What Color Should Chardonnay Be?

The colors of Chardonnay can vary and pose questions for many. Is my wine supposed to be this bright or dark? Does the color change mean my wine has gone bad? There are different factors to consider when questioning the vibrancy of your Chardonnay, and here we are to discuss them! 

Have Some chardonnay, but are unsure of the color?

The color of Chardonnay can vary and can be misleading. Your Chardonnay should always be a yellow hue. Normally, the color might shift after opening but to a point where it might be a sign of the wine going bad. The color shifts of white wines, and even red wines, can determine the state of your favorite beverage.

Should Chardonnay be yellow?

Chardonnay should only be a visible yellow hue; it should always be yellow, whether that be a pale yellow or even a more prominent gold color. 

If you buy a bottle of Chardonnay and reference the color of the beverage from when you bought it to after you’ve opened it and that color has changed completely – the wine might be questionable to indulge in. Read further for more information.

Is Chardonnay dark yellow?

Chardonnay could indeed be a darker yellow if you are referencing it to a gold hue. However, a gold hue in Chardonnay is normal because always remaining a yellow in a yellow template is normal for any chardonnay.

However, if the Chardonnay was not as dark as it is now when opened, it might be a sign that the wine is advancing towards a state of decay. Meaning that the wine has been open for too long without being resealed properly or has not been consumed in a timely manner from opening.

Why is my chardonnay orange?

If your beverage is orange, it can say one of two things; it could be normal if it was that same color when you purchased the Chardonnay or if it was that color when you first opened the bottle. 

However, there is a difference between an orange hue and a brown hue. If your beverage is more of a brown tint or even an obvious brown, it means that your beverage has gone bad. We mean that the wine may have been over oxygenated (left open or exposed for too long). If this happens, it’s recommended to discard the beverage rather than drink it. 

Is there a red chardonnay?

There is no such thing as a red chardonnay. As listed above, Chardonnay should only consist of a yellow hue. This is simply because chardonnay wine grapes are indeed a strain of white grapes. These wine grapes do not exist as any red version.

Summary

It’s difficult to understand what yellow is the right yellow for Chardonnay, but this should only be questioned if the color change has taken place after the bottle has been opened. This is because when purchasing a chardonnay, you might find the different colors of yellow, ranging from a pale yellow to a gold color. If the color has shifted to a dark yellow after opening, it could mean that the Chardonnay has been too exposed to oxygen entering a state of decay.

Once the opened Chardonnay has turned to an orange or brown hue, it’s recommended that the beverage be discarded – for that is a sign that the wine has gone bad. There is absolutely no such thing as a red chardonnay. This is because the chardonnay grapes used to create the wine are only strains of white grapes. They do not exist in a red form.