Description

Let’s start at the start, a lot of people do not believe there is such a thing as glorious Chardonnay. But to dismiss such a versatile and widely loved variety out of hand is folly. This dinner is designed to show you why.

Chardonnay

Is the grape that you can plant anywhere, in any climate and do anything to and it will still taste like an OK wine. But it is when people hit the sweet spot of site, climate, cropping and winemaking that Chardonnay becomes a magical wine. Great Chardonnay that will age gracefully but charm you at any age. The most amazing Sparkling wines in the world contain large amounts of Chardonnay. Or in cool climates you can drink lean and citrusy Chablis styled wines. In warmer a climate you see the tropical and overt characters shine through.

Add to this, the winemakers options with use of oak, lees and malolactic fermentation to further enhance flavours and textures.

Therefore, with such an array of flavours and textures it just a matter of finding where this glorious Chardonnay is.

What Makes Glorious Chardonnay?

Because of its diversity of styles, the challenge is to pick the right Chardonnay for the right moment. Having oysters? You need Chablis! Do you have a roast a roast chicken to eat? Maybe you need a ripe and oaky Yarra Valley Chard. But make no mistake, you’ll know when you’re sipping on a great example of Chardonnay.

My favourite regions to enjoy Chardonnay include:

Champagne – A lot of blending happens here but when you get the faint waft of stonefruits and chalk you’re face to face with a quality Blanc de Blancs.

Chablis – A region that values austerity of fruit but balance and nuance of flavour. Minerals, green apples, floral notes and yellow fruits.  These are wines that unpack over the years and reward cellaring.

White Burgundy – The Cote d’Or offers some of the best expressions of Chardonnay. A great interplay of ripe fruits, minerals, deft oak handling and layers of flavour that only Chardonnay can attain. The Southern regions make some charming Chardonnay too.

Australia – I lean to the cooler climates in Adelaide Hills, Tumbarumba and parts of Mornington and Yarra. There is no avoiding the influence of Australia’s sun, so the wines tend to be riper and more overt. But the great examples still have layers of flavour, and the richness of flavour is such an attractive element when balanced with structure.

New Zealand – The Chardonnay from Marlborough is some of my most favourite in all the world. There is an elegance, balance and freshness here that that makes them so drinkable.

Argentina – Grown in a high altitude desert, Chardonnay here is perfumed, concentrated and with a streak of beautiful acid.

This link will take you to but a small sample of must try Chardonnay.

Drink Glorious Chardonnay With Me

On this night, we will sit down to a dinner paired to Chardonnay. This is a night where we will basically just drink some of my most favourite Chardonnay over dinner. We’ll have one Champagne to start, and then nine Chardonnay from around the world. Below is the sample list. As you can see we’ll hit all the classic styles.

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There are only 12 seats for this dinner. Book your place below to confirm your attendance.