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Oaky Chardonnay Wine? Not Anymore, Winegrowers Are LearningFor anyone that was first introduced to California Chardonnay wine before the current millenium, I'm so sorry. If you love oak, and I mean you would consider eating it as a snack, then this apology is not for you. For the rest of us, this white wine has definitely received a bad reputation for having overbearing oaky flavors. Winegrowers have even added wood chips to fermenting grapes to increase this taste. While a little oak is pleasant and can lead to great vanilla or smoky flavors, too much is just too much. In fact some areas have changed so much that naked, or stainless steel fermented wine, like those from Four Vines in Paso Robles have become a newer trend. I recommend checking them out if you're in the area. I don't like most of their wines, they are bold. If you like high alcohol content Zinfandel, check out their wines. But, it's a fun winery and you can take a tattoo as a souvenir. Personally, I love the changes, and prefer a blend of stainless and oak. Also, it helps this wine in food pairing. It tastes of hints of vanilla, but also of butter, if oaked. Also of lemons, oranges, apricots and pears, oaked or naked. If you have given up on this wine, just remember that it is the primary grape in Champagne. If it was good enough for Dom Perignon and Madame Clicquot to spend years of their life perfecting, it is good enough for me. Here's a video of Debra and I trying a California Chardonnay. Good wine, a bit oaky for me, but would go well with some rich meats like pork. Check it out and see what smells and tastes we found in this bottle. Return from Chardonnay to Wine For Beginners Homepage
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