Chardonnay is the world's most famous white-wine grape and one of the most widely planted. Although the most highly regarded expressions of the variety are those from Burgundy and Pays D’oc France.

Describing the flavours of Chardonnay is not easy. While many Chardonnay wines have high aromatic complexity, this is usually due to winemaking techniques (particularly the use of oak) rather than the variety's intrinsic qualities. Malolactic fermentation gives distinctive buttery aromas. Fermentation and/or maturation in oak barrels contributes notes of vanilla, smoke and hints of sweet spices such as clove and cinnamon. Extended lees contact while in barrel imparts biscuity, doughy flavours. Because of this high level of winemaker involvement, Chardonnay has become known as the "winemaker's wine".

The variety itself (although often said to be relatively flavour-neutral) is responsible for most of the fruity flavours found in Chardonnay wines. These range from the tropical (banana, melon, pineapple, and guava) to stone fruits (peach, nectarine, and apricot), citrus and apples. Climate plays a major role in dictating which fruit flavours a Chardonnay will have.

Temperate zones such as southern Burgundy or Pays D’Oc create wines marked out by stone fruit notes. The very coolest Chardonnay vineyards (those in Chablis, Champagne, and Germany) lean towards green-apple aromas.