What is Buttery Chardonnay?
You'd butter believe it, Chardonnay is back! Fads come and go in the world of wine, and for many years the trend was Anything But Chardonnay (ABC). However, over recent months, we've witnessed a triumphant resurgence in interest for rich, buttery Chardonnay styles. No longer will you see the type of heavy oak domination that was prevalent back in the '80s, made infamous by Kath and Kim. Today's Chardonnays show more restraint and balance in their making, but the more complex flavour profile is what many wine enthusiasts are actively seeking when selecting a premium buttery Chardonnay.
But what does this trend toward "buttery" actually mean, and how can you confidently choose a wine that truly delivers on this promise? The truth is, not all Chardonnay is created equal, especially when it comes to achieving that perfect buttery character.
Distinguished buttery Chardonnays can be found across the wine world – many from California's Napa or Sonoma Valley are renowned for their mastery of this style, along with exceptional oaked expressions from Argentina, Chile, and the prestigious Meursault region in Burgundy, France. Yet, Australia, particularly the Hunter Valley, has emerged as a stronghold for world-class Chardonnay that rivals the best international benchmarks.
What Does Buttery Chardonnay Taste Like?
Authentic buttery Chardonnay captivates with its creamy, rich mouthfeel and complex flavour profile, typically showcasing notes of vanilla, toast, and subtle oak influences. This isn't just any Chardonnay - it's a sensory experience offering remarkable depth and complexity.
The signature buttery character primarily originates from a specific winemaking technique known as malolactic fermentation. During this process, the wine's natural malic acid (think of the crisp tartness in green apples) transforms into lactic acid—the same compound that gives dairy products their distinctive creamy texture. This conversion creates that smooth, velvety sensation that buttery Chardonnay lovers crave.
The journey to exceptional Chardonnay continues with careful selection and toasting of oak barrels, which further enhances these buttery characteristics while contributing additional layers of complexity through vanilla, caramel, and toasted notes that complement the wine's natural fruit character. It’s a winemaker’s playground of choice here – the type of barrel used, the way that the oak barrel has been fired (called charring), all play into the flavour of the end wine. Of course, many commercial products will use oak chips as an additive or oak staves/planks to enhance the flavour – this is where the difference often lies in the complexity of flavour in the wine, depending on the price point being achieved.
Perhaps most critically, time works its magic on truly exceptional buttery Chardonnay. The wine continues to evolve in the bottle, meaning that it’s worth looking for examples that have had more time for the components to come together – look for the vintage year on the label as it tells its own story. At Scarborough Wine Co., our signature house style involves releasing our Yellow Label Chardonnay at three years of age, which includes 12 months of bottle maturation before release - a patient approach that develops the intricate, multidimensional flavours our customers have come to recognise and cherish in a premium Chardonnay.
What Food Do You Match With Buttery Chardonnay?
The texture and complex flavour profile of buttery Chardonnay make it an exceptional partner for a wide range of culinary experiences. The wine's natural richness and creamy mouthfeel creates perfect harmony with dishes that share these qualities.
Seafood dishes featuring a buttery component pair magnificently - think lobster with brown butter, creamy seafood pasta, or scallops in a rich sauce. The wine's texture mirrors the food while its balanced acidity cuts through richness, creating a perfect counterpoint.
Roast chicken, particularly when prepared with herbs and butter under the skin, brings out the toasty, vanilla notes in buttery Chardonnay. The wine's subtle oak character complements the caramelised skin while its body stands up to the meat.
For cheese pairings, opt for creamy, medium-intensity options like triple-cream brie, aged Gouda, or a classic Comté. The buttery notes in both the cheese and wine create a beautiful resonance while the wine's structure prevents palate fatigue.
Surprisingly, buttery Chardonnay also pairs wonderfully with certain vegetarian dishes—mushroom risotto, butternut squash ravioli, or roasted cauliflower with brown butter all highlight different aspects of the wine's complex profile.
How Do You Select a Good Buttery Chardonnay?
We recently benchmarked an extensive range of wines marketed as "buttery Chardonnay," with many brands now prominently featuring this descriptor on their labels. Our findings revealed significant variation in styles, with many supposedly buttery options failing to deliver the rich, complex experience consumers rightfully expect.
Don't be misled by marketing trends. The true masters of buttery Chardonnay are producers with decades of commitment to perfecting this style—established wineries like Kendall Jackson in California and right here in Australia, Scarborough Wine Co., where consistency and dedication to quality transcend fleeting trends.
When selecting a buttery Chardonnay worth your investment, carefully consider who it was produced by and give some consideration of the experience of the winemaker. Many commercial Chardonnays lack the three-dimensional flavour profile that defines truly exceptional examples. While it might mean spending a bit more, the remarkable difference between a mass-produced ‘buttery Chardonnay’ and one crafted with care and expertise is immediately apparent from the first sip.
Why is Making Good Buttery Chardonnay Like Making Complex Sourdough?
There's been an undeniable renaissance in artisanal food crafting - particularly sourdough bread and cultured butter. What attracts people to these labour-intensive creations isn't merely following trends, but experiencing the profound difference in flavour that emerges from patient, traditional methods. Our winemaker Jerome Scarborough notes that crafting exceptional buttery Chardonnay follows remarkably similar principles—where time, tradition, ingredient selection, and meticulous attention transform simple components into something truly extraordinary.
Consider the stark contrast between mass-produced white bread and a lovingly tended sourdough loaf. The former offers mere convenience, while the latter delivers complex flavours, developed texture, and character that evolves with each bite. Similarly, our Yellow Label Chardonnay represents the wine equivalent of Pepe Saya's celebrated cultured butter or an award-winning loaf from Iggy's Bread - products where you can taste the artisan's dedication in every moment of enjoyment.
Like these masterful food producers who've rediscovered traditional methods abandoned by industrial production for the sake of efficiency, our winemaking embraces a slower, more intentional approach. This same commitment to craft can be experienced at some of our favourite sourdough sanctuaries—Berkelo, Sonoma, and Bourke Street Bakery - where, just as with our buttery Chardonnay, patience and passion translate directly to pleasure on the palate.
What Are the Best Buttery Chardonnays in Australia?
Scarborough Yellow Label Chardonnay stands as one of the most recognised buttery Chardonnays in Australia. While we acknowledge our bias, we're immensely proud of this wine's remarkable consistency and longevity in the Australian wine landscape. It's more than just a buttery Chardonnay—it's a complex, multi-dimensional experience full of flavour, offering richness with a smooth palate feel and perfectly balanced oak integration.
For those seeking an even more elevated experience, our Scarborough ‘The Obsessive’ Chardonnay represents the ultimate expression of buttery Chardonnay craftsmanship. Made with 100% new French oak and sourced exclusively from our Gillards Road property in the heart of the Hunter Valley, this wine showcases exceptional terroir. What makes it particularly unique is that it comes from one of the first vineyards where a single clone 10V1 and I0V5 was used for planting - a departure from the traditional mixed-clone approach of earlier vineyards.
Many wine enthusiasts might be surprised to learn that the Hunter Valley holds a special place in Chardonnay's Australian story, being among the first regions where this grape variety was planted, establishing the foundation for Australia's reputation for outstanding Chardonnay across multiple styles. Looking for an exceptional Australian example – check out Shaw and Smith M3 Chardonnay, Lake's Folley Chardonnay, Tyrrell’s Vat 47 as a few of our favourites to start with.
What Makes Our Scarborough Yellow Label Chardonnay Special?
Since Scarborough Wine Co. was established in the Hunter Valley in 1987, founder Ian 'Scarbie' Scarborough had a singular vision for the style of Chardonnay he wanted to create. Having worked closely alongside his friend Philip Shaw of Rosemount fame and spending formative time in California's wine country, he recognised the Hunter Valley's unique potential for exceptional Chardonnay production. Throw in an excuse to compare with some great White Burgundy's and the vision was clear. It gave birth to our famous Yellow Label, which has since become the gateway through which many discover our brand—a full-flavoured, complex buttery Chardonnay that remains a favourite among visitors to our Hunter Valley cellar door.
While "buttery" certainly describes our Yellow Label Chardonnay, we invite you to discover the many dimensions that make this wine truly special:
- Crafted in a consistent, full-flavoured buttery style since 1987
- Released only when it is 3 years of age, with 1 year bottle maturation, allowing complex buttery, savoury, creamy, rich and balanced flavours to fully integrate
- Sourced exclusively from our Hunter Valley vineyards
- Handcrafted by the Scarborough family—Ian and Jerome Scarborough maintain their original vision rather than chasing passing trends
- Complex yet approachable, with meticulous attention to French oak selection, winemaking techniques, and bottle aging
- A reliable, consistent crowd favourite loved across generations
Chardonnay has always been at the heart of Scarborough Wine Co.—it was our beginning, remains our present, and will continue to define our future.
We invite you to discover why our Chardonnay has maintained its place as one of Australia's most loved wines for over three decades. When you taste Scarborough Yellow Label, you're experiencing more than just wine—you're partaking in a tradition of excellence and a celebration of what makes Australian Chardonnay truly world-class.
Want to deepen your knowledge about buttery Chardonnay and its many expressions? Discover all you need to know about Chardonnay in our comprehensive guide.