WTN: Making sense of Chardonnay (BduMartray, Rodet Rully)

Since I am still struggling with TNs, here's some mindless ramblings instead:

Chardonnay is a variety I find very perplexing. I tend to like BdB Champagne (and imitations of it) quite a bit. Not-oak-influenced Chablis I find easy to like but difficult to love; and as it tends toward neutrality, I seem to prefer e.g. Muscadet for this style of refreshing white. But what of other Chardonnay?

The other common style seems to be the oak-influenced one. I don't tend to like oak, as might have been noticable from my previous notes. Yet it seems that Chardonnay can get an extra dimension from oak without being offensive - when it is well judged (as it too rarely is for my tastes). Yet still these extra dimension seem to be all about the oak rather than reinforcing the rather bland or neutral nature of the grape itself (dons helmet).

So today when I was sipping Domaine Rodet Château de Rully (Comte R. de Ternay) Blanc 1999 I noticed that it had a nutty and aging character. But it also has an inoffensive oakiness to it. But why do I find this type of oakiness inoffensive with a Chardonnay, when such overt oak would have me use strong words like "sucks" elsewhere? Does Chardonnay really need the kiss of the oak to blossom? Or is the reason why I only drink a couple Chardonnays a year because only on a couple days a year can I handle obvious oak influence? These are interesting questions that I must pay more attention to in the future, when tasting.

Yesterday I was given a great treat. I was given a 5cl sample of Bonneau du Martray's Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 2004. If there is one Chardonnay that I would buy for myself, it wouldn't be a Chablis despite its (generally) lesser oak influence. It would be BdM's CC. It rocks. And 2004 seems to be just as successful as the earlier vintages I've had. In a sense it reminds me more of Riesling than Chardonnay with it's lazer-sharp precicion, mouthwatering acidity and minearlity and, curious for Chardonnay, a petrol nuance.

Both these wines had a citrussy acidity that kept the wines refreshing despite them both being influenced by oak. So should I not worry about the obvious oak even though it seems to
contradict my usual tastes? Should I instead relish the couple days a year when I tolerate oak this much? To take this to a whole different plane of philosophy, I guess it might be wise to admit that not all in one's nature can be so uncontradictory as I had hoped with my stated preferences in wines. So, though it may seem contradictory to the tastes I have admitted to, I will say this: I am thoroughly enjoying these two wines today.

-Otto-

Otto,
I have a love-hate relationship with chardonnay, mainly due to oak and seldom buy domestic US chards even though I am sure some are great. Hard to take a chance when you know Muscadet and CB from the Loire and NE Italian whites are almost always good. I love Chablis and also purchase white Burgs from producers that are not too heavy handed with new barrels. Have asked several wine makers why oak in chardonnay. The consensus seems to be the profile and body stands up to and is many times enhanced with exposure to some oak. My problem is that this may be true but it is many times over done and there appears to be the idea if some oak is good than more oak is better. Am happy to admit that this trend seems to be reversing lately. I am surprised you liked the '99 and am jealous about the '04. '04 and '05 Chablis and white Burgs are one my radar screen for current purchases.
Walt

Otto, just curious, why do you say you are struggling with tasting notes? I think your notes are useful and fun to read. Is it the concept of tasting notes in general or something else?

The Bonneau sounds delicious.

As to oak, I think some of the best producers, even in Chablis, use it as a method to allow the wine some oxygen, and know how to use it without making it the dominating taste.

Best,
Marc

Otto- My feelings about oak in Chardonnay is that it makes it a different wine. Sometimes an oaked version will match better with a meal and sometimes unoaked. But acidity is essential. Perhaps others will take me to task on this, but I believe an oaked version, with the tannins from the oak, would tend to age better and that the reason many people don't like oaked versions is because they're drinking them too young. I believe there have been recent TNs here about 12-15 year old oaked Chards, both CA and Burgundy that were raved about.

This is all very informative, as usual. I too am not a big fan of oaked chardonnay, in fact hardly buy any these days! I go to a lot of tastings and am quite keen on the unoaked chards from Australia.
I was at the California Wine Show last month and I did try a couple but I was not in any hurry to change my mind! The Viogniers I sampled were all over the place and I was lucky to find a couple of dry sauvignon blancs.

Walt, why the surprise that I liked a '99? This is so uncharted territory for me that I haven't even managed to make up any vintage generalisations for myself.

Marc, I think the problem is the concept of TNs. It seems that I'm just re-writing the same worn phrases about all wines: they're all balanced, bright and red toned. Aaargh. The reason I write here is that interaction is fun. But it ceases to be fun for me when I lose faith in my notes. Also I find that descriptors are so personal as to be useless for anyone else. Yet I find that they are necessary to answer the question of why I like a certain wine. As you see, this is an impossible combination for TNs. But I try to plod on for better or worse...

Howie, I applaud the diversity of styles. But does the perception of oak diminish radically with age? Even the older Chardonnays I've had have had much more noticable oak than, e.g. old Bx blends...

-O-

I'm very new to Martray as well (I've only had a few vintages) having tried only the 2001 and 2002, both of which were very nice. People have told me that they are meant to be very long term wines. I've not tried the 04 yet but will look for them on the market.

I'm very new to Martray as well (I've only had a few vintages) having tried only the 2001 and 2002, both of which were very nice. People have told me that they are meant to be very long term wines. I've not tried the 04 yet but will look for them on the market.

The '01 and '02 are indeed very nice. On the old board, I put up tns of '93-'02. All were lovely. Also, this seemed to have been one producer not to suffer from premature oxidation, except that now I've seen a few notes that would indicate that there have been some POXed ones. Any info?

-O-

Otto,

Over the years, I have had my own problems with Bordeaux rouge, in that, when drinking it regurlarly, I'd get incredibly bored with the monotonous "sameness" of nuance eminating from bottle after bottle. Occasionally, the odd gem (e.g. the remarkable 1961 Ch. Malescort-St.-Expurey - Dec. 2006) rocks my boat. As a remedy for this particular malady, I inhibit my exposure (and hence delay my progress towards bankruptcy ) and by keeping the distance between bottles far enough apart, get way more drinking satisfaction because of it. By developing a diverse and well-stocked cellar, I believe I've now found a way to avoid regional and varietal "burn out". I remember being told by a senior wine judge, many years ago now, that with wine "diversity is the spice of life". I didn't pay heed to that advice until some years later. With a cellar full of somewhat boring full throttle Aussie Shiraz, Cabernet (including blends of the two) and Riesling, I was tempted to sell most of it off due the total disillusion of always drinking pretty much the same thing.

Now my cellar is roughly 60% European (mostly French, a fair swag of German Riesling, a little Italian (reds only) and Portuguese (ports)) and 40% Australasian (just a small cache of NZ pinot and chardonnay).

As to your frustration with "Tasting Notes" - I been writing them for as long as you've been on this planet and understand your dilemna. Like the drift of my post thus far, if they're giving you grief doing them, just give them a rest until you feel right to start them up again. I sometimes give posting notes a break for several weeks at a time, enjoying the wine and people you share it with all the more.

I sometimes give posting notes a break for several weeks at a time, enjoying the wine and people you share it with all the more.

Sage advice as always DL! I have no trouble jotting down something that makes sense to me, but I guess I'll limit my note taking to that for the most part. You know writing notes has never made me feel I was enjoying people (or wines) less: I usually only jot down the name of the wines during a dinner and write my notes later.

Drinking a wide range is good advice - one that I think I do within the limits of what is available here.

-O-