In the glass
Aroma: butter, vanilla, ripe peach, hazelnut
Palate: rich stone fruit, cream, toasted oak, long
Planeta's barrique-aged Chardonnay from Ulmo at Menfi became one of the wines that announced Sicily's quality transformation in the 1990s: rich, buttery, confident, with Sicilian sunshine layered through Burgundian oak treatment.
What it pairs with
-
Lobster thermidor
Rich creamy oak treatment is the benchmark match for cream-sauce lobster. -
Chicken with mushroom cream sauce
Full body and buttery notes complement rich cream-based poultry dishes. -
Scallops in butter with lemon
Hazelnut-vanilla notes from barrique aging pair with the sweetness of pan-seared scallops.
How to serve Planeta Chardonnay
Allow 35 minutes from open to pour.
- Open and decant. Open 30 minutes before serving and pour into a decanter to aerate.
- Serve at 10-12°C. Cellar temperature (10-12°C) is the band for this style. Warmer pushes alcohol forward; colder dampens aromatics.
- Glassware. Use a medium-sized white-wine glass: the bowl shape rewards the wine's structure.
- Pair with. Lobster thermidor, Chicken with mushroom cream sauce, Scallops in butter with lemon. Match the wine's structure to the dish's fat and salt.
History
Planeta's Chardonnay was an early premium barrique-aged white from Sicily, first produced in 1994. It changed perceptions of Sicilian white wine quality and was distributed widely on the international market through the late 1990s and 2000s.
- 1994 — First Planeta Chardonnay from Menfi (1994); an early barrique-aged Sicilian white
Facts
- Producer
- Planeta
- Grapes
- Chardonnay (100%)
- Classification
- Sicilia DOC
- Oak
- Fermented and aged in French barriques (50% new), 8-9 months with batonnage
- ABV
- 14.0%
- Price
- EUR 24-36 at retail
- Drinking window
- 3-8 from vintage
- First vintage
- 1994
Frequently asked about Planeta Chardonnay
What does Planeta Chardonnay taste like?
On the nose, butter, vanilla, ripe peach, hazelnut. On the palate, rich stone fruit, cream, toasted oak, long. Structurally full-bodied, low tannins, medium acidity with a long, creamy-nutty finish. Planeta's barrique-aged Chardonnay from Ulmo at Menfi became one of the wines that announced Sicily's quality transformation in the 1990s: rich, buttery, confident, with Sicilian sunshine layered through Burgundian oak treatment.
When should I drink Planeta Chardonnay?
Drink 3-8 from vintage. Young vintages benefit from 30-90 minutes of decanting; mature bottles should be handled carefully for sediment.
What food pairs with Planeta Chardonnay?
Lobster thermidor is the canonical pairing. Other strong matches include Chicken with mushroom cream sauce and Scallops in butter with lemon. Rich creamy oak treatment is the benchmark match for cream-sauce lobster.
What grapes are in Planeta Chardonnay?
The blend is Chardonnay (100%). The wine is classified as Sicilia DOC.