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[Innkeeper]

Flabby is a politically correct term for fat. Fat according to Hugh Johnson is, "Wine with a flavor and texture that fills your mouth, but without aggression." Mr Johnson could have added, without other compensating qualities such as acidity. In the case of chardonnay, particularly New World Chardonnay, the problem is that most of it (90%+) is exposed to green oak or "teabags" of toasted oak sawdust (depending on whether or not is over or under the $15 price point), malolactic fermentation, and/or excessive exposure to its lees during fermentation; and further exposure to new and/or old oak in the aging process. When all the resulting flavor is combined with normally low degrees of acidity, a flabby wine results.

[This message has been edited by Innkeeper (edited 09-28-2001).]