White elegance: the winners of the Chardonnay Trophy 2024
Chardonnay is a world-renowned grape variety and also produces great white wines in Switzerland. Especially when it can convey its terroir, as is the case with the top wines of the Falstaff Chardonnay Trophy 2024.
Few other white grape varieties exert such a fascination on wine lovers and winemakers as Chardonnay. Around 200,000 hectares worldwide are planted with the variety, which originally comes from Burgundy. There are around 400 of them in Switzerland, making Chardonnay the third most cultivated white grape variety in this country - behind Chasselas and Müller-Thurgau. In terms of quality, it would probably be number one.
This is also illustrated by the excellent results of this year's Falstaff Chardonnay Trophy, which show what great wines the Burgundy variety can produce in this country. And at quite reasonable prices compared to the variety's region of origin. It is no longer a secret that the conditions in Graubünden are extremely favorable for the variety. It is therefore not surprising that this year three Graubünden vintages landed in the top ranks. These include two wines that have regularly scored outstandingly well at Falstaff tastings and a new wine that was produced for the first time. Anyone who is not yet familiar with these wines should do so as soon as possible, because as we all know, the quantities in Switzerland are small.
First place this year goes to the Chardonnay Frassa from Wegelin, a wine that never fails to impress us. The 2022 growth from Rafael Hug and Mathilde Hug Pédeutour also shines with its austerity, minerality, spiciness and incredible length, which earned it a whopping 96 points. In second place with just one point less was the Fläscher Chardonnay 2022 from Christian Hermann. A wine that continues to delight us and shines with filigree and freshness. Wegelin's new Chardonnay Bothmarhalde, on the other hand, was spicy and full-bodied and came in third place. This is a wine that clearly shows the vineyard in which it grows and, like the other winning wines, illustrates just how great Chardonnay can be in this country.
Variety profile
Chardonnay
With around 200,000 hectares under cultivation, Chardonnay is one of the most widely cultivated grape varieties in the world. The grape variety originally comes from Burgundy and was created through the natural crossing of the two varieties Gouais Blanc and Pinot. The variety was given its name, which refers to the small municipality of Chardonnay, at the wine exhibition in Lyon in 1872.
Aroma spectrum
Common Chardonnay aromas are honeydew melon, pear or light green apple. Citrus fruits or exotic fruits such as pineapple or papaya are also typical of the variety.
