I keep hearing that people do not drink Chardonnay anymore! I think what people are discovering is that there are many other white wines that can be enjoyed for different occasions. I have particularly become quite fond of Riesling and Gewürztraminer due in part to their diversity and their ability to complement spicy ethnic cuisine. And let’s face it, spicy ethnic cuisine makes up a large part of the Vancouver diet.
Personally, I drink more Sauvignon Blanc today than in the past because I really enjoy the tart, mouthwatering zestiness that it provides the pallet. But according to the B.C. Liquor Distribution sales statistics, Chardonnay is still the number one selling wine among white varietals.
It's unfortunate that too many producers of ho hum Chardonnay flood the marketplace. Yellow Tail, in my opinion, is a good example of this! Nevertheless, you can still find a wide range of diverse styles of Chardonnay, but you'll need to do some investigative work to find the right bottle that works for you!
Homework for all you avid wine connoisseurs:
Buy two bottles of Chardonnay from California and two bottles from Australia. Try to keep the price range of each bottle similar. For example, buy two wines priced at less than $20.00 and two wines priced at over $20.00 each. Then invite some friends over on a Friday or Saturday to do a side by side comparison to determine which they like best. Be sure to plan some complementary food to nibble on, such as prawns or crab, or have a chicken in a Dijon cream sauce for an entrée. Be sure to try all four Chardonnay's with each food course. This will give you a better understanding of how each wine works with the different levels of richness found in each course.
In week two of your wine connoisseurs course, try two Chilean and two B.C. Chardonnays, and so on. The objective is for you to find out first hand what style of Chardonnay you prefer most while getting the added benefit of travelling the globe from the comforts of your deck, patio or living room!
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