Tomorrow marks the Third Annual Chardonnay Day, with winemakers, sommeliers and wine lovers from around the world lifting their glasses to mark the occasion. Reviews, stories and thoughts about the wine will be posted on Facebook and Twitter (#ChardDay) all day long so we encourage you to join in on the fun.

Now I know you are asking yourself, is there Italian Chardonnay? Yes! While Chardonnay is most often thought of in conjunction with France or California, Italians offer their own special take on the grape. Most Italian Chardonnays are made in Northern Italy. They are leaner, crisper and oak is used sparingly, focusing more on a light, fresh fruit palate instead of the buttery quality you find in other regions around the world.

For years, the Chardonnay grape in Italy was often confused for Pinot Blanc or used as more of a blending grape. In 1978 the Italian Government had wine experts differentiate it from the other grapes in the region and in 1984 the wine received its first DOC (quality assurance label). Today, Chardonnay is Italy’s fourth most widely planted white wine grape.

Assaggio will be offering two Italian Chardonnays by the bottle and one by the glass. We’ll also be baking up a delicious, Almond-Orange Chardonnay Cake for all you dessert lovers.

Sommelier Wine Description: The two Chardonnays that we offer on our bottle list are Massolino ’10 from the Langhe in Piemonte and Vie Di Romans ’09 from Friuli. The Massolino fits the bill for the California Chardonnay drinker showing a bit more oak with expressive lemon curd and buttery nuiances. Whereas, the Vie di Romans offers more of a Burgundian style with the oak more integrated and a higher minerality content. For those guests that are Chardonnay drinkers but are willing to try something new, I like to sell the Vietti Arneis ’10 from Piemonte. It’s a medium bodied dry white that has a richness on the mid-palate with flavors of peach, apricot and pear.

Have fun tasting!

-Assaggio