Whether you’re a devotee of the grape or remain firmly in the “ABC” camp, it’s an exciting time for Chardonnay. Producers are pulling back from opulent, heavily oaked styles in favor of wines that align with modern palates’ preference for tension, freshness and sense of place. The map for this noble variety is literally being redrawn, and the landscape is expanding beyond its traditional strongholds, with cooler-climate and coastal regions around the world crafting compelling expressions.
While climate change is rendering some areas too warm for high-quality Chardonnay, producers in the enviable terroir of Hawke’s
Bay on the North Island actually relish warmer vintages, which can still deliver ripe flavor without sacrificing raciness. Ample
sunlight gives the wine concentration, while vineyards perched near the Pacific Ocean are buffered from heat spikes and retain
vibrancy and verve. “With a large amount of soil types and microclimates, there is a lot of diversity in style,” says Ben Tombs, chief winemaker at Craggy Range. “But common is a regional thread of high flavor Chardonnay with good acidity.
Excerpt Taken From: Full Pour
Author: Kelly Magyarics
