Like CHARDONNAY? Try This!

If you love Chardonnay, you’re basically into medium to full-bodied whites that are textural with flavors ranging from green apple and lemon to pineapple and guava. That flavor range is due to where the grapes grow: cooler places mean more tart apple and lemon notes, warmer places mean more tropical notes.

Below are some wines from around the world that scratch the Chardonnay itch. Each has its own spin and is totally worth trying. A good rule of thumb is to match the weight of the wine with the weight of the food, so if you're serving a fuller-flavored dish, especially with a cream sauce (seafood alfredo, chicken with creamy mushroom sauce, veal chop with Dijon and brown butter string beans, shrimp & grits, swordfish & mango salsa), feel free to pair it with a bigger Chardonnay or Chardonnay-like wine. If you're keeping it light, say simply grilled salmon or chicken, shrimp & garlic sauce, or crab cakes, a wine that's leaner and more Chablis-like will be dynamite.