Chardonnay

The Wine Society: "Chardonnay is a very special white wine style, in that it's really good at expressing the place where it's been grown and techniques used in the winery. It's also relatively easy to grow and adapts well to different climates, so you'll find it all across the world's principal wine regions. The grape itself is relatively neutral, with fresh appley aromas, but techniques such as oak ageing (which adds vanilla, toast or toffee aromas), malolactic fermentation (a process which converts sharp malic acid flavours into soft, creamy lactic acid flavours) and lees stirring (which involves stirring the natural fermentation yeasts through the wine to enhance complexity) all add different layers of flavour and complexity".