Oaked chardonnay, that darling of the late 1980s and early '90s, was shunned by consumers in the mid- and late '90s when lighter wine became the trend. "ABC" (anything but chardonnay) was the phrase among wine lovers, even though they might still claim they loved Chablis (a 100 per cent chardonnay wine from northern Burgundy). Australia, once a major producer of oaked chardonnay, now makes more subtle or even unoaked versions. So why do we still find oaked whites on wine shop shelves?
White grape varieties fall into three broad categories: aromatic, semi-aromatic and neutral. Aromatic grapes are those with pronounced flavours that are derived from the grapes rather than oak or other winemaking techniques. Such flavours are usually specific to the variety. Neutral grapes have mild aromas and varietal characters. Semi-aromatic grapes are somewhere inthe middle, examples being chenin blanc, pinot gris and grüner veltliner.
Aromatic grapes include riesling, with its lime, floral and lanolin aromas; sauvignon blanc, with its distinctive grassiness and gooseberry scents; gewürztraminer with its unmistakable lychee and perfume; the gingery and spicy viognier and the grapey muscat. These varieties don't like new oak because, far from adding complexity, the wood just overwhelms the delicate aromas.
Neutral grapes, as you might have guessed, can be manipulated more easily in the winery. The use of oak is one technique to bring more aromas to the wine. Oak-friendly white grapes include chardonnay, semillon (think Bordeaux white), pinot blanc and the Spanish verdejo.
To understand oak and white wine more deeply we must consider oak fermentation, oak ageing, and whether the oak is new or old.
Chardonnay has a great affinity with oak. But the typical '80s New World chardonnay in a lower price bracket was fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks at low temperatures to extract the tropical fruit flavour, then aged in new oak, usually American oak chips, giving it a deep yellow hue, rich palate and in-your-face vanilla and toasted aromas. The wine was bold, perhaps pleasing to new consumers but repulsive to experienced ones. I'm glad this style has largely disappeared. Nowadays, 100 per cent oak-aged chardonnay is mostly from California, and the use of oak is less heavy handed, with only three to six months in a mixture of American and French barrels.