International Chardonnay Day is celebrated on the Thursday before the last Monday in May every year – aka today, May 27 – and is gathering momentum in many wine producing countries around the world.
So today’s the day to celebrate another successful year in the resurgence of the grape variety that dominated the New Zealand wine industry in the 1980s.
“Those are the days our winemakers won acclaim with barrel-aged wines that were bold and buttery, and while those still exist, today’s Chardonnays are more refined, fruity and fresh with a stand out complexity that’s uniquely New Zealand,” says NZ Wine.
According to Cameron Douglas MS in the March issue of The Shout NZ, respected wine writer Jancis Robinson suggests very strongly in the docu-movie A Seat at the Table that New Zealand Chardonnay is world class and the wine sector here could focus much more attention to the variety.
“In the same movie, there is an interview with a well-known London-based wine retailer who regularly conducts blind wine event with respected wine critics,” says Cameron.
“He too suggests the same for New Zealand Chardonnay, referencing many tastings of the variety and, without fail, most attending suggest the best wines in the line-up are white Burgundy when, in fact, they are nearly all from New Zealand.”
For a selection of world-class Chardonnays to add to your wine list or off-premise selection, take a look at Cameron Douglas MS’ recent tasting notes in the The Shout NZ here.
Chardonnay FYI:
- Chardonnay takes its name from the village of Chardonnay in the Mâcon region of Burgundy.
- Chardonnay is the most widely distributed white grape in the world, and is the world’s most popular white wine. It’s virtually planted in every wine region in the world.
- Chardonnay is one of the three main grapes used in sparkling wine, along with Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.
- 28,000 tonnes of Chardonnay is produced in New Zealand, and makes up around 6% of New Zealand wine production.
- Chardonnay shows its best served between 12ºC and 14ºC.
For more on Chardonnay in NZ, visit www.nzwine.com
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