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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

Clear all

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 keeping the full body and weight, while moving away from too savoury or funky, too oaky or woody and too austere.

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.

Petit Manseng

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

Keeps the full body and weight.
Substantially less savoury or funky.
Substantially less oaky or woody.
Substantially less austere.

Malvasia

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

Keeps the full body and weight.
Substantially less savoury or funky.
Substantially less oaky or woody.
Substantially less austere.

Vidal

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

Keeps the full body and weight.
Substantially less savoury or funky.
Substantially less oaky or woody.
Substantially less austere.

Muscat of Alexandria

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

Keeps the full body and weight.
Substantially less savoury or funky.
Substantially less oaky or woody.
Substantially less austere.

Muscadelle

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

Has some of the full body and weight, though less of it.
Substantially less savoury or funky.
Substantially less oaky or woody.
Substantially less austere.

Hárslevelű

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

Has some of the full body and weight, though less of it.
Substantially less savoury or funky.
Substantially less oaky or woody.
Substantially less austere.

Scheurebe

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

Has some of the full body and weight, though less of it.
Substantially less savoury or funky.
Substantially less oaky or woody.
Substantially less austere.

Sémillon

curated

A similarly low-aromatic, textural white that develops complexity with age and oak.

Has some of the full body and weight, though less of it.
About as savoury or funky as the wine you started from.
About as oaky or woody as the wine you started from.
Substantially less austere.

Closest overall

Nearest neighbours, no change of direction.

Closest matches

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

Petit Manseng

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 fruitier.

Malvasia

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

Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and stronger and warmer.

Vidal

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

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

Muscat of Alexandria

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

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

Different grape, similar feel

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

Petit Manseng

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 fruitier.

Malvasia

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

Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and stronger and warmer.

Vidal

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

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

Muscat of Alexandria

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

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

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.

Spätlese

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

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

Hárslevelű

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

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

Scheurebe

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

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

Muscadelle

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 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.

Spätlese

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

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

Riesling

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

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

Vinho Verde

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and drier.

Trebbiano Toscano

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and more restrained in fruit.

Similar but fuller

Keeps the character but adds weight, concentration and mouthfeel.

Viognier

curated

For someone who likes full-bodied Chardonnay and wants more perfume.

Expect: Dramatically more aromatic — apricot and honeysuckle — with lower acidity.

Condrieu

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

Expect: Expect it to be fuller and richer, and drier.

Pedro Ximénez

Pedro Ximénez scores closest to Chardonnay across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

Expect: Expect it to be fuller and richer, and sweeter.

Canadian Icewine

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be fuller and richer, and sweeter.

Similar but less tannic

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

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.

Alsace Pinot Gris

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

Expect: Expect it to be spicier, and stronger and warmer.

Petit Manseng

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 fruitier.

Vidal

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

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

Muscat of Alexandria

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

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

Similar but more structured

More tannic architecture, for food or for ageing.

Malvasia

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

Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and stronger and warmer.

Albana

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

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

Mtsvane Kakhuri

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

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

Malvazija Istarska

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

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

Similar but fresher

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

Petit Manseng

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 fruitier.

Petite Arvine

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

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

Spätlese

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

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

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 drier, and lighter.

Similar but softer

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

Alsace Pinot Gris

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

Expect: Expect it to be spicier, and stronger and warmer.

Muscat of Alexandria

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

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

Malvasia

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

Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and stronger and warmer.

Viognier

curated

For someone who likes full-bodied Chardonnay and wants more perfume.

Expect: Dramatically more aromatic — apricot and honeysuckle — with lower acidity.

The sparkling version

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

Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

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

Austrian Sekt

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

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and lighter.

Sekt

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

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and lighter.

Crémant

Both are made from chardonnay, and they occupy similar territory for weight and structure, both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and lighter.

Similar but sweeter

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

Albana

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

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

Alsace Pinot Gris

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

Expect: Expect it to be spicier, and stronger and warmer.

Gewürztraminer

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

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

Hárslevelű

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

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

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.

Malvasia

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

Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and stronger and warmer.

Muscat of Alexandria

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

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

Petit Manseng

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 fruitier.

Vidal

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

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

Similar but more oaky

Adds barrel character, toast and a creamier texture.

California Chardonnay

Both are made from chardonnay.

Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and drier.

Alsace Pinot Gris

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

Expect: Expect it to be spicier, and stronger and warmer.

Viognier

curated

For someone who likes full-bodied Chardonnay and wants more perfume.

Expect: Dramatically more aromatic — apricot and honeysuckle — with lower acidity.

Furmint

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

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

Similar but more aromatic

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

Muscat of Alexandria

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

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

Scheurebe

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

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

Viognier

curated

For someone who likes full-bodied Chardonnay and wants more perfume.

Expect: Dramatically more aromatic — apricot and honeysuckle — with lower acidity.

Muscadelle

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 more restrained

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

Sémillon

curated

A similarly low-aromatic, textural white that develops complexity with age and oak.

Expect: Waxier and more lanolin-scented, with a distinctive toasty maturity.

Silvaner

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and lighter.

Trebbiano Toscano

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and more restrained in fruit.

Seyval Blanc

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and drier.

Similar but more floral

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

Hárslevelű

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

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

Muscadelle

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.

Muscat of Alexandria

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

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

Ortega

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

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

Similar but less floral

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

Petit Manseng

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 fruitier.

Malvasia

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

Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and stronger and warmer.

Vidal

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

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

Petite Arvine

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

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

Similar but more savoury

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

Savennières

Both come from the same country.

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

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.

Franken Silvaner

Franken Silvaner scores closest to Chardonnay across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

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

Jura Savagnin and Chardonnay

Both are made from chardonnay, and both come from the same country.

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

Similar but fruitier

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

Malvasia

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

Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and stronger and warmer.

Muscat of Alexandria

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

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

Petit Manseng

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 fruitier.

Vidal

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

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

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 they occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and drier.

Chilean Chardonnay

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

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

Soave

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

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and lighter.

California Chardonnay

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

Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and drier.

Same grape, cooler climate

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

English still white

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

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and drier.

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.

Jura Savagnin and Chardonnay

Both are made from chardonnay, and they occupy similar territory for weight and structure, both come from the same country.

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

Austrian Sekt

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

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and drier.

Same grape, warmer climate

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

California Chardonnay

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

Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and drier.

Chilean Chardonnay

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

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

Australian Chardonnay

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

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

New Zealand Chardonnay

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

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

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.

Pinot Gris

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

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and lighter.

Chenin Blanc

curated

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

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

Riesling

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

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

English Bacchus

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and drier.

Something more adventurous

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

Petit Manseng

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 fruitier.

Malvasia

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

Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and stronger and warmer.

Vidal

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

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

Muscat of Alexandria

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

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

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.

Petit Manseng

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 fruitier.

Malvasia

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

Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and stronger and warmer.

Vidal

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

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

Muscat of Alexandria

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

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

A step up

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

Australian Chardonnay

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

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

South African Chenin Blanc

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

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

Santorini Assyrtiko

Santorini Assyrtiko scores closest to Chardonnay across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

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

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.

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.