I may have mentioned a prejudice against chardonnay before. Perhaps this stems from the fact that it is such a ubiquitous offering at dinner parties and on wine lists, becoming almost synonymous in restaurants with ‘white wine’, the way chablis once did. Still, thinking that popularity meant great wine I tried. And I tried. With one exception they were woody and just too dry for me. Whatever buttery qualities were supposed to emerge skipped my tongue and went straight to my hips.
With this in mind I took note of some recent arrivals or highlighted bottles with a mind to perhaps give the big ‘C’ another shot. There’s no lack of choice. Peller Estates has one featuring apple, pear, pineapple with a creamy texture – apparently. An Inniskillin Chardonnay notes baked apple and citrus. Maybe. I could go for a Bellingham Sauvignon Blanc/Chardonnay blend and savor honey, melon and peach while tasting trout caught just hours before by my husband on a clean, cold lake in the woods.
The most tempting bottle, the one most likely to make its way to my wine rack, is the Banrock Station Sparkling Chardonnay from Australia. Ranked ‘01′, some confidence comes from this off-dry promise. The wine tempts with sweet vanilla and tree fruits, so I’m told, though this is yet to be seen. Still, at under fifteen dollars I can hardly say it’s a risky venture.
This is also as close to Australia as I’m likely to get any time soon, so what the heck. With it’s bit of fizz this white might sit nicely with a cheese plate, chicken, even the creamy pasta dish on our menu tonight. I’ll keep you posted as to my success with chardonnay.
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