Meaning & use
chardonnay
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Meanings
nouncountable or uncountabletrademark
A type of white grape used to make wine, originally from the Burgundy region of France.
Grammar: Can be countable when referring to the grape variety (a Chardonnay) or uncountable when referring to the wine (some Chardonnay).
Patterns
- Chardonnay grape
- grow Chardonnay
- a Chardonnay vine
The vineyard planted Chardonnay grapes on the sunny slope.
Chardonnay is one of the most widely grown white grape varieties in the world.
The farmer decided to replace the old vines with Chardonnay.
nouncountable or uncountabletrademark
A white wine made from Chardonnay grapes, typically dry and often with a buttery or oaky flavor.
Grammar: Uncountable when talking about the liquid: I'd like some Chardonnay. Countable when ordering a glass or a type: two Chardonnays, please.
Patterns
- a glass of Chardonnay
- drink Chardonnay
- oaked Chardonnay
She ordered a glass of Chardonnay with her fish.
This Chardonnay has a rich, buttery taste from aging in oak barrels.
They served chilled Chardonnay at the reception.
Word forms
| plural | Chardonnays |
|---|
Common combinations
- a glass of Chardonnay
- He poured himself a glass of Chardonnay after work.
- oaked Chardonnay
- The oaked Chardonnay went well with the creamy pasta.
- Chardonnay grape
- Chardonnay grapes are used in many sparkling wines.
- dry Chardonnay
- I prefer a dry Chardonnay to a sweet one.
Synonyms and how they differ
- white wine
- White wine is a general term for any light-colored wine; Chardonnay is a specific type of white wine.
- Chablis
- Chablis is a type of Chardonnay from a specific region in France; not all Chardonnay is Chablis.
Commonly confused: chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc? chardonnay or Chardonnay vs. Chardonnay grape?
chardonnay vs Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon Blanc is another white grape variety; it usually makes crisper, more acidic wines than Chardonnay.
chardonnay vs Chardonnay vs. Chardonnay grape
Chardonnay can mean the grape or the wine; the context usually makes it clear which one you mean.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'Chardonnay' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Option 0 is correct because 'a glass of Chardonnay' is the natural phrase for an uncountable liquid. Option 1 has the words in the wrong order. Option 2 is also wrong order. Option 3 uses the plural 'Chardonnays' incorrectly for a single glass.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “chardonnay”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.