Rhode Island Beverage Journal

Unoaked Chardonnay

By Len Panaggio

As time goes by, the wine consuming public is tiring of oaky 2 x 4's for Chardonnay. The amount of oak treatment in this varietal is truly getting in the way of a chardonnays ability to pair with foods.

This heavy, oaky wine requires heavier, richer dishes to tone down its woody flavor. The wine industry has recognized this and is reacting, as they should, by cutting down on the heavy use of oak.

Look at Chablis, for example, with little to no oak. The chardonnay is truly allowed to express itself and this type of wine works so well with so many types of foods. People can actually discern what chardonnay exhibits - minerality, stone, lemon, lime, floral aromas and so much more. By allowing the natural flavors of the wine to come through, consumers get a true sense of how interesting it is on the palate.

A few wineries in California have mimicked Chablis for many years. One that comes to mind is Stony Hill in Napa. The first time I had it at the winery was a revelation. I have never really taken to Chardonnay from California or Australia because of the pure oak content. I have always preferred the Burgundian whites, because the grape is allowed to be what it truly is. This delightful offering from Stony Hill made me realize a lot about Chardonnay and that winemakers who understood the grape respected it.

As you are probably reviewing your lists for the season, ask your wholesaler for samples of unoaked Chardonnays. I truly believe that this is a trend that is here to stay, and we as restaurateurs should be offering our guests what I believe is a wonderful what wine that works so well with so many foods. Chardonnay has been a workhorse wine for many, many years in all of our businesses. The future looks very bright for this grape and the lack of heavy oak treatment is long overdue and welcome.