In this chardonnay show-down I tried the following:

  1. A Chablis from Hervé Azo, but this time, not the Premier Cru, 2006 (€18.95)
  2. Columbia Crest Grand Estates, Columbia Valley, Washington state, 2002 (€17.99)
  3. Delaire Laurence Graff Stellenbosch, 2004 (€14.99)

The Hervé Azo Chablis

  • Smell: Subtle, lightly fragranced – of what I couldn’t put my finger on
  • Taste: Flinty mineral flavour, very clean, crisp and dry
  • Verdict: A very subtle wine. As a red wine drinker, almost too subtle for me to “get”

Columbia Valley, Washington state Chardonnay

  • Looks: much darker, more deeper yellow than the Chablis
  • Smells: rich, of honey, syrupy and sweet
  • Taste: A very rich creamy or buttery texture
  • Verdict: Not subtle wine. As a red wine drinker, it suited me just fine

Delaire Stellenbosch Chardonnay

  • Looks: again, much darker than the Chablis
  • Smells: strongly of pine needles
  • Taste: of fruit and creaminess, great texture. Well balanced with a long finish (I could taste it for ages afterwards)
  • Verdict: My favourite of all three

Overall thoughts on the three Chardonnays

So, very different tastes from the same grape. Why? Climate, soil, the fermentation process, storage, ageing? No doubt, all of those things, so it’s no accident that the three are very different.

Another good mini-foray into the world of whites. I’ll be back.