If you like chablis…
The white wines of Chablis in northern Burgundy are made with chardonnay grapes grown in a relatively cool climate and therefore tend to be crisper and lighter in style than those from further south. There’s an apple flavour joining the citrus in many examples and oak, if used at all, tends to be subtle. Chablis lovers should head east to Alsace and sample the pinot blanc made in the region. Alsace pinot blanc is relatively simple but fresh and appley, with a dab of creaminess. Or head in the opposite direction and try the Loire Valley’s dry chenin blancs. The acidity can be high in young examples, it’s rarely oaked, and chenin also has a citrus/apple quality.
If you like classic white burgundy…
The gloriously complex, oak-aged, buttery-rich chardonnays of the Côte de Beaune are hard to top, but fans of this style should investigate another great French white, condrieu. This Rhône appellation gives us the best expression of viognier in the world: ripe and peachy with a beautifully full texture, though with a price tag to match the great white burgundies. Try other white Rhône wines too, which are usually fairly full-textured, slightly nutty blends of marsanne, roussanne and viognier. And check out fine pinot gris – not pinot grigio, the Italian version that’s light and simple, but rather the riper and generally more interesting pinot gris of Alsace and New Zealand.
If you like New World chardonnay…
Nowadays more and more chardonnays from newer wine countries are made in an elegant and fresh style, but there is still plenty of bright fruit and juiciness to be found in many versions coming from Australia, California, South Africa, Chile, New Zealand and Argentina. And in a lot of cases, layers of toast and vanilla from oak ageing are still hallmarks. If this is your style, head towards peachy New World viogniers, oaked white riojas, South African chenin blancs and Rhône blends made in Australia or California, such as viognier/marsanne duets.
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