<P> In the Champagne, Chardonnay is one of three major grape varieties planted in the region . It is most commonly found in the Aube and Marne départments which, combined with Chablis, accounted for more than half of all plantings of Chardonnay in France during the 20th century . In the Côte des Blancs (white slope) district of the Marne, Chardonnay thrives on the chalk soil . The three main villages around the Côte grow Chardonnay that emphasizes certain characteristics that the Champagne producers seek depending on their house style . The village of Avize grows grapes that produce the lightest wines, Cramant makes the most aromatic, and Mesnil produces wines with the most acidity . The Côte des Blancs is the only district in the Champagne region predominately planted with Chardonnay . In the four other main districts - Aube, Côte de Sézanne, Montagne de Reims, and Vallée de la Marne - Chardonnay lags behind Pinot noir in planting . In the outlying region of Aisne, only Pinot Meunier has a significant presence . Despite being less planted, the Blanc de Blancs style of Champagne (made from only Chardonnay grapes) is far more commonly produced than Blanc de Noirs . This is partly because Pinot noir and Pinot Meunier produce very coarse and heavy wines that lack the finesse and balance that Chardonnay brings to the mix . Non sparkling still wine Chardonnay is produced under the Coteaux Champenois AOC . The wine is much more acidic than that of Chablis and is normally made bone - dry . </P> <P> Despite receiving the same amount of sunshine as the Chablis region, Chardonnay grapes in Champagne rarely attain full ripeness due to the mean temperature of the region being around 10 ° C (50 ° F), barely above the minimum average temperature needed to ripen grapes . Therefore, the Chardonnay grapes do not fully develop their fruit flavors and the still version of Champagne can taste very "un-Chardonnay" - like because of this . However, it does lessen the premium on needing to keep yields low that other wine regions battle, since not much flavor is going to develop in the grapes, anyway . Rather, the element in Chardonnay that Champagne wine - makers look for is the finesse and balance of acidity that it brings to the blend . Some flavors that can emerge from, particularly with extended time on its lees, include creamy and nuttiness with some floral notes . </P> <P> Champagne, Chablis, and Burgundy account for more than three - fifths of all Chardonnay plantings in France . The next - largest concentration is found in the Languedoc, where it was first planted around the town of Limoux and up to 30% can be blended with Mauzac in the sparkling Blanquette de Limoux . Every year since 1991, Chardonnay production is celebrated in Limoux during the Toques et Clochers festival . By 2000, more than 9,000 hectares (22,000 acres) were planted, with many being used for wines under the Vin de Pays d'Oc . These wines were unique in that they were some of the first examples of Chardonnay to be varietally labeled as "Chardonnay". Other French wine regions with Chardonnay plantings include Alsace, Ardèche, Jura, Savoie, and the Loire Valley . In Jura, it is used to create vin de paille dessert wines . Here, the grape is known as Melon d'Arbois or Gamay blanc and is sometimes blended with Savagnin . It is most widely found in Arbois, Côtes du Jura, and L'Étoile AOCs . In the Loire, up to 20% of Chardonnay can be included in the Chenin blanc - based wines of Anjou blanc and more producers are using the grape to soften some of the edges of Chenin blanc . It can also be used in the sparkling wines of Saumur and some Muscadet producers have begun experimenting with oak - aged Chardonnay . </P> <P> In North America, particularly California, Chardonnay found another region where it could thrive and produce a style of wine noticeably different from that of France . It is the dominant white wine variety of the area, overtaking Riesling in 1990 . In the United States, it is found most notably in California, Oregon, Texas, Virginia, and Washington, but also in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Vermont wine . In Canada, Chardonnay is found in British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Ontario, and Quebec., and in Mexico is found in Baja California (Valle de Guadalupe) and in Coahuila (Valle de Parras) states . </P>

Which is not a significant location for sauvignon blanc