Anything but....

There are many a wine slurper who when asked what they would care to be served, retort, "A-B-C darling ..anything but chardonnay!"" Its an all too common phenomenom which makes me fell a little sorry for the much maligned Chardonnay. Because its not really Chardonnay they hate, ok they may hate some of the obtuse and ordinary oaked varieties, but its the repition of a theme, they're just screaming - 'give me a change....save me from mundanity!'

It seems we live an age of ignorant consumption, and that wines are chosen more by brand than by their real merit. A boon for the marketeer; if Chardonnay is the wine of the moment, then why not push, push, push the chardonnay. In the end it becomes so ubiquitous that no one can stand the sight of the stuff. Pinot Grigio will be next and then after that who knows maybe Chenin or Viognier, sooner or later we'll be back where we started because the average (ok very average) consumer will never seek to know more and will always follow the forgetful heard.

It seems so tragic as it is the bulk wines which determine the markets ultimate direction, these wines so often are the most bland and one dimensional. All the special, heart warming, sincere ones (and ok hands up the more expensive) are left on the shelf. It was only a few days ago I was supping the new super cuvee of Domaine Begude's finest chardonnay, 'L'Etoile de Begude' that I remembered just what JoBlogs is missing.

If you could forget for just one minute the awful, flacid, chewy chardonnay's of boomtime western Oz and the hotter parts of California and wipe the slate clean then what a place to start. The 2006 'Etoile' is lightly scented with piercingly clean fruit, lime and mineral steeliness, the smidgen of fine Oak is warming and inviting with a hint of clove and vanilla. The palate is delish, the balance is remarkable, understated and with real finesse, the hint of green acidity says more of youth than any wrong. The length is huge and lasts just about as long as your silly cat smile!

If only everyone could try it, anything but all those bloody awful chardonnays....