Over the last few years I've read quite a few articles in wine magazines and newspapers declaring that Americans are over those big ol' oaky Chards and are embracing oak-less versions, or unwooded varieties like Riesling and Gruner Veltliner. Could it be true? Well, sort of. If you look at sales growth by percentage, wines like Riesling and GruV are kicking Chardonnay's ass. But when you consider the fact that Chardonnay still has waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay more market share than many of those unoaked varieties combined, the trend seems far less revolutionary.
A look at the white wines in my sample stash reflects the reality of the market: California wineries are still putting out a hell of a lot of Chardonnay. And they wouldn't be doing it if nobody was drinking the stuff. Mind you, not all of it is over-oaked--but it seems that the higher up you go in price the more oak influence the wines seem to have. ("I paid $900 each for those French oak barrels, damnit, so by god, people are going to taste them!") What I wouldn't give to find a nice bottle of Gruner Veltliner on my doorstep...
You won't be surprised to read that California Chard doesn't top the list of my favorite white wines (too many splinters in the throat can make anyone jaded). But there are some that have won my heart. Namely:
Stony Hill Vineyard
MacRostie - Carneros or Sonoma Coast
Dutton Goldfield - Dutton Ranch
Marimar Torres - "Acero"
Steele - Bien Nacido Vineyard
Of the Chards listed above, only one (the Marimar Torres) is unoaked. The appealing thing, to me, about the wines is that the purity of the fruit shines through, and isn't overshadowed by oak. It's all about balance, baby.
My questions for you, dear readers, are the following: Do you think Americans are truly moving on from Chardonnay to unwooded (or less wooded) varieties? And which California Chardonnays (unoaked or otherwise) tickle your fancy?
Good questions. I import an unoaked Chard from Pelter winery in Israel and I am amazed with how often people I pour it for simply have a hard time even believing it is in fact Chardonnay - I say to them "well, you have never really tasted Chardonnay - this is what it tastes like!" At the end of the day, many people do in fact love the oaky woody Chards....
Posted by: Richard Shaffedr | May 16, 2009 at 07:39 AM
I do think the oak is becoming more restrained. Still hard to tell without firsthand reccommendation. Agree with Richard's comment: I think there is a place for both. Just wish it was easier to tell what's what. The rising number of wines labeled "unoaked" in some form is going to help further the whole Chard genre.
Posted by: Tish | May 18, 2009 at 10:22 AM
Tina - I had a little exchange on this subject with Steve Heimhoff on his blog the other day:http://www.steveheimoff.com/index.php/2009/05/13/its-got-to-play-in-peoria/. I took issue with his statement that "...unoaked Chardonnay phenomenon is not pertinent to Chardonnay’s future" until he clarified he was referring only to California.
Actually I think he's right. How many un-oaked Meursaults are there? What works in Chablis does not farther south. And California is a lot "farther south." Gerneralzing here, but to my taste un-oaked California Chard lacks structure - it is flat, flabby and uninteresting even when the acid has been bumped up. It needs some barrel.
Coming from a production perspective I think there is a trend toward fewer overtly over-oaked Californing Chards. I think there is a trend among the most experienced consumer sub-demo to supplement (not replace) oaked whites with experiences of low-oak whites and roses.
But no, I don't believe the "I'll have a glass of Chardonnay" consumers are moving to un-oaked varietals.
BTW - most interesting California Chard I tasted recently came form Robert Hunter. Also, I really hate it that I can't embed links in these comments with HTML tags.
Posted by: John Kelly | May 18, 2009 at 01:05 PM
Having a vineyard was my dream. This tradition, of turning carefully chosen grapes into delicious wine is in my family for a long time and I plan to keep it alive in the future.
Posted by: Grape | November 21, 2009 at 06:45 AM
I hope it's here to stay.
Posted by: Life Insurance Quote | November 27, 2009 at 05:58 AM