White Wine Sans Oak

Consider Shiraz. It wasn't all that long ago every partygoer in town showed up with a bottle of dark, rich, oaky red. Even as the cache of the big Australian red began slipping, it was quickly supplanted by the rush to Argentine Malbec. Add all that to Cabernet Sauvignon's long run as the most popular red varietal wine in the world and you end up with a lot of people drinking red wine.

I know Pinot Noir and salmon work well, but do you really think Cabernet Sauvignon with mussels is the way to go? Malbec and a Cobb salad will not do it for me, nor does halibut and Shiraz. Personally, I have tried to buck the trend by drinking more Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling, a little Albariño and Viognier, but lately I've been turning to an old favourite, Chardonnay.

That's right, I said Chardonnay -- and no, I am not kidding. But you can relax; it is not that big, heavy, oaky style of Chardonnay that put California on the wine map in the 1970s. I'm drinking and enjoying a whole new generation of Chardonnays that are lighter, brighter and fresher and they are garnering renewed respect for their crisp, fresh style.

Worldwide, the best Chardonnay vines have been pushed to the coolest and most marginal (in terms of weather) vineyard sites where acidity and fruit are intensified long before the grape gets to the winery.

With few exceptions, the grapes hang longer and in cooler conditions, delivering more intensely flavoured fruit and more vibrant, mouth-watering acidity. The wines are much cleaner and more sophisticated and far better with food.

The reason is that modern producers are using less new oak, and when oak is used, most should be seasoned and French. In warmer climates, winemakers are also eschewing the acid lowering malolactic fermentation to prevent any drop in freshness. The result is some very smart Chardonnay that, after all is said and done, is an excellent white wine to accompany food.

Today we look at six excellent candidates that could change the way you think about Chardonnay and the first two come from our own Okanagan Valley.

Oliver-based Burrowing Owl Chardonnay 2008 has a ripe, honeyed nose with nutty lees, vanilla, citrus, baked apple notes on the nose. The palate is round and slightly oily but with a hint of sweetness and smoky, nutty, vanilla, saline flavours flecked with spicy, baked apple skin and grapefruit. The style is bit lean but it only makes it all the better with food. Try this with grilled halibut.

A few kilometres to the north, just past McIntyre Bluff, the Blue Mountain Chardonnay 2008 exhibits a much cooler style with aromas of vanilla, baked green apples, honey, floral and smoke. The entry is dry and fresh with grapefruit, green apple, lemon, spicy lees, and light vanilla, smoky, grassy flavours. The style is light and citrusy. The vines are now a comfortable 19 years old and the wine appears to be well settled into its terroir. A terrific seafood style.

The Mer Soleil Silver Unoaked Chardonnay 2008 is a poster child for the new California Chardonnay and it comes in a funky looking ceramic bottle. Look for a pear/baked apple, floral, citrus nose with bits of pineapple and light honey aromas.

A fresh, round, elegant style with baked pear, citrus, and pineapple fruit. There is no oak in the mix and no acid-deflating malolactic fermentation which leads to a juicy, ripe fruit style with tangy acidity.

Our first French candidate is the amazing William Fèvre Chablis Champs Royaux 2008. The '08 vintage works its magic on this entry level Chablis super charging its mineral, green apple, melon nose at least in a "reserved" French manner. The palate is fresh and crisp with citrus, melon, red apple, mineral flavours and a crisp finish. It pairs well with halibut. All that is missing is a screw cap. The grape must is fermented in stainless steel and only 10 per cent is aged in French oak barrels. It's a recipe for success.

Tormaresca Chardonnay 2007 from Apulia hits you with a peachy butter, floral, citrus nose flecked with lime, nutty, gooseberry nose. The style is surprisingly crisp for a southern Italian Chardonnay. Expect a juicy green apple, peach and grapefruit flavours flecked with lime and smoky pear highlights. A cooler, fresher style for seafood and the most elegant vintage yet from this Apulia-based winery. Fine value here.

Our other French bottle is Loron & Fils Bourgogne Blanc Montvallon Chardonnay 2009. A good Bourgogne is a joy to behold and a wonderful complement to simply prepared dishes. In this case, its light and delicate palate with green apple, grassy, floral, pear skin flavours hits the mark. A food-friendly Chardonnay in a lighter, tight French style. Of note is the Stevin screw cap closure, which clearly makes a difference, helping to reveal the finesse in this wine.

Price: $25

UPC: 626990001072

Score: 89/100

Remarks: Perfect with grilled halibut.

Blue Mountain Chardonnay 2008, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia

Price: $21

UPC: 00626452101085

Score: 88/100

Remarks: Dry, fresh, elegant palate. Try with seafood salads.

Mer Soleil Silver Unoaked Chardonnay 2008, Santa Lucia Highlands, Monterey County, California

Price: $30

UPC: N/A

Score: 88/100

Remarks: A ripe, juicy style with good acidity.

William Fèvre Chablis Champs Royaux 2008, Chablis, Burgundy, France

Price: $29

UPC: 03443620067263

Score: 88/100

Remarks: The palate is fresh and crisp with citrus, melon, red apple flavours.

Tormaresca Chardonnay 2007, Apulia, Italy

Price: $16

UPC: 8026530000015

Score: 87/100

Remarks: A cooler, fresher, elegant style for seafood. Good value.

Loron & Fils Bourgogne Blanc Montvallon Chardonnay 2009, Burgundy, France

Price: $18

UPC: 003298660024741

Score: 86/100

Remarks: Food friendly, lighter, tight style from France now under screw cap.