Aussie chardonnay has grown up, and we’re loving it again
If all you remember is the heavily-oaked flavours this wine was known for you’re in for a shock. Sales for this once unfashionable variety are booming in Australia. Here’s why.
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Some white wine drinkers are quick to turn their nose up at chardonnay.
Many remember a time when the flavours of the heavily oaked wine were far-too bold and buttery.
But Aussie winemakers have over the years made the drop more approachable, with less oak and more fruit, attracting a new wave of drinkers.
Oakridge chief winemaker David Bicknell says the style change wasn’t a deliberate move, instead saying we’ve finessed our winemaking style.
“I don’t think there was a point in time (when chardonnay became fruit-driven), but I think as winemakers, we were collectively disappointed in what we were doing,” he says.
“Winemaking is one of those pursuits where everyone is striving to do better, it’s competitive and collaborative.”
Chardonnay is one of Oakridge’s biggest sellers, accounting for 40 per cent of all drops made at the Yarra Valley winery.
At the liquor barns and bottle shop registers, there’s been a peak in chardonnay.
Dan Murphy’s and BWS premium chardonnay sales have increased 12 per cent each year.
Australian growth brands are on the rise, with a likening to Margaret River chardonnays.
Online wine retailer Vinomofo says chardonnay was the leading white wine category, accounting for 40 per cent of the site’s white wine sales.
Head of merchandising Eddie Schweitzer says: “We’re seeing customers seek out examples from cool climate regions such as the Yarra Valley and Adelaide Hills, and are prepared to pay a premium if the quality is high.”
“We’re also seeing a trend towards customers exploring new regions for chardonnay, with more than 25 per cent of our chardonnay sales now coming from abroad.”
Eddie says customers are prepared to try chardonnay from different countries, like French Chardonnay from Burgundy, ‘old world’ styles like Jura, and new styles from the US and South Africa.
Vintage Cellars marketing manager Carolyn Etherington says: “There’s a lot more Australian winemakers opting for a crisper, drier style much closer to French Chablis, which is also made from chardonnay grapes.”
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