Listen, I’m not one to bemoan the state of wine labeling, specifically when it comes to the oak profile of Chardonnay, (as I have in “ Chardonnay Has an Oak Problem ,”) without offering up solutions. Chardonnay is a grape that has numerous detractors, often when it comes to the perception that the wine is always excessively oaky. (It’s a love/hate thing, as Chardonnay also stubbornly remains the best-selling grape in the U.S.) But that’s simply not true: some Chardonnays are generally unoaked (bookmark: Chablis) and others express only the subtlest hint of oak. Where the oak comes from, the size of the barrel or barrels, the amount of time spent in oak, and even the percentage of wine within the bottle that saw any oak all result in finished wines that may exhibit Chardonnay’s potential for opulence or richness, but are a far cry from what anyone would call buttery.
Why this insistence on trying to convert Chardonnay haters on my part? Why not just leave it as your palate, your choice? Call it rooting for the underdog. (The best-selling underdog.) The real underdog here, though, is wine itself, and the more we all drink a wider variety of wines, the better it is for the wine industry at large. I like to break people out of their wine comfort zones. Hence, I’m here to serve you Chardonnay.
You may learn to decipher wine labels for clues about oak where Chardonnay is concerned — expressions such as “old world” or “Burgundian” are a start, often revealing a lighter oak approach — but meanwhile, here are nine Chardonnays from all corners of the winemaking map that exhibit either thoughtful and restrained oak treatment, or not at all. In short, these are Chardonnays capable of converting the haters.
California: J. Lohr October Night
What characterizes a night in October if not the word “crisp?” Proof that not even all California Chardonnays are what you expect them to be. J. Lohr’s October Night expression sees oak, but only a fifth of its volume is aged in new oak. (The more rounds that a given barrel is used, the less it leeches its character into the wine.) Steve Peck, J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines' Vice President of Winemaking, likens a widespread Chardonnay acceptance as something with a possible variety of characteristics to that which rosé just experienced, dropping the stereotype that it was something inherently feminine. " A similar shift is now underway with Chardonnay, where the most insightful winemakers are crafting renditions that defy the oaky, butter-bomb stereotype of the past ,” he says. “ The floral notes of our October Night Chardonnay defy all expectations, with many tasters guessing that it might be Viognier by the aroma, before discovering the rich palate weight that only Chardonnay can offer ," he says, without the pervasive lactones that are off-putting to some.
Coastal influence is often a tremendously positive factor with Chardonnay, emphasizing its inherent minerality and freshness, and Chile has more coastline to brag about than most wine-producing countries. A favorite of mine personally, Matetic’s EQ line (while we’re here, the winery is pronounced “mah-tah-TEACH”) showcases various expressions from its coastal vineyards, and lets the Chardonnay sing for itself by using French oak barrels of varying sizes to impart only the slightest impact. “ Matetic EQ Chardonnay is a great expression of old-world notes mixed with new world nuance ,” says Sal Medina, owner of Packing House Wines in (and mayor of) Claremont, CA. " Bringing together great tropical fruit and clean acidity for a refreshing Chardonnay that can be enjoyed year around ." Lovers of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc may want to sit up and take note of the tropical fruit potential here.
Let’s talk sparkling for a minute, since Chardonnay is often featured in sparkling wines just about wherever sparkling wines are made. (And I would point out that basically nobody is going around calling Champagne “buttery,” when Chardonnay has a starring role in that show.) While Italy’s most famous sparkler is decidedly Prosecco, Franciacorta is one of Italy’s premier, traditional method sparkling wine regions that features—you guessed it—Chardonnay among its permissible grapes. Castello Bonomi offers a blanc de blanc expression of Franciacorta that utilizes 100% Chardonnay, and gives it the “saten” treatment; saten meaning “silk,” which utilizes less sugar and pressure to result in the freshest, gentlest, sparkling Chardonnay you’ve ever had.
When someone whose palate and wine knowledge you respect posts on social media something to the effect of “listen up, Chardonnay haters” you immediately screenshot/bookmark the page. (Thanks to Devin Parr of The Vintner Project for precisely that scenario.) New York’s Finger Lakes region should be on the radar of any serious wine lover: the climate and geography there are ripe for producing elegant wines that are especially fresh-forward and food-friendly. And lookie here! Further to my frustration about how generally impossible it is to know whether a Chardonnay is aged in oak in an easy-to-come-by manner, Three Brothers Winery activated hero mode and put it proudly on the front label for all to see. There it is: unoaked. This is Chardonnay in its purest state: orchard fruits and a hint of citrus with an undercurrent of stone.
Further to my insistence that everyone should learn to love Chardonnay—at least some of it—it is a versatile and adaptable grape that is receptive to various winemaking techniques and grows basically anywhere that wine grapes like to grow. While Chenin Blanc is arguably South Africa’s signature white grape, Chardonnays from throughout the country’s winemaking regions are worth serious consideration. “ The cooling breezes from the Table and False Bays roll over the vineyards of Stellenbosch throughout the day, giving us grapes that are fully ripened but with zesty, crisp acidity ,” says Mollie Battenhouse MW, National Director of Wine Education for Jackson Family Wines . Juicy and complex, this Chardonnay sees only 30% new French oak, leaving room for flavors such as citrus blossom and white nectarine to be emphasized by a subtle salinity.
If there’s one region in the U.S. where “Burgundian” style rules the day, it’s Oregon’s Willamette Valley—so much so that many actual Burgundian winemakers have been snapping up land there for several decades. Résonance is a label belonging to France’s Maison Louis Jadot group, so it’s no wonder that its Chardonnays speak with a distinctly French accent. “ The Willamette Valley Chardonnay from Résonance is the perfect balance of new world fruit and old world style ,” says Catherine Morel, Beverage Director at Los Angeles’ 71Above . “ Winemaker Guillaume Large evokes the essence of what Chardonnay can be in the Willamette Valley, capturing the sense of place in a wine that showcases acidity and flavor with an elegant body .” The liquid sees French oak, with only 30% of it new, imparting subtle notes of almond and brioche, but letting the grape’s light and expressive qualities such as white flowers and tangerine come to the forefront.
“Cool climate” is another hint that you may be dealing with a Chardonnay that’s more acid-driven than buttery. Western Australia’s Margaret River is one of my favorite regions for Chardonnay, whose mostly boutique producers are exhibiting wines that lead with freshness. Xanadu’s current senior winemaker, Glenn Goodall, used every tool in the kit in order to coax out expressive freshness: a specific Chardonnay clone selection, whole bunch pressing, and no malolactic fermentation. The juice was both fermented and aged in French oak barrels with only 25% of them new, allowing for a more “flinty” characteristic rather than vanilla or buttery influence from the oak.
Watch this space: Uruguay is about to be a major player in the Albariño game, but there’s also much to celebrate in the emerging country with many other grapes in the hands of its many talented winemakers. Credit where credit is due since this is the hill I will apparently die on, Cerro Chapeu’s head winemaker, Francisco Carrau, delineates the winemaking approach, including the oak treatment of its Chardonnay, on the back label where it’s easily found: “ We hand-harvest mature Chardonnay grapes and ferment with native yeasts with new French oak barrels (60%) and tank (40%) for ten months in contact with the lees. Bottled with minimal handling to preserve its fresh and complex aromas .” Now, was that so hard? With enough exposure, consumers can learn to interpret what all this means, rather than just being plied with fanciful tasting notes. (Here are some regardless, to understand how balanced a Chardonnay can be when assembled with nearly equal parts oaked and unoaked wine.) Expect green and yellow fruits including a hint of melon, underscored with minerarity and just a touch of toasted spice.
Virginia: Early Mountain Vineyards Madison County Chardonnay
The hot and humid climate in Virginia can produce especially powerful wines or any variety. Chardonnay is no exception there, however, the grape doesn’t need to have its predilection for richness emphasized by an overly extracted oak program. “ It’s about finding a cross section between aromatics, texture and acid, and not having one attribute outright ,” says Maya Hood White, Early Mountain Vineyards’ winemaker, who chooses large barrels for aging Chardonnay. The larger the barrel, the bigger the ratio of juice to wood surface, meaning that the barrel’s capacity to leech its attributes is ultimately diluted. Otherwise, this Chardonnay shows its innate, medium-bodied complexity, with unique flavors such as Bartlett pear and saffron.
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