CHARDONNAY IS NOT A FOUR-LETTER WORD
by Mike Stolese
For all the lovers of Chardonnay out there in the wine world, there are plenty that either have a preconceived notion they won’t like Chardonnay, heard from a friend that didn’t like Chardonnay, or tried a Chardonnay that did not work for them.
That’s where we are going go with this column.
Chardonnay is grown all over the world and is made in many different styles. It is an incredible grape…you just to find the style of winemaking that works for you.
When California jumped on the Chardonnay bandwagon, many wineries went with a heavier style based off of plenty of oak influence. That’s where the buttery, oaky, spicy, sometimes a bit sweet, characteristics come from. The newer that the oak barrels are, the more influence they will have on the wine. This style is still beloved by many, particularly folks that want a heavier style of white wine.
It was France that was at the forefront of Chardonnay production, starting with the stunning wines from Burgundy and gaining recognition under the Chardonnay name in the early 1900s. Here, the use of new oak is a bit limited, but older barrels that still offer the ability to round out wines are used quite frequently. Premier Cru and Grand Cru Burgundies can get a bit pricey, but every Chardonnay drinker should give these a try.
Now, going the completely opposite direction, is the unoaked Chardonnay. For those that don’t want the weight and power of the oak — particularly new oak — this just might be your Chardonnay wheelhouse. Here you have a more refreshing, clean, style showing more acidity and brighter fruit.
Then there is all the middle ground of a lighter touch with oak…either a shorter time in barrel or the use of older oak barrels, helping to add a bit of body to the wine.
As I mentioned, Chardonnay is grown all over the world. The unoaked Chardonnays from New Zealand are incredibly light and refreshing. As mentioned above, Chablis and Bourgogne Chardonnays from Burgundy are also a great way to open your palate up to many styles of unoaked and lightly oaked Chard. California is still the king of domestic Chardonnay, but outside of the U.S., South America knocks it out of the park, as does Australia.
So if you’re one of the folks who’s decided that you’re anti-Chardonnay, my suggestion is to do a bit of research, talk to your wine guy or gal, and explore the many styles of Chardonnay. You just might find one that you enjoy.
Click below for a few of our favorites…
Mike Stolese is the owner of Vermont Wine Merchants, a wholesale distribution company based in Burlington.
