For The Love Of Chardonnay – Here’s our top five Chardonnays to try

By James Robertson

Some time ago I was on the train returning from three days at a trade show in London when I heard the waitress asking two fellow travellers if they wanted a drink. Of course they did, it takes away the strain of the journey north.

‘We would like a white wine’, said one of them.

‘Well, we have Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay,’ said the waitress.

‘I hate Chardonnay! But do you have Chablis?’

‘Sorry only these two wines from Chile.’

‘Okay we will have the Rose then.’

I wanted to jump in and tell them that wines from Chile are generally wonderful, as well as mildly educate them that if you like Chablis then you are drinking Chardonnay. 

I remained seated and carried on reading my book. But the episode took me back years to when I was at a stand at the annual Oddbins Show in Edinburgh. We had a wonderful Macon Blanc on the stand and a group stood in front of me saying how good it was, all the while saying ‘we all hate Chardonnay.’ 

Did I tell them that what they were drinking was in fact the very grape they were decrying. Of course not. My thought process was they would carry on buying and drinking Macon Blanc and that was the main thing. How many so-called Chardonnay loathers then say they do not drink Champagne – I would suggest not a single one.

I will have to confess that as a lover of Burgundy and of course Champagne, I love Chardonnay. As a grape it is one that the winemaker can manipulate, cajole, experiment with and this in turn can produce some wonderful examples of this cracking white grape. 

Here are a few that I hope will change the perception of those two travellers and many more.

Spier Seaward Chardonnay 2022

There is no doubting the winemaking skills of Anthony Kock at Spier. The grapes are grown in the Tygerberg Hills and the beautiful Stellenbosch. Close to the Atlantic the vines benefit from cool winds and warm sunny days. The hand harvested grapes once crushed are fermented in both stainless steel and French oak barrels with eight months spent on the lees. The outcome is a wine that has lovely notes of lemon citrus, peach with a touch of oak which then marries on the palate with flavours of apricot and vanilla. A wine best enjoyed with white meats, salads and fish or just on its own.

Howard Park, Margaret River Miamup Chardonnay 2023

The wines from this part of Western Australia need little introduction. South of Perth there are an abundance of wineries and vineyards. Howard Park is a relative newcomer being just 35 years old. This is another very good example of this wonderful grape. The wine has a very pale hint of green in the glass, and I found on the nose it was quite closed with a subtle note of citrus but not much more. However, when tasting the wine there were notes of apricots, tropical fruits, citrus and a very soft note of buttery oak. A really good wine on its own or with light dishes. £12 per bottle – Tesco

Abbotts & Delaunay, Les Fruits Sauvages, Pays d’Oc, Chardonnay 2023

Burgundian winemaker Jeanne Delaunay produces fruit forward, easy drinking wines and this is a good example. Jeanne is a sixth generation winemaker from Burgundy but produces these wines down in the Languedoc. There is a hint of the Burgundian background in this wine with grapes also coming from the Aude Valley, the Hérault plain and the slopes of the Cévennes mountains to create a wine with simple complexity, balanced and fresh. There are lovely hints of pear and green apple with a floral touch and a hint of soft oak on the finish. £11 per bottle – Majestic

Chateau Tanunda Chardonnay 2024

Situated in the Barossa Valley, Australia this winery started life back in 1890. The winery is rightly proud of its sustainability credentials. Its water is 100% recycled and the Chateau is powered by renewable energy. This wine is bright and fresh with a touch of minerality, soft fruit with a lovely finish. £10 per bottle – Waitrose

Erráuriz Gran Reserva Chardonnay 2023

The cool climate of the Aconcagua Valley in Northern Chile allows this wine to highlight why Chile can produce high quality wines year in year out. There is a wonderful peach, citrus note that balances well with the influence of time spent in oak barrels. There is a lovely acidity to the wine as well which provides a long and elegant finish. Well worth every penny. £11.99 – Waitrose.

Read more Reviews here.

Subscribe to read the latest issue of Scottish Field.