At last tally, Chardonnay was the second most planted white-wine grape in the world after Airén – whose wines, largely unavailable outside Spain, do not enjoy the same consumer recognition. Chardonnay occupies around 3% of the world’s total vineyard area and ranks seventh among the most-planted grape varieties globally (including table grapes). The scale of production means that it is available in almost every market in which wine is sold and at price points from very low to outrageously high.
In addition to being...
