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The re-awakening of chardonnay appreciation

There is no doubt that in the last few years there has been a pronounced resurgence of interest in chardonnay. When we entered the wine community, we were told by many that the market for chardonnay was at best thin and the move to so-called fresher tasting light white wines was nearly complete.  Chardonnay was passé.  Needless to say we were concerned as 50% of our mature vineyard was planted to excellent quality chardonnay. 

Chardonnay was a spent force that was seen as a somewhat bland industrial wine and no self respecting young lady out with her friends on a Friday night in London, Melbourne, Vancouver or New York would choose to drink chardonnay.  Then something changed. We have noticed that it is again becoming the white wine of choice amongst those who ‘know’ their white wines.  In particular, the young professional set has embraced it to a degree that has surprised wine-bar proprietors across the country.  Even confirmed red wine drinkers are prepared to give chardonnay a go – chardonnay is the white wine for red wine drinkers.  While the move back to chardonnay may be explained simply as a ‘fashion change’, little different to the periodic shift in hem-line length of ladies’ skirts, there may be more to it.  Perhaps there is a new recognition of the inherent attributes of chardonnay, being an interesting, slightly unpredictable, complex wine that is responsive to terroir as well as oak types and winemaker techniques. The French refer to this characteristic as “malleable”. 

In Australia, informed wine consumers are embracing the magnificent chardonnays produced by many boutique wineries in cool climate areas, which James Halliday (2009) has noted are amongst the world’s best. These wines are a long way from the cheap quaffing chardonnay wines which formed the bulk of exported white wine over the last 20 years and which we now see to have had a significant negative impact on the perception of Australian white wine.

Chardonnay is an old friend which now has a new following.

Reference:
Halliday (2009).  The Australian Wine Encyclopedia published by Hardy Grant Books

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