Chardonnay is America’s best selling wine and the most
widely planted grape in the world – and yet -- the wine snobs love to hate.
It’s much like how many people feel about Taylor Swift.
"You can hate that skinny thing as much you want but we’ll bet
good money you still hum her songs all day. Same goes for chardonnay. Wine pros
can slam it all darn day, but second the sun comes out or they put a piece of
fish on the grill, they’re going to pour it".
1. To start, it’s the pop
star -- of wines.
Chardonnay is the world’s most famous white-wine grape. It’s one
of the most requested restaurant wines which makes sense being it goes with
just about every appetizer, as well as your chicken and fish. And it’s just so
super easy to drink.
And while you can act like a mega-star and spend $4,000 on a
bottle, you don’t need to. There tons of great bottles available for around $20
and you can find them anywhere, which is a big reason it gets so much fanfare.
And speaking of “pop star,” don’t forget Champagne. A Blanc de
blancs, which means white from white, is a champagne is made from 100%
chardonnay grapes.
Yet another reason why it’s a superstar!
2. But the haters gonna hate.
No surprise, the ride to fame can be bumpy. Much like Kanye West
went overboard at the MTV Video Music Awards in 2009, the wine snobs have done
the same with chardonnay.
The grape grows beautifully in Burgundy, a.k.a. Bourgogne,
thanks to the climate and the land. French chardonnay winemakers are known for
their dry, crisp and almost zesty wines. And there, the wine is mostly unoaked.
That means it’s generally aged in steel, concrete or more neutral oak that
doesn’t have a flavor that would influence the wine. So you’ll often get a more “steely” taste in a white burgundy.
But back in the ‘80s and ‘90s, winemakers -- mostly outside of
France -- started to age chardonnay in oak barrels. The oak gives the
chardonnay that creamy, buttery taste, maybe even with a little bit of vanilla.
3. Say what you want, it’s still America’s
Sweetheart.
Much like Swift, who recently became the first woman on
Billboard’s Hot 100 in 56-year history
to replace herself at the number one spot, chardonnay still has about 20% of all wine sales according to
Nielsen. That’s the highest of all varietals.
Whether it’s a lemony chardonnay from the Chablis region of
Burgundy or a buttery bottle from Napa Valley, we’ll drink them all.
And since the Billboard Music Awards are Sunday night, May 22, we think
it’s a perfect time to pour a glass and be a #swiftie.
And if you need a few suggestions, here are a few of my favorite
Chardonnay’s;
Cambria Katherine's Vineyard Chardonnay 2013 ($15), Tons of fruit from mango to lemon with great texture and acidity.
La Crema Chardonnay, Monterey 2013 ($16), Tones of honeydew melon, ripe pineapple and honeysuckle, with touches of sweet vanilla.
Chloe Chardonnay Sonoma County 2013 ($12), Clean flavors of fresh citrus, apple, pear with notes of creamy butter and a hint of vanilla.
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