Comparison
Chardonnay vs Sémillon
How Chardonnay and Sémillon differ, dimension by dimension.
The short answer
Chardonnay and Sémillon come from the same country but sit in different territory. The main differences: Sémillon has more sweetness; Chardonnay has more body; Chardonnay has more aromatic intensity.
Choose
Chardonnay
Choose Chardonnay if you want something fuller and richer, more aromatic, more floral.
Where they genuinely differ
Only differences large enough to notice in the glass are listed here. A gap of half a point on a five-point scale is noise, and WineHQ does not dress it up as a finding.
Sweetness
Clear differencePerceived sugar in the finished wine, driven mainly by residual sugar but modified by acidity, alcohol and fruit ripeness.
Sémillon is sweeter: medium against low.
Body
Clear differenceThe overall weight and viscosity of the wine in the mouth — a composite of alcohol, sugar, extract and glycerol.
Chardonnay is fuller and richer: medium-plus against medium.
Aromatic intensity
Clear differenceHow strongly the wine smells before it is tasted. Some grapes are intrinsically aromatic; others express mainly on the palate.
Chardonnay is more aromatic: medium against low-medium.
Floral character
Clear differenceBlossom, rose, violet, elderflower, acacia and related aromatic notes.
Chardonnay is more floral: low-medium against low.
Spice
Clear differencePepper, clove, cinnamon and related spice notes, whether from the grape (as with rotundone in Syrah) or from oak.
Chardonnay is spicier: low-medium against low.
Perceived freshness
Clear differenceThe overall impression of liveliness — a composite of acidity, alcohol balance, fruit character and the absence of tiredness. Distinct from raw acidity: a wine can be high in acid yet taste heavy.
Chardonnay is fresher: medium-plus against medium.
Where they are much the same
Just as useful: knowing which parts of the choice do not matter.
- Acidity: Similar — both medium-plus.
- Tannin: Similar — both low.
- Alcohol: Similar — both medium.
- Fruit intensity: Similar — both medium.
- Oak influence: Similar — both medium.
Full side by side
| Dimension | Chardonnay | Sémillon |
|---|---|---|
| Sweetness | low (1/5) | typically medium, ranging from low to high (3/5) |
| Body | typically medium-plus, ranging from low-medium to high (4/5) | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) |
| Aromatic intensity | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) | typically low-medium, ranging from low to medium (2/5) |
| Floral character | typically low-medium, ranging from low to medium (2/5) | low (1/5) |
| Spice | typically low-medium, ranging from low to medium (2/5) | low (1/5) |
| Perceived freshness | typically medium-plus, ranging from low-medium to high (4/5) | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) |
| Acidity | typically medium-plus, ranging from low-medium to high (4/5) | typically medium-plus, ranging from low-medium to high (4/5) |
| Tannin | low (1/5) | low (1/5) |
| Alcohol | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) |
| Fruit intensity | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) |
| Oak influence | typically medium, ranging from low to high (3/5) | typically medium, ranging from low to medium-plus (3/5) |
| Savoury character | typically medium, ranging from low to medium-plus (3/5) | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) |
| Herbal / green character | low (1/5) | low (1/5) |
| Earthy character | low (1/5) | low (1/5) |
| Carbonation | low (1/5) | low (1/5) |
| Texture | typically medium-plus, ranging from low-medium to high (4/5) | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to high (4/5) |
| Serve at | 12–15°C | 11–14°C |
| Typical flavours | green apple, lemon, white peach, pineapple, hazelnut | lemon, lanolin, beeswax, honey, toast |
Values are typical points within each wine’s range. Both wines vary — see the individual pages for how much.
Read more
Grape
Chardonnay
The most adaptable white grape in the world, and the one most often blamed for what winemakers do to it.
Grape
Sémillon
A thin-skinned, botrytis-prone variety essential to Sauternes and to a unique long-lived dry style in the Hunter Valley.
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