Chardonel: Meet dairy's perfect match

Pair creamy pasta with: Dry, oak-aged Chardonel

I paired the creamy, rich lasagna from our Hildebrand Farms Dairy episode with a dry, oak-aged Chardonel from Cave Vineyard and Distillery in Missouri.

Developed at Cornell AgriTech (New York State Agricultural Experiment Station) in 1953, Chardonel is a cross between Seyval Blanc and Chardonnay grapes. The grape varietal was released in 1990. It is a late ripening white wine grape that produces a high-quality and full-bodied wine and is distinguished by the superior quality of the wine it produces combined with high productivity of the vines. The grape’s cold hardiness is superior to its acclaimed parent, Chardonnay. This wine can be fermented in oak or stainless-steel barrels.