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Wines like Chardonnay

The most adaptable white grape in the world, and the one most often blamed for what winemakers do to it. Below: what to try next, grouped by the direction you want to travel.

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What do you like about Chardonnay?

Optional — the results below already work without it. But “I like Malbec” is at least four different preferences wearing one name, and saying which one you mean changes the answer substantially. Only qualities this wine actually has are offered.

I like…

How full and weighty it is The creamy, rounded texture That it is properly dry

But it’s a bit…

too heavy too alcoholic or warming too buttery or thick too oaky or woody too savoury or funky too austere

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What these words mean

How full and weighty it is: Body is how much the wine seems to fill your mouth — the difference between skimmed and whole milk. It comes mostly from alcohol and ripeness.
That it is not too strong: Alcohol you notice as warmth at the back of the throat. Some people find it a pleasant part of a big red and some find it tiring.
The creamy, rounded texture: A soft, almost dairy-like roundness. In white wine it usually comes from malolactic fermentation or from time on the lees, not from the grape.
The vanilla and oak: Vanilla, toast, coconut, sweet spice, sometimes smoke. It comes from the barrel rather than the grape, which is why the same grape can taste completely different with and without it.
The savoury, meaty side: Leather, olive, cured meat, dried herbs, tobacco. It is what people mean by calling a wine "serious" rather than "fruity", and it comes with age as well as with place.
That it is properly dry: No perceptible sugar at all. Almost all red wine is dry and a good deal of white wine is not, which is why this is a more useful thing to say about a white than about a red.

Looking for something moving away from too buttery or thick.

Based on what you said

Ranked against the qualities you named rather than against the wine as a whole. The directions below are refined the same way.

Chablis

curated

The unoaked, high-acid expression of the same grape.

Substantially less buttery or thick.

English still white

Both are made from chardonnay, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Substantially less buttery or thick.

Alpine white

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Substantially less buttery or thick.

Sancerre

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Substantially less buttery or thick.

Picpoul de Pinet

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Substantially less buttery or thick.

Picpoul

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Substantially less buttery or thick.

Aligoté

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Substantially less buttery or thick.

Brda Rebula

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Substantially less buttery or thick.

Closest overall

Nearest neighbours, no change of direction.

Closest matches

The nearest overall neighbours across structure and flavour, with no deliberate change of direction.

Chablis

curated

The unoaked, high-acid expression of the same grape.

Expect: No vanilla or butter at all — citrus, green apple and a saline finish instead.

English still white

Both are made from chardonnay, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and sweeter.

Alpine white

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and lighter.

Sancerre

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and more herbal and green.

Different grape, similar feel

Deliberately excludes the variety you already know, to find a genuinely new wine that fills the same role.

Alpine white

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and lighter.

Sancerre

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and more herbal and green.

Picpoul de Pinet

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and lighter.

Picpoul

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and lighter.

Change the structure

Same idea, different weight, grip or freshness.

Similar but lighter

Keeps the character but reduces weight, alcohol and density in the mouth.

Alpine white

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and lighter.

Colombard

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and lighter.

Hunter Valley Semillon

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and lighter.

Melon de Bourgogne

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and lighter.

Similar but lower in alcohol

Holds the character and the weight where it can, and moves specifically on strength. Note that below about 11% the choices narrow sharply, and below 5% they are mostly a different category rather than a lighter version of the same one.

Hunter Valley Semillon

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and less oaky.

Alpine white

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and lighter.

Mosel Riesling

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and lighter.

Colombard

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and less oaky.

Similar but fuller

Keeps the character but adds weight, concentration and mouthfeel.

Nothing in WineHQ's catalogue makes this move meaningfully from here. These are the closest wines otherwise, but do not expect them to deliver what you asked for — the honest answer is that this style does not have a good neighbour in that direction.

Chablis

curated

The unoaked, high-acid expression of the same grape.

Expect: No vanilla or butter at all — citrus, green apple and a saline finish instead.

Sancerre

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and lighter.

Savagnin

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be rounder and creamier in texture, and lighter.

Dry Furmint

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be rounder and creamier in texture, and lighter.

Similar but less tannic

For readers who find firm reds drying. Reduces tannic grip while holding flavour and weight roughly steady.

Chablis

curated

The unoaked, high-acid expression of the same grape.

Expect: No vanilla or butter at all — citrus, green apple and a saline finish instead.

English still white

Both are made from chardonnay, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and sweeter.

Alpine white

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and lighter.

Sancerre

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and more herbal and green.

Similar but more structured

More tannic architecture, for food or for ageing.

Brda Rebula

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and less oaky.

Trebbiano Spoletino

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and lighter.

Mtsvane Kakhuri

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and less oaky.

Istrian Malvazija

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and lighter.

Similar but fresher

Raises acidity and overall lift, usually by moving to a cooler-climate expression.

Albariño

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and less oaky.

Aligoté

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and less oaky.

Alpine white

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and lighter.

Alsace Riesling

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and sweeter.

Similar but softer

Lowers acidity and sharpness in favour of a broader, gentler feel.

Roussanne

Both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and rounder and creamier in texture.

Pošip

Pošip scores closest to Chardonnay across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and rounder and creamier in texture.

Malagousia

Malagousia scores closest to Chardonnay across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and rounder and creamier in texture.

Malvasia

Malvasia scores closest to Chardonnay across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and rounder and creamier in texture.

The sparkling version

Moves to a sparkling expression while holding the flavour and weight as close as possible.

Austrian Sekt

Both are made from chardonnay, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more sparkling, and sweeter.

Crémant

Both are made from chardonnay, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be more sparkling, and sweeter.

English Blanc de Blancs

Both are made from chardonnay, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more sparkling, and lighter.

English sparkling wine

Both are made from chardonnay, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more sparkling, and sweeter.

Similar but sweeter

Adds perceptible sweetness, which also softens acidity and chilli heat.

English still white

Both are made from chardonnay, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and less oaky.

Finger Lakes Riesling

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and sweeter.

Riesling

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and sweeter.

Vouvray

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be sweeter, and more sparkling.

Change the flavour

Same shape, different aromatic character.

Similar but less oaky

One of the commonest requests in wine. Strips oak influence while holding grape character and weight.

Alsace Riesling

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be sweeter, and more floral.

Arinto

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and fresher.

Australian Riesling

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and lighter.

Carricante

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and more savoury.

Similar but more oaky

Adds barrel character, toast and a creamier texture.

Chablis

curated

Both are made from chardonnay, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and lighter.

Alpine white

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and leaner and more cutting.

Sancerre

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and leaner and more cutting.

Chenin Blanc

curated

Both are versatile, textural whites that take oak and lees ageing well and can be made lean or rich.

Expect: Higher acidity and a distinctive waxy, quince-and-honey character.

Similar but more aromatic

More to smell before you taste — floral, fruity or spiced aromatics.

Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and more herbal and green.

Sancerre

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and more herbal and green.

Australian Riesling

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and less oaky.

Albariño

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and less oaky.

Similar but more restrained

For readers who find intensely aromatic wines tiring over a whole glass. Keeps the structure, turns the volume down.

Gavi

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and lighter.

Melon de Bourgogne

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and less oaky.

Muscadet

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and less oaky.

Cortese

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and less oaky.

Similar but more floral

Pushes specifically towards rose, violet, blossom and elderflower character.

Alsace Riesling

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and sweeter.

Loureiro

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and less oaky.

Mosel Riesling

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and lighter.

Spätlese

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be sweeter, and less oaky.

Similar but less floral

Some drinkers read floral aromatics as soapy or perfumed. This holds the structure and removes them.

Chablis

curated

The unoaked, high-acid expression of the same grape.

Expect: No vanilla or butter at all — citrus, green apple and a saline finish instead.

English still white

Both are made from chardonnay, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and sweeter.

Alpine white

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and lighter.

Picpoul de Pinet

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and lighter.

Similar but more savoury

Moves away from primary fruit towards earth, herb, meat and umami character.

Chablis

curated

The unoaked, high-acid expression of the same grape.

Expect: No vanilla or butter at all — citrus, green apple and a saline finish instead.

Muscadet

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and less oaky.

Etna Bianco

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be cleaner and more fruit-focused, and lighter.

Carricante

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.

Similar but fruitier

More obvious, generous fruit flavour, usually from a warmer climate.

Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and more herbal and green.

Montlouis-sur-Loire

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be sweeter, and lighter.

Sauvignon Blanc

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and more herbal and green.

Spätlese

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be sweeter, and less oaky.

Change the place

Keep the grape, move it somewhere else.

Same grape, somewhere else

Holds the variety constant and changes the place, which is often a bigger change than swapping the grape.

English still white

Both are made from chardonnay, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and sweeter.

Soave

Both are made from chardonnay, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and lighter.

Chilean Chardonnay

Both are made from chardonnay, and they occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be rounder and creamier in texture, and softer and rounder.

Australian Chardonnay

Both are made from chardonnay, and they occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be rounder and creamier in texture, and softer and rounder.

Same grape, cooler climate

Typically fresher, lighter and more herbal, with lower alcohol.

Chablis

curated

The unoaked, high-acid expression of the same grape.

Expect: No vanilla or butter at all — citrus, green apple and a saline finish instead.

English still white

Both are made from chardonnay, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be sweeter, and lighter.

Jura Savagnin and Chardonnay

Both are made from chardonnay, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be rounder and creamier in texture, and less oaky.

Crémant

Both are made from chardonnay, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be more sparkling, and sweeter.

Same grape, warmer climate

Typically riper, fuller and more generous in fruit, with higher alcohol.

Chablis

curated

The unoaked, high-acid expression of the same grape.

Expect: No vanilla or butter at all — citrus, green apple and a saline finish instead.

English still white

Both are made from chardonnay, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and sweeter.

Chilean Chardonnay

Both are made from chardonnay, and they occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be rounder and creamier in texture, and softer and rounder.

Australian Chardonnay

Both are made from chardonnay, and they occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be rounder and creamier in texture, and softer and rounder.

Change the mood

Safer, stranger, cheaper or more serious.

A safe next step

Well-known wines that are widely available and unlikely to surprise anyone.

Chablis

curated

The unoaked, high-acid expression of the same grape.

Expect: No vanilla or butter at all — citrus, green apple and a saline finish instead.

Sancerre

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and more herbal and green.

Australian Riesling

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and less oaky.

Albariño

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and less oaky.

Something more adventurous

Less familiar wines that occupy similar territory — the interesting end of the shelf.

English still white

Both are made from chardonnay, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and sweeter.

Alpine white

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and lighter.

Picpoul de Pinet

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and lighter.

Picpoul

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and lighter.

A better-value alternative

Wines that occupy similar sensory territory from regions carrying less price premium. WineHQ does not hold live prices, so this reasons from regional reputation and demand rather than from a price feed — treat it as a lead, not a quote.

English still white

Both are made from chardonnay, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and sweeter.

Alpine white

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and lighter.

Picpoul de Pinet

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and lighter.

Picpoul

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and lighter.

A step up

The benchmark expressions of the same territory, usually with more concentration, structure and ageing potential.

Chablis

curated

The unoaked, high-acid expression of the same grape.

Expect: No vanilla or butter at all — citrus, green apple and a saline finish instead.

South African Chenin Blanc

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be rounder and creamier in texture, and less spicy.

Santorini Assyrtiko

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be rounder and creamier in texture, and more savoury.

Grüner Veltliner

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and more herbal and green.

How these are chosen

Each suggestion is scored across sixteen taste dimensions, weighted so that structure matters more than flavour, and adjusted for whether the wine actually moves in the direction you asked for. Curated links from an editor carry extra weight — but only when the editor tagged them for this direction. Nothing here is a black box; see the taste model for the full method.