... petit village tranquille qui s'appelle Chardonnay

"Dans le Haut-Mâconnais, la grande région située entre le Chalonnais et le Beaujolais, se trouve un vieux petit village tranquille qui s'appelle Chardonnay."

That's how the locals put it. In proper English Language: In the High-Mâconnais, the large region between Chalonnais and Beaujolais, lies a tranquil, old village called Chardonnay.

If this place is mentioned in the relevant wine literature, then of course only with the probable assumption that the Chardonnay grape variety got its name from this modest village. In 1872, the wine was named after the French village of Chardonnay at a wine-growing exhibition in Lyon - no evidence of this can be found, but it is taken for granted everywhere. If you had the time, you could dig yourself into a library. In any case, the internet is silent on the subject.

This pretty winegrowers' village describes itself as wine-loving and should be part of every tour through the vineyards of the Haut-Mâconnais, and not just because of its name. There are around 200 inhabitants and a co-operative winery. Around 90% of the entire grape harvest in the Mâconnais is processed in cooperatives, i.e. in the winegrowers' co-operative.

In Germany, Chardonnay is also known as Weißer Ruländer or Gelber Burgunder. Chardonnay is a cross between the almost extinct Gouais Blanc, also known as Heunisch, and Pinot. Heunisch is cultivated at Kloster Pforta? It is not clear exactly which type of Pinot it is. Let's leave it at that. Chardonnay originates from Burgundy and was first mentioned in writing between 1685 and 1690. Today, a Chardonnay is a Chardonnay and there is a wine-growing village in France that gives it its name. Chardonnay is cultivated all over the world; in the Saale-Unstrut region it is not pressed so often.