Dear wine lover,
Big, buttery Chardonnays your thing?
Among the most frequent re-order requests we get from you is for big, buttery, mouth-filling Chardonnays, 'like they used to make them'.
For those of us reared on voluptuous, luscious, opulent powerhouse Chardonnays, the more recent trend to leaner, lighter, sharper styles has been a challenge. Where, you ask, are those attractive Chardonnays with lots of fruit depth and mouth-coating richness? And what's the deal with so many contemporary Chardonnays that taste like I'm licking a stone?
Chardonnay is a malleable grape and winemakers can and do produce many styles. The leaner, sharper styles of late have their place, but often at the expense of fruit flavour.
Well, winemakers are responding, and we're very impressed with four recent arrivals that all deliver - in spades - the ‘buttery’ richness that so many wine drinkers love – a combination of golden, ‘peaches and cream’ fruit and oak, over a palate that is full, low on acid and utterly mouth-filling with its honeyed richness, all without looking sweet or lifeless.
We’re talking Chardonnays that are big and bold enough to stand rich-flavoured food. Or, indeed, Chardonnay that is a little meal in itself, and is just as comfortable being consumed by itself, on the couch, rather than at the dinner table. But it still has to be good.
Click here to buy our selection of bigger Chardonnays. Not only will fill they your mouth, at under $30 they won't empty your wallet.
And if you'd like to try some different Chardonnays, the BBC (Big Buttery Chardonnay) case here includes three of each of our four recomendations.
Cheers
Sarah Fuller
World Wine