by Martin Field

I enjoyed a bottle of Laroche Petit Chablis 2004 ($28) the other night. A Chablis of a lesser appellation admittedly, but a lovely aperitif for all that. Not a fruity style but clean, acidic, minerally, without apparent oak and showing lip-smacking persistence. As I poured another glass I wondered why Australian winemakers don’t or can’t make something similar.

Of course, I’m not suggesting we can copy the inimitable Chablis but it is made from chardonnay and we have more than enough of that in Australia to experiment with. But what do we do with chardonnay? We make big, blowsy, buttery, oak-saturated, oily, soft, sweet, alcoholic, over the top wines, is what we do.

In the unrefined circles I move in, these styles are rarely seen on the dining table any more. Many people are sick of them and are more likely to pour sauvignon blanc, riesling, pinot gris or even viognier.

And as for cellaring Oz chardonnay, in my experience it’s a waste of time and space and money. Just lately I’ve opened a selection of aged (six years and more) premium bottles. Mostly, they’ve been disappointing. They lack acid; they display premature brownish hues and oxidative bouquets and are fat and flabby on the palate. Yet rieslings and semillons of similar age are inevitably youthful in appearance and a delight to drink.

Thinks: if I’m going to drink chardonnay, I’ll stick to just-released, unwooded styles, and Chablis – when I can afford it.