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Though blended white wines (made from two or more grape varieties) have been produced in Europe for centuries, they aren’t always fully appreciated. And yet, they can be wonderful bottles that have the prowess to fascinate aficionados like a riddle, wrappeGetting to the bottom of Chardonnay blends
Though blended white wines (made from two or more grape varieties) have been produced in Europe for centuries, they aren’t always fully appreciated. And yet, they can be wonderful bottles that have the prowess to fascinate aficionados like a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma. Luckily, all that’s required to unlock the white wine conundrum is a wine key to pull the cork. Chances are that the pour won’t taste all that unfamiliar because Chardonnay is more often than not the main blending partner anyway – and who has never tried Chardonnay? The combination with Sauvignon Blanc in still dry whites, although not often talked about, crops up extensively throughout the winemaking world. The two grape varieties come from two very dissimilar vine gene pools and traditionally produce pretty diverse styles of wine when kept apart. Chardonnay is usually smudgy, round and buttery, while Sauvignon Blanc is razor-sharp, aromatic and zingy. The dry white wines of Cheverny, a small appellation in the Loire-et-Cher region of France, are an old school case in point. With a few years of bottle age, the mix made from both grapes morphs into one harmonious, broad and weighty... Read more