We turn to another classic for this week's Wine of the Week. Chardonnay, probably the world's most famous wine grape, is like the Gumby of wine, versatile beyond imagination. It's a grape that can truly express terroir, or the wine's sense of place. In Champagne, Chardonnay produces light, acidic, bubbly wines. In Burgundy, Chardonnay ranges from crisp and bone-dry in Chablis to richer, aged, and complex in some of the southern districts. In cooler climates, Chardonnay is racy and acidic, with green apple and citrus fruit flavors. In warm climates, the grape takes on tropical fruit flavors.

In new world wine regions, Chardonnay can be beautifully balanced between acidity, fruit, and oak, or it can be a horribly overoaked, overripe adult Kool-Aid that makes one choke and beg to join the ABC (Anything but Chardonnay) club. Despite being one of the noblest grapes in the world, Chardonnay has been used and abused by mass wine producers in recent years, leading wine drinkers to look for varietals that are subtler and more interesting.

There's nothing worse than taking a sip of Chardonnay and feeling like you've been whacked over the head with a plank of charred oak. Good winemakers know that oak is a complement to the fruit, not a way of hiding its flaws, just as good cooks use salt to bring out the dish's flavors, not to overwhelm it.

Continue reading "Wine of the Week: Chardonnay" after the jump.

Winemakers are finally cluing in to the backlash against Chardonnay, and many are starting to produce wines with a little more subtlety. Some newer Chardonnays are even labeled "naked" or "unoaked" to lure people back to the grape after years of abuse.

Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi has come out with a "Lightly Oaked Chardonnay" for those who still want their Chard rounded off with a hint of vanilla and spice. I tried the wine recently and was impressed with its freshness and vibrance, even at a $7.99 price point. The specs sheet doesn't say what percentage of the wine was aged in oak, but the winemaker definitely used a light hand. It's a great food wine with nice acidity and a pretty bouquet.

Try it with roasted squash or chicken with sage cream sauce--you'll resolve never to drink an overoaked Chardonnay again. Instead of the ABC Club, should we start a NMOC (No More Overoaked Chardonnay) Club?