Who said they don’t like Chardonnay?
I have something of a love-hate relationship with the Chardonnay grape. Quite simply, I hate bad Chardonnay more than pretty much any white plonk out there, but then I love good Chardonnay.
I remember a friend over dinner a few years ago telling me in one sentence how she can’t stand Chardonnay, yet in another saying how she loves a good Chablis.
As we know, Chardonnay is, of course, the grape that makes the greatest white wines in the world, including pretty much all white Burgundy from Chablis to the great wines of Meursault, not to mention it’s fundamental role in Champagne.
But with so much cheap and over-oaked Chardonnay still out there, it’s no surprise that many of us shun anything with Chardonnay written on the label these days.
Here in Portugal I have found a few good examples of un-oaked Chardonnay and just recently I tried this one for the first time. I recently wrote about the excellent red reserva from this producer and this white is no less impressive.
The 2014 is already showing some seductive notes of evolution after a few years of bottle-ageing, with honeyed lemon, peaches and melon aromas on the nose. In the mouth, the wine is full bodied with a slightly creamy texture and good acidity, ensuring it will still age well for another few years. The finish is dry and persistent. Well worth the price of €13.99 at Apolónia, this is wine to enjoy with food, ideal as a replacement for a light-bodied red with roast poultry, and also excellent with cheese.
