International Chardonnay Day

International Chardonnay Day – 23^rd May 2024

Chardonnay is beloved by winemakers and wine drinkers alike. It’s popular for flavour notes such as tropical fruits, vanilla, oak, pineapple, and even apple and lemon. How it tastes is influenced on where it’s is from and how it is made, for example, is it grown in a Hot Climate or Cold Climate, has it spent time in oak? Is it new or old Barrels? Has it spent time on its Lees? Every decision has effect on the finished wine.

Naturally Chardonnay has a well-deserved cult following and if you don’t enjoy a glass of chardonnay well, you may not have found the right style you like just yet.

So here are a few suggestions:

Domaine Joel Delaunay Blanc Brut NV, Loire, France £16.99
100% Chardonnay
A Methode Traditionnelle sparkling wine. Pale yellow with green hints. A fresh nose with white flowers and brioche. Harmonious palate with a nice acidity and finesse. Excellent as an aperitif or with dessert, or just for pleasure.

Bogle Chardonnay 2021, California, USA £21.99
100% Chardonnay
A proper California Chardonnay, 50% aged in American oak for eight months to give rich vanilla and nutmeg spice. The other half is aged in steel to retain the fresh peach and lemon character. with green apples, pears and pineapples on the nose and butterscotch and vanilla, balanced by fresh acidity, on the tongue. Enjoy this wine with just about everything! Alc: 14.5%

Pommier Croix Aux Moines Chablis 2020, Burgundy, France £33.99
100% Chardonnay
Single vineyard Chardonnay from one of the finest family-owned estates we have come across. Cuvée made from a very selected parcels of Chablis. Chablis Croix aux Moines is famous for its minerality and its aromatic complexity.

“89-92/100. ..50+ year old vines…fresh and bright aromas of both white and yellow peach, quinine & lemon confit. The middleweight flavours are rich to the point of opulence while retaining good verve and reasonable detail before culminating in a chiselled, stony and youthfully austere finale…excellent“ (Burghound, Jan 2023)

Domaine Guy Amiot ‘Sous la Velle’ Meursault 2021, Burgundy, France £78.99
100% Chardonnay
“Sous le Velle” is an iconic plot of the Meursault Village appellation, generous but harnessed thanks to the old vines in the plot. Beautifully balanced with great minerality and length. Quite Lively for a Meursault from the lower slopes, riper fruit notes followed by butter then hazelnuts, some ripe pineapple on the finish. Classic burgundies with better acidity’s than they have had in recent years.