribute more white chardonnay grapes than Pinot noir these days. While you can eat Chardonnay grapes, many advise against it.

This is mostly because the grapes are smaller, with thicker skins and more seeds – despite the fact that they are sweeter than most grapes. The parent grapes of Chardonnay grapes are surprisingly a red and white variety. Pinot Noir and Gouais Blanc are the two parent grapes of Chardonnay grape varieties.