Chardonnay
One of the most fashionable and universal grape varieties, Chardonnay enjoys worldwide fame. We have only recently discovered its ancestry. France, and Burgundy in particular, lays particular claim to this variety. Studies at the University of California, Davis (UC Davis) have revealed its origins: it comes from a cross between Pinot Noir and Gouais Blanc varieties. Indeed, Chardonnay only appeared in France at the beginning of the 20th century! Until the end of the 19th century Burgundy grew far more Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris (Beurrot).