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| The setting |
For some years Chardonnay has lost its appeal with the wine connoisseurs and the public in general. It was very popular in the 80’s and skyrockted in the late 90’s. It was wildly available prompting a negative perception in popular culture and a lessening demand for the more traditional overbearing “oaky” flavours, acquired from the use of oak chips or staves (planks of oak) to provide oak flavouring rather than the traditional use of ageing Chardonnay in oak wine barrels. Negative portrayals of Chardonnay in the 2000s – such as the cultural references associated with feature film Bridget Jones, TV series Footballer’s wives and Australia’s sitcom Kath & Kim, who coined the wine ‘cardonnay’ (from cardboard). It created a stigma among wine world, which then filtered down to the masses. It appeared wine drinkers were turning their backs on our beloved Chardonnay. The ‘anti-Chardonnay’ movement with many wine commentators writing about the “ABC” trend (Anything But Chardonnay). It became unfashionable. However, Chardonnay is making a come back with a number of changes that have taken place in the wine making and vineyards. The palate and flavour have improved.
People are rediscovering a passion for the grape with a recent survey by Hardys, the number one selling wine brand in the UK, revealing that 18% of people are
drinking more Chardonnay than they were just one year ago.
Australian Chardonnay is enjoying a particularly strong resurgence, which is lighter, fresher and unoaked, is cooler-climate fruit.
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| Speaker: Belinda Stone, aka Miss Bouquet |
their very own personal notebook of the wines which they have tried and
liked, by taking pictures and writing their own tasting notes.
- . Chardonnay is the number one selling white wine in the world
- . Chardonnay is the second most planted white grape variety in the world, after Spain’s Airen
- . Chardonnay originated in the Burgundy wine region of eastern France but is now grown everywhere from England to NZ. It is grown in the most wine regions in the world, more than any other grape variety
- . It is the main ingredient for a vast proportion of the world’s finest white wines
- . Until 2002 Chardonnay was the most planted variety in NZ, not Sauvignon Blanc
- . Chardonnay is considered to be one of the world’s noble grape varieties
- . Chardonnay is a relatively neutral grape in flavour profile, its strength lies in its ability to express the characters of the vineyard and the wine making methods used
- . Chardonnay produces a huge array of wine styles and can be paired with a diverse spectrum of flavours
- . Chardonnay is the only grape permitted for use in the production of Chablis
- . Chardonnay is the only white grape of the three permitted grapes used in the production of Champagne
We tasted some Hardys Chardonnay, under the expert guidance of Belinda Stone (Miss Bouquet). I was surprised by the quality of the wine at this wine tasting. I didn’t really know about Hardys wine, apart from the VR, which is widely available. I pays to spend a bit more for a good bottle of wine.
First we tasted the Stamp Sparkling Chardonnay/Pinot Noir NV, complex, full flavoured and creamy texture, soft and elegant, it was surprisingly nice at a refreshing £9.49.
Food matching: as aperitif, mild and young cheeses, seafood, vegetarian dishes and fruits.
Available from: Asda
Next wine we tasted was commonly found in all supermarkets and off licenses at £6.49, the everyday, every occasion and easy drinking, Hardys VR Chardonnay 2013 provides generous fruit flavours of ripe
stone fruit and sharp citrus notes.
Food matching: serve cold but not ice cold to allow flavours to develop. Try with BBQ pork,
goat’s cheese, vegetarian dishes, fish pie, roast chicken.
Available from: Sainsbury’s, Tesco, convenience stores
Stamp Chardonnay Semillon 2012 was designed for the export market, It is a skillful
blend of Chardonnay and Semillon wines that were carefully selected and blended together. The
result is a fresh and fruity wine with a little oak complexity and clean, crisp finish. Priced at 6.99. Food matching: smoked cheeses, prawns, mussels, Thai spices, pizza, stir fry. Available from: Asda, Co-op, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco
Nottage Hill, Chardonnay 2013 is a consistent and balanced style. Smooth, fresh clean and citrus fruit, creamy with caramel notes and long finish. Priced at £8.49. Food matching: curry, chicken in creamy sauce, seafood including lobster, shrimp, scallops,
pasta, avocado, butternut squash, Caesar salad. Available from: Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Waitrose
William Hardy Chardonnay 2008, from South Australia priced at £8.99 this wine was my favourite of the evening. Easy drinking, tropical fruits notes, luxurious textured and fresh.
Food matching: roast chicken, Japanese dishes including sushi, full flavoured fish in a rich
buttery sauce, turkey. Roast beef, lamb, hard nutty cheeses, fish & chips. Available from: Tesco
Eilleen Hardy Chardonnay 2008, it’s elegant with great depth and intense smoky flavour. Intense aroma, caramel and toffee, nutty and mineral notes. Full bodied priced at £25, rather steep but worth it of a special celebration.
Food matching: brie, Camembert, game, lamb, pork, butternut squash, fish pie, fish cake,
Asian spices, roast chicken. Available from: Majestic, Asda online wine shop
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Which style is in the bottle?
How can you be sure what style of Chardonnay is in the bottle before you buy it? Some
French wines for example don’t have back labels with tasting notes on. One easy guide is to
think of the area the wine is from, what is the weather like there? Cooler climate Chardonnay
tends to be more zesty, fresh, medium bodied & medium alcohol. Warmer climate
Chardonnay tends to show riper fruit characters, have higher alcohol and a “round” or “fat”
body: sunshine in a glass.
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| Fellow Blogger Denise (@Thewinesleuth) and guest |
- . Decanting: for fancy pants Chardonnay like fine white Burgundy, top end Australian and Californian Chardonnay and even Blanc de Blancs Champagne try decanting it before serving, it will allow the complexity of the wine to evolve and express itself
- . Not too chilled: don’t always serve straight from the fridge too much chill can mask those flavours
- . Save some for the next day (if you can!), it’s not just reds that open up after 24 hours breathing
- . When pairing with food consider the style of the wine in terms of its weight. Is it creamy and full bodied? Then it is more likely to go with hearty creamy dishes like
pasta and fish pie. Is it delicate and aromatic or fresh and crisp? Then try it with Asian spiced foods or delicate fish like sushi - . Alternatively think of the typical food that’s served in the region that the wine has been produced in, more often than not the wine will pair with a region’s gastronomic delicacies
Thanks to Chris Sanderson, CEO and Co-Founder of Future Lab, who presented a brand new report which explored the changing tastes and wine trends in the UK and Miss Bouquet, an expert from the wine industry for the insightful presentations at this event.
Disclosure: I was a guest at this event by Hardys. Views are my own and I do enjoy a glass or two of Chardonnay!
