Chardonnay: The grape we love or loathe

DOES ANY other grape provoke such polarisation? In my experience, drinkers seem to love or loathe chardonnay in equal measure. Especially some of the heavier, oaky NewWorld versions which can in truth be a little overpowering. Indeed, there are very few fence-sitters when it comes to this versatile green grape, which is strange because it’s actually fairly neutral, and takes on characteristics of the wide range of soils and climates in which it thrives.

In cool climates such as Champagne or Chablis, the wines are light to medium bodied, dry, with a refreshing acidity and bursting with green fruit. In moderate climates, the wines have more stone fruit flavours and aromas and tend to be sweeter. In hot climates, sweeter tropical fruit flavours like mango and pineapple come to the fore.

No wonder it’s the world’s most widely planted white wine grape.Along with being adaptable to its environment and easy to grow, chardonnay suits many different winemaking techniques, most famously aged in oak, which adds buttery, nutty and toast flavours. It can also be aged on its lees (the process of letting white wines mature on dead yeast cells) which adds depth and complexity.

The chardonnay grape originates from Burgundy in France, named after a village in the Mâcon region called Chardonnay (the Romans called it Cardonnacum, “the area of thistles”). And it’s a major component in Champagne and Blanc de Blancs Champagnes are 100 per cent chardonnay.

Although its popularity means a lot of fairly ordinary plonk is produced, some of the world’s priciest wines are made from chardonnay.And the right one will knock your socks off. So give it a go. You might be pleasantly surprised.