World Chardonnay Day Date in the current year: May 21, 2026

Chardonnay is a white wine grape variety that originated in the Burgundy region of France. Over time, it has spread to every wine region in the world, from England to New Zealand. It is the second most widely planted white grape variety in France and the dominant white grape variety in North America. Growing Chardonnay is often considered a “rite of passage” for emerging wine regions because it provides them with relatively easy access to the international wine market.

Although Chardonnay is often described as a relatively neutral grape, this neutrality is considered one of its main strengths because it allows the grape to be vinified in many different styles. The flavor of Chardonnay wines depends heavily on terroir, fermentation choices, and winemaking techniques. These wines range from crisp, mineral-forward French varieties to New World wines with prominent tropical fruit flavors.

Chardonnay is also widely used in sparkling wine production. While most sparkling wines are blends of several grape varieties, Chardonnay is often the most prominent. For instance, it is one of the three main varieties used to produce Champagne, alongside Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir.

Thanks to the grape’s versatility, Chardonnay wines come in different styles that pair well with various foods. The best food pairings for Chardonnay depend on three main characteristics: acidity, oak influence, and body. Crisp, unoaked Chardonnays are high in acidity and pair well with light poultry dishes, seafood, sushi, and fresh goat cheese. Lightly oaked Chardonnays pair well with roasted chicken, turkey, pork tenderloin, creamy pasta dishes, mushroom-based dishes, and mild cheeses, such as Brie or Camembert. Finally, full-bodied, heavily oaked Chardonnays pair well with richer dishes, such as creamy risotto, lobster with butter sauce, grilled salmon, smoked fish, and spicy Southeast Asian dishes.

World Chardonnay Day, also known as Chardonnay Day, originated in California in the late 2000s or early 2010s as part of a broader trend of informal wine days created to promote American wines. Its traditional date is the Thursday before Memorial Day, or, for non-Americans, the Thursday before the last Monday in May. However, the website worldchardonnayday.org lists May 21 as the date of the holiday. Some years, the two dates coincide; when they don’t, nothing stops you from celebrating twice!

There are many ways to celebrate this amazing holiday. You can attend a World Chardonnay Day event if your local winegrowers or sellers organize one. If not, you can celebrate by splurging on an expensive bottle of Chardonnay, attending a wine tasting or a wine and food pairing class, going out to a wine bar with friends, throwing a wine and cheese party at your house, or simply spreading the word about the holiday on social media using the hashtag #WorldChardonnayDay.