Chardonnay vs Sauvignon Blanc: the difference, side by side

Chardonnay vs Sauvignon Blanc

Chardonnay is the fuller, softer wine, and it keeps for years. Sauvignon Blanc is lighter and sharper, with grapefruit and passion fruit, and it's best young. Both are normally dry, and both go with seafood, oysters and salmon.

Barello is a home cellar and bar app that tells you what to open tonight, what to keep, and what you can mix from what you have. It's free. It tells you when each wine you keep is at its best, and what to eat with the bottle you open.

Side by side

	Chardonnay	Sauvignon Blanc
Body	Medium, 3 of 5	Medium-light, 2 of 5
Sweetness	Dry, 2 of 5	Dry, 2 of 5
Acidity	Medium, 3 of 5	High, 5 of 5
Tastes of	Lemon, yellow apple, butter, vanilla and pineapple	Gooseberry, honeydew, grapefruit, white peach and passion fruit
When to drink	Best at about 4 years old, and good from 1 to about 7 years. French Chardonnay from Chablis and Burgundy: best at about 6 years old, and good from 2 to about 12 years.	Best at about a year old, and within 3 years.
Both go with	Oysters, seafood and salmon
Also good with	Roast chicken, creamy pasta, truffle dishes, caviar or smoked fish and mushrooms or risotto	Goat's cheese, salads, fried food and asparagus

Chardonnay

Sauvignon Blanc

Body

Medium, 3 of 5

Medium-light, 2 of 5

Sweetness

Dry, 2 of 5

Acidity

Medium, 3 of 5

High, 5 of 5

Tastes of

Lemon, yellow apple, butter, vanilla and pineapple

Gooseberry, honeydew, grapefruit, white peach and passion fruit

When to drink

Best at about 4 years old, and good from 1 to about 7 years. French Chardonnay from Chablis and Burgundy: best at about 6 years old, and good from 2 to about 12 years.

Best at about a year old, and within 3 years.

Both go with

Oysters, seafood and salmon

Also good with

Roast chicken, creamy pasta, truffle dishes, caviar or smoked fish and mushrooms or risotto

Goat's cheese, salads, fried food and asparagus

Scores are out of 5 and describe each grape in general. A bottle depends on where it was grown and how it was made. Ages count from the year on the label.

Which to pick

Pick Chardonnay if you want a rounder white for roast chicken, creamy pasta or truffle dishes, or one to keep.

Pick Sauvignon Blanc if you like a zesty, citrusy white with goat's cheese, salads or asparagus.

See when each bottle you own is at its best. Joining takes about thirty seconds.

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Questions people ask

Which is sweeter, Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc?

Neither. Both are normally made dry. Sauvignon Blanc tastes sharper because it has more acidity, and Chardonnay feels rounder because it has more body.

Which keeps longer?

Chardonnay. It's best at about 4 years old and good to about 7. Sauvignon Blanc is best at about a year old and good to about 3. French Chardonnay from Chablis and Burgundy keeps longer still.

Which goes with chicken?

Chardonnay goes with roast chicken. Sauvignon Blanc is the pick for goat's cheese, salads or asparagus.

Body, sweetness, acidity, flavours and alcohol are Wine Folly's. Drinking ages and food matches are Barello's.