Oaked Versus Unoaked Chardonnay: What’s the Difference and Which is Best?

As the world’s favorite white wine grape variety, Chardonnay grows in almost every corner of the winemaking world. Though made from the same grape, Chardonnay wine styles vary wildly, from light and fruity to full-bodied and toasty.

While much depends on where the grape is grown, the biggest difference in how the wine tastes depends on whether it’s oaked (aged in oak barrels) or unoaked.

Here’s what you need to know about Chardonnay and oak.

How Oak Affects Wine

Before diving into specifics, let’s take a broad look at how oak affects wine. Aroma and flavor are the most obvious influences oak has on wine. New oak barrels are typically toasted, caramelizing the sugars in the wood, giving rise to the secondary flavors of toast, caramel, brioche, vanilla, nuts, pastry and coconut we taste in oaked wines. The more toast, the more intense these flavors taste.

Size matters when it comes to barrels. More contact between the barrel and the wine leads to higher extraction of oak characters. Too much oak is a thing. Producers of fine wine tend to prefer smaller barrels or barriques over larger barrels.

So, why bother oak aging wine in the first place? The process transforms wine, making it more complex. In some cases, it increases the wine’s ageability. Wood tannins leach out of the new oak barrels into wine, acting as a preservative. While oaked whites won’t be as long-lived as their red counterparts, oak aging can add a window of a few years where the wines will continue to improve if properly stored. More importantly, aging in barrels lets oxygen seep into the wine slowly, helping to smooth harsh edges without actually oxidizing the wine.

Oak aromas and flavors dramatically drop off after the first use. A second fill will still affect the wine but to a much lesser degree. Subtle toast, a hint of vanilla, a whisper of spice. Old oak barrels, aka neutral oak, get used for aging (including for Chardonnay), but without imparting the oak flavors.

Oaked Chardonnay

Three main oak types are used for aging wine: French, American and Hungarian. French oak is the most popular, and it adds a delicate spice, whereas American oak imparts a stronger, sweeter character and Hungarian oak’s influence can vary greatly, from spicy and toasty flavors to sweet notes.

Chardonnay aged in oak gets its creamy, buttery texture from malolactic fermentation. Malolactic fermentation is one of the major differences between how the two styles are treated during winemaking and aging. Sometimes shortened to MLF or malo, malolactic fermentation is the process that gives some oaked Chardonnays their rich, buttery flavor and lush texture. Sharp malic acid (think Granny Smith apple) converts to rounder lactic acid (like milk) thanks to different types of bacteria. This makes the wine smoother and creamier, and gives it those lovely dairy notes.

There’s also barrel-fermented Chardonnay, where the juice is poured into barrels to ferment into wine. It’s a more gentle process, and the oak influences end up more subtle and better integrated. The wines tend to be creamier, more full-bodied, and built to age. Barrel fermentation is usually reserved for premium wines.

The best oaked Chardonnays balance the natural flavors of the grapes with those imparted from the malo and the oak itself. It’s all about matching intensity. Riper Chardonnays take better to oak, like the style pioneered in California. The wines lead with notes of pineapple, papaya, ripe melon, peach and orange rather than apple, pear, lemon and tree blossoms. Add those to layers of butter, vanilla pastry and cream, and you have a knock-out wine to serve with lobster, creamy chicken dishes and pasta alfredo. The Creamery is a full-bodied Chardonnay with ripe yellow fruit and toasty vanilla notes that’s the perfect pairing for a flavorful meal.

Unoaked Chardonnay

Not everyone is into butter bombs and a glut of vanilla, baking spice and toast. If you’re looking for an elegant wine that’s full of refreshing citrus, crisp apple and floral notes, consider an unoaked Chardonnay.

Unoaked Chardonnays spend time in neutral oak, stainless steel or concrete vats. They retain their fresh fruit character and seldom, if ever, undergo malolactic fermentation. The most famous region for this style is Chablis, in France’s northern Burgundy region, which has plenty of imitators across the globe. Outside of Chablis, excellent-quality, cool-climate unoaked Chardonnays can be found everywhere from New Zealand to New York, with the likes of Australia’s Yarra Valley and Mornington Peninsula, as well as Chile, also making fabulous examples.

Unoaked Chardonnays like Domaine Dampt Vielle Vignes Chablis or DeLoach Vineyards’ Private Collection Chardonnay make perfect partners for dishes like lemon chicken, shrimp and vegetable risotto. Vibrant unoaked Chardonnays are stellar with sushi and grilled fish, too.

Differences

When considering oaked versus unoaked Chardonnay, a few key characteristics differentiate them. Chardonnay aged in oak boasts a darker, more gold-tinged color compared to unoaked Chardonnay’s pale yellow hue.

Ripeness levels are another big difference. Tropical fruit-driven Chardonnays can match the intensity of aging in new oak. These wines tend to come from warmer climates and are most famously associated with California, but other countries like Argentina, Australia and Chile make similar styles.

Here’s another way to think of it: unoaked Chardonnay allows the terroir and grape to come through the wine, while oaked Chardonnay is about showcasing the talents of a winemaker.

Oaked Chardonnay should be served in a white Burgundy glass, while unoaked shows best in standard white wine glassware. When it’s time to pour, serve unoaked Chardonnay at 45 to 50°F. Full-bodied, oaked styles should be enjoyed a touch warmer, around 50 to 55°F.

What Style of Chardonnay Is Best?

When it comes to unoaked Chardonnay and oaked Chardonnay, it’s not about which one is best. It’s simply a question of which style you prefer.

Some folks adore the crisp, clean, mineral-driven profile of an unoaked Chardonnay, while others can’t get enough of the creamy, opulent texture of oaked styles. An oaked Chardonnay is perfect for when the temperatures dip and you need something with a bit of weight in your glass, while a light, unoaked Chardonnay is phenomenal as soon as the weather gets warm again.

Switch between both styles or stick to the one you love best—there are no wrong answers as long as you enjoy what’s in your glass.

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