Asked solely on the basis that I’m willing to spend a lot more on a red Burg than I am on a white one.
Yes. While I am happy to drink either, if memory serves, I’ve paid more for the white flavor and would do it again.
Still-Probably.
If it’s been turned into champagne-DEFINITELY.
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Vice versa for me. I know tons of excellent light-bodied, fresh and characterful reds and I can’t remember having a red GC Burg that was really worth the money.
However, I find it very hard to find good alternatives for a good white Burg. Although I drink more red than white, I’m more willing to put some money into a great white Burg. Red Burg; not so much. With age this becomes even more exaggerated - I love an aged white Burg way WAY much more than an aged red Burg (nb: I still love red burgs!)
So, yes. Chardonnay can definitely be as complex as PN.
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Is the additional complexity of Chardonnay inherent in the fruit or created in the cellar?
I have read that Chardonnay is a more neutral grape, and certainly I’d say in my tasting experience that cheap / basic (unoaked) Chardonnay tends to be “meh” in a way that Pinot isn’t quite.
No, Chardonnay gets its flavor profile from what’s done to it. It lacks an inherent character, other than as a delivery system,
Pinot noir grapes bring more of their own personality to the party.
Chardonnay is Chance in ‘Being There,’ or like an NPC in and adventure game. They lack an internal dialogue.
Pinot Noir possesses an almost unattainable beauty, looking into its eye can induce reverie and regard. Pinot Noir is Dulcinea or Roxanne to Chardonnay’s Daisy Buchanan or Juliette.
I am open to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous disagreement. But, first consider, have you and your friends ever sat and contemplated a Chardonnay?
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Otto nailed it.
Beyond Burgundy I’ve found Chardonnay to be interesting and have unique expression from a far wider range of places than Pinot. There are lots of places where Pinot is made that are “unique” but rarely worth the coin. Chardonnay on the other hand is made in more than one place where peons like myself can still afford to purchase from and get a terrific bottle.
There is the narrative, that Anton repeated that somehow the only way Chardonnay is not exactly the same from every vineyard is because of what’s done to it in the winery. That’s usually promoted by hipster’s trying to press their latest bargain white from some other place. If that were true, then why aren’t people making Corton Charlie knock offs from Napa?
Yes, Anton. Wines of Chardonnay or having Chardonnay being part of their makeup are actually wines I very very often contemplate. Ever had a well aged Mt Eden or something like the 08 Philipponnat Grand Blanc? We talked about that one a ton a few weeks back. Looking forward to talking a lot about the Eden’s next month.
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I guess the /s is necessary.
You can FO now. 
I like the hipster part and the ‘you can’t handle the truth,’ poser answer. 
This is an unanswerable question, up to anybody. I was joking, but please put me on ‘ignore,’ I’d appreciate it!
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Now THIS could pass for sarcasm. The other post…maybe if you squint really hard. At least I wouldn’t take you for one for such an OTT reaction.
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It’s the fact that it’s fairly neutral that allows the terroir to show so prominently. Like any other grape, you can guide that in the cellar, but not create it.
Cheap unoaked Chard is a zero effort, minimal cost wine. You don’t do that with great fruit. It’s quick to bottle, quick to market, quick to see revenue. Like much rose is. People I know who do it are usually using fruit from young vines. Not ready for prime time grapes turned into a summer sipper instead of being bulked out or not picked. Big brands doing it in large scale are using fruit that costs very little for a reason. It’s possible to make great unoaked Chard, but not easy, and not likely to be as good as if you’d just put it in barrels.
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I’d spend more on white than red.
People say when you’re in the mood for burgundy, only burgundy will do, but I think white burg is more singular than white.
Is Blanc de Blanc Champagne more complex than the best still Chardonnays?
I get someone liking it more, but more complex?
Twice I’ve had the 01 DRC Monty and both bottles brought just as much enjoyment as the 10 RC, but different. I also specifically remember a 90 Ramonet BBM that was out of this world complex.
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white Burgundy beats red in most of our dinner tastings for WOTN.
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I suspect that Chardonnay (heck, white wine in general) suffers reputationally in many cases for just not being red. I have been enthralled by as many great white wines as red wines, but I also note that many folks have much lower expectations for white wines, which can help or hinder depending on how those expectations are processed.
All that said, I definitely think a Chardonnay can be just as complex and interesting as a Pinot Noir, but I also never judge them quite the same way. They’re too different.
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Exactly. Lots of folks in this thread conflating their personal enjoyment for wines with those wines being more complex.
The problem is, personal enjoyment is easy to measure because you’re the only one who can evaluate. ‘Complexity’ in wine is much harder to rigorously define.
That said, while we all should agree that chardonnay can be as complex as pinot noir. I find the delicate nuances of pinot noir more interesting. Not sure if that’s complex or not.
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It does get competition from top Champagnes, however.
Overall, I must say I love a great dinner with friends starting with Champagne, going to white Burgundies with appetizers, red Burgundy with the main course and finishing with a really good sweeter German wine. When done, I just think wow, not which was better.
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[quote=“Howard_Cooper, post:17, topic:322618”]I love a great dinner with friends starting with Champagne, going to white Burgundies with appetizers, red Burgundy with the main course and finishing with a really good sweeter German wine
[/quote]exactly how we do it! Let’s get together!
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Considering secondary fermentation, autolytic characteristics, and the textural elements added by the mousse, I would say that BdB is more complex than still Chardonnay.
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And (still) Blanc de Noirs? 