What the !@#$%^&*!? has happened to California Chardonnay? (A rant)

[Randy Caparoso]

Hate to say it, but you guys are being a little mean about this. You know darned well that as a grape Chardonnay is something of a tabula rasa (not like a Capa-rasa). The wisdom of 100% barrel fermenting, ML-ing, natural yeasting, unfined, unfiltered, unnothinged Chardonnay was originally uncovered by the Burgundians (dose wily French) precisely for that reason. Meaning: it brings out the best in that grape.

I won't argue the point that many California Chardonnays taste less of the grape than the oak and winemaking process. Nevertheless, I'd argue that the wines would probably be less interesting (and certainly less profitable and satisfying as a winemaker's art form) if it were done plain, plain, plain. Like chocolate chip cookies without the chips (even those things started out like that before someone got wiser).

Of course, if you can get past it, there's no questin in my mind that in spite of all the excesses California Chards are better than ever. Why? Because they are more supple, more elegant, and more multi-layered than ever. I think you guys are just tired of drinking the stuff. Too much of a good thing. Or am I the miscreant? Or as that guy Bobby (de Niro, not Kacher) says, "analyze this"... not ya'll.