Chardonnay is one of the most popular white wines on earth and more importantly my favorite. Unfortunately, it has also become the most alienating. When you go to any wine region in the world, you are going to find at least one vineyard that grows Chardonnay. Chardonnay is a wine that can be very simple or can be one of a very regal nature. It can be aged for many years or can be consumed immediately.
How Did Chardonnay Become So Popular and So Controversial?
Originally Chardonnay was produced in the Burgundy region of France and was known as White Burgundy. In France, it gained great acclaim for its elegance.
Winemakers in Champagne took notice of the popularity of Chardonnay and began growing the grape, too, using it as the dominant ingredient in the sparkling wines. The Chardonnay grape seems to be very versatile.
Chardonnay grapes grown in the same country can take on very different characteristics. Therefore, wine made with Chardonnay grapes from different regions will have different qualities. This is because this grape truly embodies terroir (the region and area where the wine is grown). This being said, the grapes are found to be very easy to grow which has helped the grape to quickly spread to vineyards around the world.
There are so many different varieties of Chardonnay—virtually a Chardonnay for every season and every holiday. You can enjoy a glass in the summer while sitting by the pool or sitting by a cozy fire in the winter. There is a Chardonnay for every taste.
Why have I not gotten to the Controversial Part Yet
So, you are probably asking yourself why I have not mentioned the controversial part yet. Well, I am getting to that. To sum it up simply, “Oak”. While Chardonnays are extremely adaptive to different regions, they are also very responsive to being aged in oak. However, a little oak on a Chardonnay is a good thing. Too much, not so much.
It seems that during the ’80s and ’90s, California winemakers got very aggressive, especially mass-market winemakers, and went oak crazy. Over oaking the Chardonnays and creating what became known as butter bombs. That doesn’t even sound good. It was marketed as liquid butter in a bottle and turned many wine drinkers off.
Fortunately, this method of over oaking has come to an end almost worldwide. Most winemakers have reverted to the heritage of the French winemakers. A good practice to avoid the liquid butter wine is to avoid Chardonnay which is made by any mass producers who sell their Chardonnays for under $10 a bottle. Another way would be to join my Wine of the Month Club and get fine wines delivered to your door every month. Never mass-produced and always chosen by a Sommelier just for you. Also, if you sign up three friends, you get your wine free as long as they keep their membership.
