Antoine Chaya is a San Francisco Bay Area executive who manages information technology and strategic accounts with Oracle Corporation. With a passion for wine, Antoine Chaya particularly enjoys varietals from Northern California regions such as Sonoma and Napa Valley. Antoine Chaya is a San Francisco Bay Area executive who manages information technology and strategic accounts with Oracle Corporation. With a passion for wine, Antoine Chaya particularly enjoys varietals from Northern California regions such as Sonoma and Napa Valley.

1. Chardonnay - A Neutral Grape
Grown in Many Regions
Antoine Chaya

2. Introduction
 Antoine Chaya is a San Francisco Bay Area executive who manages
information technology and strategic accounts with Oracle
Corporation. With a passion for wine, Antoine Chaya particularly
enjoys varietals from Northern California regions such as Sonoma
and Napa Valley.
One of the popular white wines Napa produces is chardonnay, which
rivals cabernet sauvignon in worldwide popularity. A cross between
gouais and pinot noir, the grape is most prized when grown in
mineral-rich regions such as the Côte de Beaune in Burgundy and
southern Australia.
The grape’s true selling point is its neutral flavor, which allows it to
take on any of the characteristics of the region in which it’s grown. A
critical part of this is the oak barrel aging process, as chardonnay
takes on the taste characteristics imparted from almost any type of
oak. This provides the winemaker more latitude to express his or her
creativity than he or she can with most other grapes. Chardonnay
can also be blended with pinot noir to create champagne. 100
percent chardonnay champagne is a much sought after commodity
and is known as "Blanc de Blancs.”