DRINK DIFFERENT - SUBTLETY FROM DOWN UNDER

Chablis: it is always worth treating yourself to a glass (or even a bottle).  It might vary in quality, but it almost never disappoints.  From the northern-most wine region of Burgundy, it is often argued that the wines of Chablis offer the purest, finest expression of the Chardonnay grape.

The popularity of Chardonnay exploded in the late 1980s and early 1990s, with big, blockbuster ‘fruit bombs’ from Australia dominating the UK wine market.  Fruity, easy-drinking, and often artificially oaked with so-called ‘teabags’, they were a rather unsubtle alternative to the rich, buttery Chardonnays of the Côte d’Or.

Thankfully the Australian wine industry has become considerably more sophisticated, producing Chardonnays more akin to the crisp, Flinty Chablis.  The best come from cooler areas such as Margaret River – often unoaked to highlight the pure flavour of the grape.