Chardonnay, while not the most internationally planted white grape cultivar, is definitely one of the most widely grown grapes, produced in every country where wine is made. Chardonnay is also one of the most recognisable cultivars and data shows that despite being influenced by trends (the era of ABC – ‘Anything But Chardonnay’ refers) it has remained consistently popular among consumers.
Big, sweet, oaky butter-bomb Chardonnays, like perms and shoulder pads, have long since been relegated to the 80s and 90s. The spike in unoaked Chardonnay under screw cap at a lower price point in the last decade has been, to a certain extent, a knee-jerk reaction to the ABC movement but has served the purpose of changing consumer perception.
“The upshot of these observations is that wine, much like fashion, is cyclical and trends come and go as tastes change”, says Carolyn Martin. “The key though is that the consistent popularity of Chardonnay throughout all these changes points to a large proportion of cool climate Chardonnay producers who do not necessarily follow the trends. Characteristics of these classically styled, Chardonnays include elegant fruit, fresh minerality and complexity”.
Chardonnay was first brought to South Africa illegally (a result of the strict rules imposed by the KWV monopoly at the time) by the pioneers of Chardonnay – including Danie de Wet, Jan ‘Boland’ Coetzee and Peter Finlayson. It was smuggled in because these ambitious winemakers wanted to make serious, high quality wines, and it is their legacy that we build upon today. Click here to read further.
Book a tasting experience at Creation Wines
With the summer holidays around the corner, Creation is now taking bookings for December 2015 and January 2016 – book now to avoid disappointment! Good news is that for the period 18 December to 15 January we’ll be extending our opening hours until 19h00 for sundowners (excluding 24 and 31 December when we will close at 17h00 pm). Click here to see our new Sunset Tapas Menu available between 17h00 and 19h00 pm.
For those who like to get an early start to the day, we offer our 10AM Brunch Pairing (arrival at 09h45). This innovative pairing comprises 8 breakfast-themed canapés with 8 premium wines from the Creation range. Challenge your senses and treat your palate to a truly unique experience! Pre-booking essential.
Click here to read about all the pairing options available for your visit. To book, call (028) 212 1107 or contact [email protected].
