Post on 12-Nov-2014
description
in praise of a fantastic white grape
tired of being told what’s hot and what’s not?
a real issue when trying to choose wine
"Chardonnay has made some of the world's greatest wines. Everyone appreciated it – until Bridget Jones," said Clarke. "Bridget Jones goes out on the pull, fails, goes back to her miserable bedsit, sits down, pours herself an enormous glass of chardonnay, sits there with mascara running down her cheeks saying, 'Dear diary, I've failed again, I've poured an enormous glass of chardonnay and I'm going to put my head in the oven.' Great marketing aid!“ (The Independent May 2008 quoting Oz Clarke)
AUSTRALIA'S "chardy party" is finally over, with growers in the nation's biggest wine grape‐producing district being told to bin chardonnay crops. (various Australian media 23 May 2008)
apparently chardonnay is not hot
is Australia willing to let Bridget Jones write its strategy for Chardonnay?
Bridget Jones wasn’t strong on strategy
The chardonnay class ‐ predictably, perhaps ‐ gave rise to much more diversity of opinion, in no small measure due to the far wider range of style (rather than quality)
represented. (James Halliday, 2006 in comparing a judging session between Riesling, Semillon and
Chardonnay)
have we helped consumers to discover that Chardonnay is not singular, but rather a
collective noun?
before we knock Chardonnay down, consider its diversity
Chardonnay – it has some similarities but some striking differences
now which chardonnay style was it that you liked?
Bottle aged
Amazingly cheap for so much flavour
wild ferments
regional blends have a great profilebig brand
taste the region
Chardonnay
an oak touch
lees complexity
Unwooded
Those places – Chablis, Burgundy, Champagne
Sparkling
so lean
“At first it seems ridiculous to devote a whole book to a few acres of stony hillside, owned through the ages by an ever-changing, ever-squabbling gang of greedy rustics, producing a mere 30,000 bottles of wine per year.” forward by Nicolas Faith , English translation editor of Jean‐François Bazin’s 1988 book, Le Montrachet
sometimes Chardonnay gets its own story
and sometimes chardonnay is a little hidden (as the backbone for many champagnes and sparkling wines)
Australia’s chardonnay grows in some quite interesting
places (+)
Australia’s chardonnay grows in some quite interesting places, with some quite creative
winemaking
Australia’s chardonnay grows in some quite interesting places, with some quite creative winemaking, and lots of people demand it
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all those bottles of Chardonnay come from somewhere – Australian supply
which way do you think
Chardonnay is travelling?
did we get bored with finding things to give up and think Chardonnay was a fair target?
is it the wine that’s boring, or is it us that’s bored?
how many personalities do you think Chardonnay might have?
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Shaw & Smith
Giaconnda
Jacobs CreekLeeuwin Estate
Tyrells
Lilleydale
Bannockburn
Kooyong
Hanwood Estate
Stefano Lubiana
Tapanappa Tiers
Bin 65
Pierro
Eileen Hardy
After Brand Tao ‐ Slideshare
CONSUMER
Oxford Landing
Banrock Station
[yellowtail]
part of the universe of Australian Chardonnay
explore diversitytry Chardonnay
Casablanca ValleyBlanc de BlancHawke’s Bay
Russian RiverChablis
MontrachetStellenbosch Napa
Margaret RiverHunter ValleyMornington PeninsulaAdelaide Hills
Tasmania
Orange Murray ValleyLanghorne Creek
Coonawarra
YarraRiverina
Acknowledgments
• Images from Flickr, Slideshare and other resources so generously shared on the web
• the Visio Guy for some great tips
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Dr Jim Fortunejfortune@bigpond.net.au0409 676 566ABN 385797533925 Union StBEULAH PARK SA 5067