Celebrating Chardonnay

Let's face it. No matter how hard we split hairs over theories on wines, mouthfeel always has the last laugh.

Over a recent wine-tasting session I saw a motley commune, that had me in it too, celebrate possibly the most misconstrued wine of the New World. Chardonnay.

AG Forty-Seven, a produce of Mendoza region of Argentina, struck with an opulent, tropical earthiness played out on citrus basenote, leaving behind an adorably acidic but fleeting aftertaste. I loved how each sip of it kept stoking a longing for another. Having fared off the charts with ease, AG had me unapologetically hold out my Tulip for generous reboots whenever offered. It danced its way to the top for having so nicely added a bold streak to that evening’s canvas.

Sips of Gran Moraine Yamhill-Carlton Chardonnay 2015 following a hearty row with beloved hardly leave one go any far in cherishing it, whereas a merry mind fills reams on its most worthless version. However, Fratelli Chardonnay offered my happy-self nothing to write home about - tasting almost like lapping up a steely surface daubed with a tangy citrus that clings far too long to tongue. It was, at best, the worst I had that evening.

Yellow tail’s Australian, plain-sailing and fruity bouquet was eclipsed in the crowd of vying vinos. Though its dominant sweet note turned out to be utterly misplaced and discouraging, I’m up for risking another evening with it. That’s the upside of having never joined the ABC [Anything But Chardonnay] lot. Yellow tail easily came third in rank.

Staying true to the fact that wines bloom after mixing with oxygen, Lutzville Chardonnay 2017 tarried yielding distinctive spice-notes until its third sip. Dryness of North-Western Cape of South Africa lent it an unusually drying finish dotted with citrus and lime traces. Bitterness that I briefly felt was negligible. Lutzville Chardonnay on taste ranked right after AG.

There are ways to read wines. Robust sensory reading is what I follow with firmness. As in the world of wine, it is too democratic and farfetched to expect the aromatic notes untwine to all with equity, enjoying wine in all its plainness is what is eternally, and conveniently, recommended.