One of the strict rules of wine writing is that if you’re going to talk about chardonnay, you have to mention Bridget Jones. Other rules include how sherry articles must always contain a reference to grannies or vicars, and anything about German sparkling wine must be entitled The Joy of Sekt. Failure to comply with these diktats means instant expulsion from the shadowy Circle of Wine Writers.
That said, for readers of a certain age, chardonnay is synonymous with Bridget Jones. And not just any chardonnay, either, but an orange-coloured, oaky, slightly sweet Australian chardonnay drunk out of a 25cl glass at All Bar One. You don’t get more 1990s than that.
Since then, however, chardonnay’s crown as the king of pub has been usurped by New Zealand sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio, Provence-style rosé and, for the chattering classes, picpoul. People nowadays prefer their wines crisper and fresher than the classic chardonnays of old, which were made by macerating the grapes with the skins to give colour, oak chips to add body and often bottling with a little sweetness.
But chardonnay doesn’t have to be like this. Chablis, perhaps the crispest of all wines, is in fact made from 100% chardonnay. Not a lot of people know that. Asda has Famille Brocard’s zingy, fresh Chablis Premier Cru 2022 for £23 (12.5%), which should be superb with fish and chips. It might also surprise you to learn that another chardonnay hotspot is Essex, where, in the past five years, England’s most-maligned county has begun producing increasingly good chardonnay. So much so that California’s Jackson Family Wines, producer of America’s bestselling chardonnay, has bought land in the Crouch Valley near Chelmsford and planted vines there. If you want to know what all the fuss is about, try Lyme Bay’s excellent 2021 Chardonnay (£24.99 Grape Britannia, 12.5%) with its crisp, granny smith fruit seasoned with a little spicy oak.
Sadly at the moment, such wines are expensive, but overall, chardonnay – whether it’s from Chile, South Africa or Australia – tends to be much crisper and lower in alcohol than it was in its 90s heyday. Maybe soon we’ll be allowed to write about the world’s most planted grape variety without mentioning Bridget Jones.
Five bottles to change your mind about chardonnay
Coastal Chardonnay Asda Extra Special 2023 £7 13.5%. From South Africa, this lightly oaked wine shows how much fresher and cleaner budget chardonnay is these days.
Rodet Grande Selection Chardonnay 2023 £9 Morrisons, 12.5%. Made by a burgundy producer, this fresh, saline vin de France makes a great budget chablis alternative.
Santa Inés Single Parcel Chardonnay 2022 £11.99 (by the mixed case) Laithwaite’s, 13%. If you like a richer style, this Chilean example is huge fun, with its flavours of pineapple, tinned peaches and vanilla and an all-important zing to stop it getting too much.
Wynns Coonawarra Estate Chardonnay 2023 £11.99 (on mix six) Majestic, 13.5%. Demonstrates how Australian chardonnay, too, has evolved. This combines limey fruit balanced by a dash of toffee from oak ageing.
Nine Oaks Chardonnay 2022 £18.99 (on mix six) Majestic, 12.5%. Another delightfully ripe English chardonnay, this time from Kent. Think bruised apple and lemon with a creamy texture and touch of nutty oak. Impressive and delicious.
