CorkSavvy

Corksavvy is featuring an ongoing series of grape profiles. Just as James Lipton probes the deep secrets and motivations of acclaimed actors on his show, “Inside the Actors Studio,” we at Corksavvy will be your guide and investigator in elucidating the complicated personal histories of each grape type. Where is each grape type typically grown? What are the flavor aspects of that grape? What foods pair well with that particular grape? These are all questions that we want to answer for you.

Perhaps the best way to start our grape profile series is with one of the world’s most popular grapes, Chardonnay. Chardonnay is believed to have originated in the Burgundy region of France. Chardonnay is now grown in almost every wine producing country around the world. Although the Chardonnay grape is harvested globally, the wines created can vary greatly depending on the region. Since Chardonnay is on its own is a very neutral grape, its flavors are developed and influenced by terroir (winespeak for “taste of the earth”) and the particular winemaking process. Many Chardonnay selections may mask the natural taste and smell of the grape because of the heavily oaked preparation.

The softness in taste of the Chardonnay grape contributed to its interchangeability with pinot noir or pinot blanc, up until the mid 20th century. These grapes are found in the same region of France for centuries, and with similar physical characteristics, wine consumers always presumed a link between these grape varieties. In an interesting twist of modern science, DNA profiling research at the University of California, Davis, indicates that Chardonnay is actually a cross bred between the Pinot and Gouais Blanc grape varieties.

It isn't often that you compare wine with cars, but their trends in popularity warrant some comparison. For example, in the 1950s when cars were gaining increasing popularity, there were limited brand names available – General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler (each having a few different models). Similarly with wine, due to limited availability and awareness, only a few choices – some red and some white – were available to consumers.  Remember, at the time mixed cocktails were the drinks of choice and wines were less known. When asked for a wine selection, people inevitably reverted to what they knew from TV, movies and books where their favorite actor answered confidently, "I will have a Chardonnay” or” I will have a Merlot.”

As with cars, choices and knowledge for the consumer dramatically changed the landscape of the business of wine. No longer was the purchaser a captured audience. Dozens of different car companies have entered the marketplace over the past decades giving the buyer many more options, just as wine’s distribution radius multiplied, allowing thousands of wine varieties to travel around the world. With a combination of books, magazines, websites, TV, movies, wine clubs, wine bars, today we are far more knowledgeable consumers. Those who previously might not have experimented with wines now have a greater comfort level and probably now order more than simply a Chardonnay.

Chardonnay reached a peak in popularity in the 1990s. Chardonnay was ubiquitous – in and out of the glass. The General Register Office of England reported that in 2003, 91 babies were named Chardonnay in the United Kingdom. This popularity was met with a sharp blacklash, beginning in the mid 1990s, among wine drinkers who weren’t in favor of the oak flavors that were emerging from California (and Australia). Frank Prial, eminent wine writer for the New York Times, called this movement the “A.B.C.” (Anything But Chardonnay). The other members of the A.B.C. lamented the hasty request for Chardonnay among many wine drinkers, forsaking all other wine varieties. This bold reaction resulted in some of the most oak-laden wines, from places like California and Australia, becoming more moderate in recent vintages.

In addition to its popularity as an individual wine, Chardonnay grapes are important in the production of Champagne. Chardonnay is one of only three grape varieties planted in the famed Champagne region, which is a single Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée. Most Champagnes are composed of both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in about equal proportions, while Blanc de blanc ("white from white") Champagnes, for example, are made from 100% Chardonnay. Blanc de noir ("white from black") Champagne is either individually Pinot Noir or Pinot Meunier, or a blend of the two.

Chardonnay tends to have crisp flavors of apples, pears, and citrus, while the oak fermented Chardonnay wines are filled with flavors of vanilla, butter, and toasted nuts. This grape is especially versatile in food-wine pairing, as it enriches many different food varieties. The lighter, crisp, unoaked Chardonnays work well with an array of seafood; seared scallops are a favorite. The rich, buttery oaked Chardonnays hold up well to heartier dishes ranging from roasted chicken to braised pork. -- Jill Sloane