Notes & Queries

Each month our experts answer readers’ wine questions and share their knowledge Email: editor@decanter.com. Post: The Editor, Decanter, 161 Marsh Wall, London, E14 9AP, UK

What happened to Chablis?

Modern-day Chablis is nothing like the heaven-in-a-glass, stony mineral wines that used to be my favourite white wine by a long way in the 1960s. What has changed? Mark Smyly, Wantage, Oxfordshire, UK

Andy Howard MW replies: Like you, I have long been a fan of the structured, fine acidity and discreet (if at all) oak of Chablis, and that salty, pebbly, gunflint character. I agree the style has changed since the 1960s – it was this change that drove me to write my Master of Wine dissertation on Chablis.

On balance, I think the changes have been for the better, with fewer harsh, green and lean wines. In the vineyard, new rootstocks and better frost-prevention systems have been introduced. As mechanical harvesting has been brought in, many producers have moved away from pressing whole bunches, though some observers feel this has encouraged oxidative characters. Modern presses are cleaner and highly efficient, although there are arguments that this may remove some of the body and character of the wine.

These changes are set against a background of warmer growing seasons. I suggest you focus on ‘classic’ vintages (2010/12/14/17) and avoid those more marked by heat (2016/18/19). Try some long lees-aged wines (Daniel-Etienne Defaix, Bernard Defaix), or those where fermentation in wood harks back to earlier times (Vocoret) – or some of the concrete-egg-matured Chablis from Jean-Marc Brocard. Also consider a cooler, north-facing vineyard such as premier cru Les Lys.

Quest for ‘peaty’ Chardonnay

A few decades ago, I dined in Seattle and ordered a bottle of Chardonnay from a local

vineyard, Blackwood Canyon in the Red Mountain AVA. I was immediately hooked by what I would call its ‘peaty’ notes – a fellow diner described it as ‘the Laphroaig of Chardonnays’! When I moved from London to Los Angeles, I ordered futures of Red Mountain Chardonnay every year and Blackwood Canyon owner Mike Moore often made the delivery himself. I was truly shocked at his tragic death in 2011. Now back in the UK, I understand the new owner of Mike’s former vineyards no longer produces white wines. So, I wonder, can you recommend a Chardonnay with similar peat flavours? H Robert Johnston, Liverpool, UK

Owen Bargreen replies: Washington State is not known for its white wines – the Red Mountain AVA in particular is not a typical site for Chardonnay. Considering the influence of climate change, this AVA is one of the warmer sites in the state and most varieties planted there are Bordeaux and Rhône red grapes.

I have not typically seen Washington Chardonnay showing ‘peaty’ tones, though sometimes older examples can take on nutty or damp earthy tones through the process of oxidation. Usually, new-release Washington Chardonnay is made in a fresher, cleaner style, with less oak than Napa or Sonoma. Wines typically show lighter oak notes with fresh pear, apple and lemon curd tones.

It is possible that Blackwood Canyon would have been using considerably more oak than wineries generally did at that time. I would encourage you to seek out great current releases of Washington Chardonnay – Woodward Canyon’s Washington 2019 or the L’Ecole No41 Columbia Valley 2019 are two new bottlings that not only embody the typical Washington style of Chardonnay, but also represent really good value.

Best with a classic fish stew?

What’s the best wine match for bouillabaisse? Lisa Ellerton, by email

Fiona Beckett replies: Bouillabaisse is one of those dishes that provokes heated discussions over what is – or is not – an authentic version, so what hope is there of finding a definitive wine match? More of a Mediterranean fish stew than a soup, it includes many different kinds of fish and shellfish and is served with a punchy, garlic-laced rouille. Given that it