After being cancelled in the ’90s, bold, rich chardonnay is back – with flavour, balance and finesse.
It rose to fame in the ’80s before it flew too close to the buttery sun – then it got a negative acronym when people decided they didn’t want to drink it anymore (that’s “ABC”, but more on that later). Geez, you’d hate to be chardonnay’s PR person, wouldn’t you? It’s been a wild ride for one of the world’s most complex and divisive drops; one day rich, buttery chardonnay is wine’s big thing – the next, you have to hide behind your menu to order it.
But today, we’re loud and proud about our love for big chardy. We say an emphatic ‘yes’ to the resurgence of bold and buttery styles, which are still full of all that great flavour everyone loved so much, yet they’re super balanced. It all makes us want to listen to A-ha’s ‘Take On Me’ and pronounce it ‘cardonnay’ while we enjoy a glass.
Before we give you a quick chardonnay history lesson, it’s worth mentioning that this grape variety is found in every global winemaking region. As the fifth most planted grape – there’s around 200,000 hectares planted around the world – it’s kind of a big deal.
A big, buttery chardonnay wasn’t just acceptable in the ’80s, it was practically all anyone drank. These styles are synonymous with California, but Australian producers also nailed these rich, golden wines. During this era, chardy was designed to get the masses drinking wine. And with so many people drinking it, chardonnay production became seriously big business; huge multinational wine conglomerates flooded the market with affordable bottles.
Dark times came for old mate chardy when it fell out of fashion. Suddenly, the oak was deemed too heavy handed, and some examples showed boosted alcohol levels and overripe fruit, which led to zero acidity. Its huge popularity had resulted in some winemakers dropping the quality to meet demand. Like many things that gain huge success, what comes up must come down, and this left the door ajar for the next shiny new white wine on the block.
Wine drinkers grew tired of overly oaked and butter bomb-style chardy and moved moved toward crisper wines – it's no coincidence that fresh, zippy sauvignon blanc became the next big thing. People started a ‘revolution’ against chardonnay, and the unofficial club of ‘Anything But Chardonnay’ was born.
Chardonnay is one of those wines that can really carry a winemaker’s stamp in terms of how it’s made in the winery, so there are many variables here. How long a chardonnay is aged for and what it’s aged in also contribute to its degree of butteriness in both flavour and texture. Barrels made of oak can lead to richer flavours like vanilla and spices, while stainless steel or concrete tanks can help preserve the fresh, lean and crisp flavours in some chardonnay grapes – a clear contrast to the richer styles associated with the varietal.
Eight chardonnay to try
1. The Butchers Friend Buttery Chardonnay
With the key descriptor in this wine’s name, you know you’re in for a rich treat here. This classic Barossa chardy is creamy and generous, with peach, melon and nectarine flavours.
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5. Evans & Tate Butterball Chardonnay
Another wine that does what it says on the label, this Margaret River release has bold flavours and a lingering finish, but it remains in total balance from the first to the last sip thanks to toasty notes adding complexity.
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7. Robert Mondavi Private Selection Buttery Chardonnay
Californian chardonnay is renowned for being rich and buttery, and this one does it well. This is a creamy classic, with rich flavours of apple and white peach. Consdier this an absolute dream with carbonara and even crispy skinned salmon.
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