Chardonnay: How to enjoy this versatile wine

Chardonnay (shar-don-AY)
For decades everyone loved Chardonnay: growers because it flourishes in almost any climate, winemakers because it can be made into a range of styles, and drinkers because of its fruity, full, supple, buttery appeal.

But the popularity of bland, inexpensive Chardonnays in the 1980s and early ’90s led to overproduction. High yields and lashings of oak overwhelmed the grape’s character and any regional subtleties. By the late ’90s, the phrase ABC (anything but Chardonnay) had become the new way to order a glass of white wine.

Luckily, Chardonnay is fashionable again. Wine producers are lowering yields, restraining their use of oak and making fantastic wines that suit every palate and budget. It’s time to give Chardonnay another chance to show what it has to offer.

7 things you should know about Chardonnay
1. Chardonnay is one of the easiest grapes to grow and is cultivated across the globe, in Argentina, Australia, California, Canada, France, Italy, New Zealand and South Africa.

2. The birthplace of Chardonnay is Burgundy, France. French wines are labelled for the region (Bourgogne, in this case) or the village where they are produced, not by the grape varietal name. This can be confusing if you’re looking specifically for Chardonnay. Ask your local wine merchant for help finding white Burgundies in styles you like.

3. Chardonnay is one of the main grapes used in Champagne. Some of
the best are made from 100 per cent Chardonnay and labelled blanc de blancs.

4. Where a wine comes from affects its character. Those from cooler climates such as Canada, France, Italy and New Zealand tend to be leaner and lighter than those from warmer places such as Australia, California and South America.

5. Not all Chardonnays pair with food in the same way. More austere, less oaky cooler-climate wines are perfect with rich butter- and cream-based sauces, mushrooms and simpler dishes such as roast chicken or plainly prepared oysters or fish. Fruitier, warmer-climate Chardonnays can handle tropical flavours such as fruit, sweet spices such as nutmeg and cinnamon, and rich seafood such as lobster, shrimp and scallops. Try a more mature, nutty Chardonnay with dishes that mimic its flavours, such as a hazelnut-crusted fish.

6. Chardonnays can also be made sur lie – literally “on the lees” – a French term for storing unbottled wine in contact with the lees (dead yeast cells and grape particles left over from fermentation) to give it complexity and a yeasty taste.

7. Canada produces some outstanding Chardonnays – with or without oak and sparkling. Look for gems from Nova Scotia, Ontario and British Columbia.

Page 1 of 2