What is the difference between these two wines

[New to wine]

What is the realationship between a French white burgandy and a California chardinnay?


Thanks for your help a brief description of each one would be greatly appreciated.

[Innkeeper]

Hi Newtowine, and welcome to the Wine Board. The relationship is that they are made from the same grape. French Burgundy varies greatly from the flinty, steely Chablis of the north, to the luxurious and expensive wines of the Cote D'Or such as Meursault and Montrachet, to the pure varietal chardonnay of the Maconnaise in the south.

California Chardonnay strives to emulate the expensive stuff. This results in bold, fruit forward wine, usually well laced with oak. The reason for the oak as far as I can tell is that M&Ms and their like are aged in old oak barrels, so they have a hint of oak amongst their complexity. Somehow, California vinters have decided that this is the "secret" of fine chardonnay. Several influential wine writers got on this band wagon, and here we are.

[Bucko]

There are French Burgundies that are pretty oaky as well. Not all New World Chardonnays are oaky, but sadly, way too many are.

[New to wine]

Thanks for you help in keeper I have a really good chance at getting a really goood job at a nice French Resturant where I live but I am lacking a bit in the wine department is there a site that I can check out that will list many wines and give descriptions so that I will be able to learn more about fine wines.

[Innkeeper]

This site is as good as any. Check out the individual threads of the wines you are interested in. Sorry my sentences are not as long as yours.

[winoweenie]

Hi Newtowine. I normally don't get involved in the SW threads but noticed you live at Lake Tahoe. If you get the position, post the name of the restaurant and I'll stop in my next trip. Had a place at Club Tahoe in Incline Village but my first wife wanted it Soooooooooo. WW