July has many special days. From the 4th of July to Bastille Day, Madiba Day and even Chocolate Day! (Read more). There is one international wine day too – Cava Day on 12 July – quite fitting for holidays goers in Spain enjoying the Northern hemisphere summer. For me, however, the 31 days of wintery July in South Africa are all about Chardonnay.
In July, the Franschhoek Valley celebrates its French heritage and winemaking traditions are at the centre of the festivities. Franschhoek has a focus on and flair with Chardonnay and that is why I love swirling a beautiful glass of Franschhoek Chardonnay with my winter stews, curries and soups rather than the red you would expect in the heart of winter.
Chardonnay is Franschhoek’s most planted grape with 195 hectares in the valley and along the mountain slopes planted with Chardonnay vineyards. It is not only popular among wine drinkers and bubbly lovers, but it is also a favourite of wine farmers and viticulturists as it is one of the less challenging varieties to grow. It can be planted in a variety of terroir – even non-traditional wine countries such as Zimbabwe have in the past produced acceptable Chardonnay. But being easy is not the reason why we consider Franschhoek Chardonnay to be special.
Why do I get so excited about Franschhoek Chardonnay? Those in the know say Chardonnay performs best when planted in lime-rich (chalky) soils, something Franschhoek does not have. Franschhoek’s climate is also warmer than the head office of Chardonnay in France. Franschhoek does, however, have poor, well-drained soils and then, you can expect that special X-factor: the recognisable lime, citrus and cashew nut on the nose, a creamy texture with minerality on the palate and a lingering follow through. And as a further tribute to the French Huguenot heritage of our area, Franschhoek Chardonnay often offers that oatmeal character some of the best French examples are known for. Acclaimed for the variety of styles of still Chardonnay produced in the valley, Franschhoek also uses Chardonnay in its famous Cap Classique sparkling wines introduced to visitors on its Méthode Cap Classique Route and as the reason for the very popular annual Bubbly festival.
Let’s have a look at the famous Chardonnays of France. Burgundy is acclaimed for its Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Terroir is the focus for quality and vineyards are classified into four quality levels: Grand Cru, Premier Cru, Village Wines and Regional Wines, indicated as such on the label. Grand Cru is the top of the crop and only about 2% of vineyards in Burgundy are classified as such. Premier Cru is about 12% of the vineyards and is still expensive and beautiful. Village Wines are not vineyard specific, but from one of the 42 villages of Burgundy, also indicated on the label. Regional wines are a blend of vineyards from across the Burgundy region, account for 50% of the wine in the area and are labelled as Wine of Bourgogne. (Read more) Even these Regional wines from Burgundy are exceptional. The four production areas of Chardonnay or White Burgundy are: Bourgogne Blanc (unoaked and easy), Chablis (unoaked with lime or steely notes), Mâconnais (usually unoaked and fruity) and Côte de Beaune (the crème de la crème, oak matured and complex). (Winefolly.com) These wines offer an exceptional expression of their terroir, honoured by well-considered technique. This is something Franschhoek wineries aim for as well.
I believe our local Chardonnay performs best when made in a more elegant style, when grapes are picked just ripe enough to contribute beautiful natural fruit flavours and winemaking technique and barrel maturation are applied with restraint, making the most of the valley’s terroir. The vineyards of the Franschhoek Valley offer a variety of styles as they are planted between the Wemmershoek, the Groot Drakenstein and the Franschhoek Mountains. The valley is sheltered from both the heat of the Breede River Valley as well as strong oceanic influences from the Atlantic Ocean. Temperatures are more moderate (in local terms) as the mountains trap the cool southerly winds and cast shadows to reduce the amount of sunlight. The result is an extended growing season and complexity of flavours. Granite against the higher slopes is complemented by predominant Alluvial sandstone in the valley – heavier soils surrounding the Berg River that runs through the valley and sandy soils in the rest of the valley floor and on the lower slopes. (Read more)
I believe the era of over-oaked Chardonnays that lead to the Anything But Chardonnay movement, is a thing of the past. There is a reason why Chardonnay is planted in more than 40 countries, covering more than 200 000 hectares globally. (Forbes.com) Wine Spectator also announces Chardonnay as the world’s most planted white wine grape variety. Airén which used the be the world’s biggest volume of white wine plantings have dropped significantly, and it has even been dethroned by Tempranillo in Spain.
Not only a pleasure for viticulturists to grow and winemakers to craft, Chardonnay’s variety of styles and the fact that it is such a versatile partner to food ensure that is stays one of the most popular white wines on earth. The fact that I have such easy access to all the beautiful examples from Franschhoek, makes it a regular in my glass!