Understanding Chardonnay

This article has been extracted from Secrets of Wine by Giles Kime, former editor of Decanter Magazine, and is part of the 52 Brilliant Ideas series published by Infinite Ideas.

Chardonnay is now so ubiquitous that for some people it has become something of a joke. Yet the grapes come in such great diversity that it is hard to generalise about them.

So when people say that they have 'Chardonnay fatigue' or that they are members of the ABC ('anything but Chardonnay') movement, which particular kind of Chardonnay are they referring to? Chablis, Meursault or Macon? Southern French, northern Italian, or Sicilian? Or is it Australian Chardonnay that they are disillusioned with? And, if so, is it Ozzie Chardonnay from the Hunter, the Yarra or the Margaret River? Is it oaky Chardonnay or unoaked Chardonnay?

The list of variations is almost infinite and, though there are some common characteristics, these are massively outnumbered by the shades of difference that occur in this extraordinarily adaptable grape variety. Depending on where it is grown, Chardonnay can demonstrate a huge variety of traits, from a steely, minerally austerity to an oaky, nutty richness.

Like any grape it can also make wines that are extremely bland - and it is because of these that many better-quality examples have been given a bad name. But the reason for the grape's commercial success must also be that even when Chardonnay isn't well made it can still be much better than the basic examples of other white wines, such as Riesling or Sauvignon Blanc. It is perhaps this fact that has encouraged winemakers all over the world to make it their number one grape.

A potted history of Chardonnay

In the beginning there was Chablis, the most popular of all white Burgundies, the wine that toffs drank with a roast on a Sunday (if they weren't drinking red Bordeaux). Then the Australians wanted a piece of the action and during the 60s and 70s Chardonnay became increasingly popular, particularly in areas such as the Hunter Valley, which is now regarded as the spiritual home of Ozzie Chardonnay.

The Californians planted it too and during the '80s and '90s it rapidly appeared in wine regions from Chile to South Africa. The rest is history. Chardonnay is now one of the most successful, widely recognised grape varieties, which winemakers love for its adaptability and drinkers for its approachability.

Taste test

As with any grape variety the only way to find your way round all the different styles is to put your nose and palate to work. A good introduction should include: expensive Chablis, expensive Californian Chardonnay, inexpensive oaky Australian Chardonnay, unoaked Australian Chardonnay and Hungarian Chardonnay.

Compare and contrast

There were doubtless times in this Taste Test when you wondered whether you were tasting the same grape. Chardonnnay grown in the relatively chilly climes of Burgundy will inevitably have a very different character from one grown in the sunny climes of New South Wales.

But it isn't just the weather that affects the flavour of a wine. So too does the way that it is made. Ask yourself some of the following questions. Were some of the wines sweeter or drier than others? Stronger and more robust? A little more acidic? Slightly creamier? Fruitier?

Idea:

Remember that when you are tasting the wines on the tasting menu you are doing so without food - or perhaps nothing more enticing than a dry biscuit. If possible, crank up your tasting session by trying the wines with food. Examine how the different styles combine with the flavours of spicy food, fish and red meat.

by Giles Kime

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