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

[Randy Caparoso]

Like I said, I won't argue your point about excessive use of new oak, Bucko. That's why my own ultimate favorites are the more subtle (but still 100% barrel fermented/ML) styles of producers like Au Bon Climat in Santa Barbara, Chalk Hill in Sonoma, and Ken Wright in Oregon. They're oaky, but the oak just pushes forward the natural fruit and minerality.

But still I think about about how so many other Chardonnays would be just plain boring without the complexities of new oak; and when I do, I have to conclude that things are at least a little more interesting than before; and when there was little to distinguish between a run-of-the-mill Chardonnay and a Sauvignon Blanc or even Pinot Blanc.