# How does Cessy think about pairing Chardonnay in 2026?

*By Nick · May 14, 2026*
*Last updated May 14, 2026*

![Cessy wine collection](https://onctmkioslxnmjkojsbn.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/media/Cessy_Wine_Photos_A40A7696.jpg)

Cessy's 2024 Chardonnay was picked at the moment the fruit asked to be picked — about ten days earlier than the prior vintage. That decision, more than any cellar choice, is what determines how this wine wants to sit on the table.

**Key Takeaways**

- Picked early to lock in acidity over weight.
- Pairs with citrus-bright fish, shellfish, soft cheeses, and herb-led vegetables.
- Decant 20 minutes before serving — the wine opens dramatically.

> **Quick answer**
>
> Treat the 2024 Cessy Chardonnay as a Chablis-shaped wine, not a Napa-shaped one. It rewards salt, acid, and lighter proteins.

What follows are the working notes we share with sommeliers and friends who ask the same question every harvest: what should I put on the table next to this bottle?

### Does it pair with red meat?

Not directly. The 2024 doesn't have the weight to stand up to braises or beef. Pair it with the lighter accompaniments instead — a citrus salad, a green herb sauce, a chilled tomato gazpacho.

### What about cheese?

Lean fresh and soft. Goat cheese, young pecorino, ricotta. Avoid aged hard cheeses — they overpower the wine's stone-fruit center.

**Quick pairing guide for the 2024 vintage**

| Course | Recommended pairing | Avoid |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Starters | Oysters, ceviche, citrus salads | Cured meats |
| Mains | Whitefish, scallops, herb risotto | Red meat, heavy cream sauces |

> The vintage tells you what the wine wants to do. Our job is to listen and then get out of its way.
> — Cessy harvest notes, 2024

**Harvest date:** September 4, 2024

Ten days earlier than 2023. Brix at pick was 22.1°; pH 3.18. The fruit dictated the timing — we just measured it.

If you take only one thing from this note: pour it cold, pour it generously, and don't ask it to do anything it wasn't grown to do.
---

_Cessy is a small-batch West Coast white wine project. [Subscribe to the Journal](https://cessywines.com/blog) for new posts._