Eloquently Chardonnay

Friday, November 16th, 2012

Jan ‘Boland’ Coetzee would have most people believe that he’s a man of few words – particularly English ones. But that’s a front: the former Springbok flanker can be extremely eloquent as he demonstrated at the Celebration of Chardonnay in Robertson recently.

With host Danie de Wet having welcomed the assembled guests, fellow winemakers and viticulturists along with media, chefs, sommeliers and other interested parties, to his De Wetshof wine estate which was literally blooming with ranks of iceberg roses in full blossom on a blazingly warm summer’s day, Coetzee took over.

“Saying that Chardonnay produces great wines is like saying that Michelangelo was a great painter. There’s so much more to both and the descriptions are inadequate. I feel obligated to use the greatest phrases when talking about Chardonnay,” he said. For someone who allegedly shies away from poetic linguistics in a second language, Coetzee showed that he’s more than capable of it when motivated!

And rightly so when the15 wines assembled before the 150-or so attendees comprised 11 of South Africa’s best along with four top international examples. (The wines were selected by Dave Hughes who invited a range of South African wine folk to each compile a list of their personal top 10 SA Chardonnays.) The 11 wines were Jordan Nine Yards 2011, Hartenberg Eleanor 2009, De Wetshof The Site 2009, Hamilton Russell Vineyards 2011, Paul Cluve Elgin 2011, Ataraxia 2010, Glen Carlou Quartz Stone 2010, Uva Mira Single Vineyards 2010, De Wetshof Bateleur 2009, Fleur du Cap Unfiltered 2011, Springfield Méthode Ancienne 2009. The international representatives comprised Cullen Kevin John 2010 from Margaret River, Australia, Joseph Drouhin Clos des Mouches 2009 and Domaine de Montille Puligny-Montrachet Les Cailleret Premier Cru 2007 from Burgundy, France, and a Hanzell 2009 from California, USA.

The presence of two De Wetshof wines in the top 11 was not a sop to the host but was a genuine reflection of the lists submitted by 28 wine writers, judges, Cape Wine Masters and a Master of Wine – and also of Danie de Wet’s passion for and specialisation in this grape variety.

One of the most animated points of discussion ensued after the tasting following a question from the floor: Is South Africa capable of producing unwooded Chardonnays of good quality? There was general consensus that the 11 local examples tasted more than held their own in the company of top international examples. All showed superbly, demonstrating wonderful true Chardonnay fruit with restraint in oak usage and confident winemaking – but the point that all contained oak was well made.

Three decades on from the planting of the first smuggled Chardonnay vines there’s a refinement and maturity that is obvious to anyone tasting oaked South African examples. But the most interesting contribution to the discussion came from Tsogo Sun Group Sommelier Miguel Chan who presented the results of a three-and-a-half year analysis of the hotel chain’s wine sales.

“Consumers are going for fresher styles,” Chan said. Unwooded Chardonnay had grown in popularity by 12% year-on-year and contributed 32% of the revenue derived from wine sales. “The consumer is looking for something that is less demanding than an oaked wine, that is softer and which they can comfortably finish a whole bottle of. Some 48% of the Chardonnays we have on our wine lists have been in oak for at least four to six months.” Chan also acknowledged that price was a factor with unwooded Chardonnays being cheaper than oaked ones.

There’s is no doubt that South African Chardonnay producers have been on a very steep learning curve over the past three decades since the grape was first planted here. Gone are the days of throwing everything, including the kitchen sink, at it! Restraint is the key with winemakers acknowledging that soils, site and fruit quality are the prime ingredients – not the oak.

“Patience is needed for an unwooded Chardonnay,” said Coetzee. “It’ll give you lots of grey hair but there’s no doubt in my mind that – given time – we will find the right plant material that can do the job.”

Renowned international viticulturist Phil Freese who has consulted to a number of wineries in South Africa for two decades echoed Coetzee’s views. “The quality unwooded Chardonnay question is a very appropriate one for the stage of evolution of the South African wine industry. There are a number of things you need to ask or consider: What are you trying to achieve to go into the next level of expressing the grape variety, and does the Chardonnay you’re producing need wood? Both questions say something about your market and about your particular site. The answer lies in individual objectives: what people want to achieve and what their sites offer.”

It’s a challenge which many committed Chardonnay producers will no doubt rise to, especially in view of the fact that there’s a market for this style of wine.