Why is Chardonnay hated?

Few grape varieties elicit a knee-jerk reaction like Chardonnay. It's characterized as a heavy, opulent white wine, the antithesis to crisp, easy sippers like Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio. Fans of Chardonnay's buttery, vanilla-laden flavors can't get enough, while naysayers adamantly refuse to try the wine at all.

Is Chardonnay a bad wine?

Color, smell, and taste are ways to tell if Chardonnay has gone bad. Spoiled, stale, or otherwise bad white wine darkens in color, has a musty or sour taste, and might have bubbles despite being a still wine. In general, bad Chardonnay isn't harmful, just unpleasant to drink.

Is Chardonnay out of style?

There's nothing technically wrong with a rich, buttery chardonnay, but it's no secret that this classically Californian style has fallen out of fashion since its heyday back in the 1990s and early 2000s (cue: Bridget Jones and her tall bedside pour).

Is Chardonnay a nice wine?

Chardonnay is the world's most popular white wine, and for good reason. It's made from green-skinned grapes that adapt to a variety of climates, and they produce versatile wines in many price points. Chardonnay can be crisp and clean, or rich and oaky.

Is Chardonnay considered cheap?

Good chardonnay can be found up and down the price spectrum, including some pricey grand cru burgundies and blanc de blancs champagnes. Two bargain chardonnays I find consistently delicious and easy to find are Cousiño-Macul from Chile and Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi from California.

Don't Hate Chardonnay

Who drinks Chardonnay?

Chardonnay lovers are usually hard workers, who like to party in equal measure. Chardonnay's such an accessible wine, these drinkers are often great socialisers, who like surrounding themselves with fun and like-minded friends. Think of Sauvignon Blanc as Chardonnay 2.0.

What do Chardonnays taste like?

But in general, Chardonnay is dry, medium- to full-bodied with moderate tannins and acidity. It typically has tropical fruit flavors (think pineapple, papaya, and mango) although it's not sweet. If Chardonnay is aged in oak barrels, it will have a creamier texture and buttery taste with hints of vanilla and spice.

Is Chardonnay sweet or dry?

Put simply, Chardonnay is typically produced as a dry white wine, as opposed to sweet, and is often medium- to full-bodied. But this doesn't mean there isn't any sweetness to speak of! It's important to keep in mind that 'sweet' can mean different things for different people.

Is Chardonnay better than Sauvignon Blanc?

Chardonnay is richer and fuller-bodied, with a viscous mouthfeel. Sauvignon Blanc is more light, acidic, and herbaceous. Both Chardonnay and Sauv Blanc are traditionally quite dry, but some Sauvignon Blancs contain residual sugar, making them sweeter. In fact, some are even so sweet they are dessert wines!

Does Chardonnay taste like Moscato?

Both Chardonnay and Moscato wines can be quite sweet, but on average, Moscato is sweeter. Chardonnay tends to be on the drier side, whereas the popularity of today's Moscato has encouraged wineries to produce sweeter and sweeter wines.

Do people still drink Chardonnay?

And though there were 22.3m bottles of chardonnay sold in such establishments, at a cost of £331m, sales have fallen 16% over the past year. To soften this with a little context, UK white wine sales in general have fallen 10% over the same period, but chardonnay seems to be falling faster than most.

Why is Chardonnay back in fashion?

BS: Winemakers of the previously oaky, butterscotch style of Chardonnay which is what went out of fashion have responded to the rise in popularity of a fresher style of white like Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio by creating Chardonnay that is leaner and more elegant with less oak.

Why does Chardonnay taste buttery?

What makes wine taste “buttery”? Buttery flavors come from malolactic fermentation, which is the secondary fermentation process of converting malic acid to lactic acid. Malic acid has a tart, green-apple flavor. Lactic acid has a creamy, buttery flavor.

Is Chardonnay better than Pinot Grigio?

Like we've mentioned Pinot Grigio has high acidity levels and it usually tastes less sweet than a Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio is less dry and doesn't have the same oak flavors and aroma Chardonnay is known for.

What does Chardonnay smell like?

Most Chardonnay wines smell like butter, vanilla, nuts, toast and smoke. But if you were to walk into a winery today, as the freshly harvested grapes roll in from the fields and the new wine begins to ferment, the aroma of Chardonnay would remind you more of grapefruits, lemons, limes and orange peel.

Should Chardonnay be fizzy?

It's fine, it's called petillant and sometimes happens with white wines. I think it's a bonus if i get a bottle with this! Oh, I like it when it's like this. But I suggest drinking/decanting at least half of it and then taking it back.

Is Chardonnay The driest white wine?

The driest white wines are Muscadet, Assyrtiko, and Sauvignon Blanc. These wines are almost always fermented to bone dry white wines.

What wine is closest to Chardonnay?

Is Riesling sweeter than Chardonnay?

Sweetness-Dryness

When discussing Chardonnay vs. Riesling, the Riesling wines tend to be medium-bodied, mildly sweet, or dry. They all tend to have some type of fruity flavor. On the other hand, Chardonnay is a medium-bodied wine with mild acidity and is usually dry rather than sweet.

When should you drink a Chardonnay?

Most California Chardonnays are ready to be enjoyed upon release or within 1-3 years of the vintage date. White wines of balance like Jordan, with lower alcohol and brighter acidity, can be cellared and appreciated for 5-7 years after harvest.

Do you drink Chardonnay cold?

Yes chardonnay should be served cold, at a temperature of 48F/8.89°C. You shouldn't drink chardonnay at room temperature or when it's warm.

Is Chardonnay a dessert wine?

Chardonnay grapes can be made into anything from a bone dry wine to a sweet dessert wine. Even if it is made in the dry style, there are several factors that can make you perceive that your Chardonnay is sweet.

Does Chardonnay taste like alcohol?

Ariel Chardonnay Wine

This is one of the best wines that does not taste like alcohol. Produced in the wineries of Napa Valley in California, this wine has a distinct tropical fruit flavor along with butterscotch.

Is Chardonnay a tart?

To make a sparkling Chardonnay, the grapes are picked a bit earlier to preserve the high acidity. After the wines are made (they are super tart!) the winemaker creates a blend, called a “cuvée”, which then undergoes a second fermentation within a Champagne-style bottle.

How much Chardonnay does it take to get drunk?

To reach a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08, just a couple of glasses will do the trick. The standard is that, within an hour, men need three glasses of an average ABV wine to get drunk, while women only need two. After reaching this limit, you'll likely be legally drunk.