Howard Silverman hears it all the time.
“People will say, `I want a white wine but I don’t want a chardonnay,'” the Chicago wine merchant said. But then they’ll pick out a white Burgundy, not realizing it is made from chardonnay grapes.
What they really mean, Silverman said, is that “they don’t want something real, real oaky. That’s why they say they don’t want chardonnay.”
Silverman often points these customers toward sauvignon blanc.
He may not need to do so for very much longer. Increasingly, chardonnays around the world are being made and sold in unoaked styles that recall the light crispness of a French Chablis or Pouilly-Fuisse rather than the big, buttery, oak-fermented styles once so popular and now more than a little notorious in certain wine circles.
The words “unoaked” or “unwooded” are appearing proudly on the front label to help those customers who used to vainly scrutinize back labels for those words or phrases such as “fermented in steel tanks.”
Those descriptions may, just may, counter another recent phrase known as ABC: “Anything but Chardonnay.”
Silverman blames a sea of inexpensive overoaked chardonnay for sparking the ABC movement.
Unoaked chards are a “natural reaction,” agreed John Gillespie, president of the Wine Market Council, a California-based non-profit association of grape growers, wine producers, importers and others involved in the trade.
Gillespie credits the “phenomenal acceptance” of tart New Zealand sauvignon blanc by the American consumer for fueling the unoaked movement in chardonnay.
It’s a growing taste being capitalized on by winemakers in a number of countries. The Australians, for example, were infamous for their “oak bombs,” big and buttery chardonnays. Now the Aussies are swinging ’round fast to unoaked styles.
“They are nothing if not smart marketers,” said Gillespie of the Australians. “Unoaked is the selling point for the wine. I’m not too surprised to see this, but I am surprised at how quickly it sprang upon us. But then no one thought pinot grigio would amount to anything and now we’re flooded with it.”
Glunz said the swift about-face reflects Australia’s “New World attitude.”
Meanwhile, in the Napa Valley, both styles of chardonnay are still for sale at St. Supery Vineyards and Winery in California’s Napa Valley, where the shift away from oaked to unoaked chardonnay has been engineered by Michaela K. Rodeno, the winery’s chief executive officer.
“I have never liked oaky, buttery chardonnays,” she said. “I thought it would be interesting to show our wine club members and visitors what chardonnay really tastes like.”
So, Rodeno had the winemaker make up a small batch of unoaked chardonnay in 2003 with the idea of using it as a tasting tool. People liked it, so the winery made another small batch in 2004.
In the meantime, St. Supery’s success with sauvignon blanc prompted the winery to turn much of its chardonnay acreage over to sauvignon blanc, she said.
“With only 20 acres of chardonnay left we decided to go 100 percent oak-free and we did that in 2005,” Rodeno added, noting the decision to go oak-free was “making a statement about what chardonnay is all about, what the grape is like.”
“Some people are kind of surprised. You have to tell them what to expect,” she said. “Once you tell them what’s going on they like the wine.”
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Mouthfuls of citrus and melon
Consumers won’t be deceived by these six Australian chardonnays. Nearly all have the word “unoaked” or “unwooded” prominently displayed on the label. Another blessing: screwcaps for quick, easy opening.
2004 Evans & Tate Chardonnay
Underground Series
Deceptively delicate with an unexpected citrusy burst on the finish, this “unwooded” chardonnay offered notes of pineapple and melon. Serve with whitefish or crab.
(3 corkscrews) $9
2004 Plantagenet Chardonnay Omrah
This chardonnay had a light, lemony profile with some melon overtones. Serve with a mild Thai shrimp curry, grilled swordfish steaks, lemon pasta with scallops.
(2 corkscrews) $14
2004 Nepenthe Chardonnay
From the Adelaide Hills region of southern Australia, this wine had a peachy aroma and a plush, ripe flavor of melon mixed with a peppery dash of ginger. Serve with Asian noodles, seared scallops, egg salad sandwiches.
(2 corkscrews) $14
2004 Trevor Jones Chardonnay Virgin
A lively wine with notes of peach, melon and lemon. Refreshingly crisp due to plenty of acidity. Serve with chicken cooked with apricots, seafood salad, salad nicoise.
(2 corkscrews) $14
2004 The Wishing Tree Chardonnay
Slightly tart but with some buttery overtones, this wine was surprisingly sturdy despite a delicate, floral aroma. Serve with scampi, veal piccata, grilled cheese.
(2 corkscrews) $10
2004 Flinders Bay Chardonnay
This Margaret River region wine was a clash between sweet notes and a sharply acidic flavor. Serve with grilled salmon, white pizza.
(2 corkscrews) $14
–B.D.
Sources: We found these wines at Sam’s Wines & Spirits, The Wine Cellar in Palatine, DiCarlo Fine Wines and Spirits in Mundelein, Cabernet & Co. in Naperville, Wine Knows in Grayslake, Antioch Fine Wines and Liquors. Not every wine may be in stock at your local stores; prices may vary from store to store. Prices are rounded off.
(4 corkscrews) Excellent
(3 corkscrews) Very good
(2 corkscrews) Good
(1 corkscrew) Fair
(No corkscrews) Poor
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wdaley@tribune.com
Bill Daley answers questions on wine, beer and spirits every Sunday in Q. Hear him on WBBM Newsradio 780 at 6:21 p.m. and 10:22 p.m. each Tuesday and 7:52 p.m. each Saturday and Sunday.
