MONTAGNAC CHARDONNAY 2010 / 2011

Description & Press Reviews:
Wine Style:  Medium White

A Chardonnay in a different league.  This is unoaked Chardonnay and this grape is used in Champagne as well as in the Chablis wines of Burgundy.  Montagnac Chardonnay comes from Hérault in the Languedoc and is made by the Montagnac co-operative. The Languedoc-Roussillon region shares many terrain and climate characteristics with the neighbouring regions of Southern Rhone and Provence.

Montagnac Chardonnay is a pale gold in colour and is a crisp and fruity wine with the flavours of summer flowers, vanilla, green apples, tart lemons and pear - and has a nice little sherbet bite on the finish. In the mouth it is smooth and simple with good acidity and plenty of fruit flavours coming through with the added attraction that there is no presence of oak! It leaves you with a “clean” mouthfeel unlike the Oaked Chardonnays at the other end of the spectrum.

This Chardonnay will pair really well with dishes based on creamy or buttery sauces, tuna, salmon, chicken, pork and salads.  It will also go well with the exotic flavours of Caribbean cooking,  Chinese cuisine and even light fruity Indian dishes. 

Andrew Barrow, Spittoon
Three Wines from France: The Montagnac Range
"Judging an independent wine merchant on its cheapest wines is a great indication of the overall care the merchant puts into its overall range. It is relatively easy to list great wines at the £10/£20/£30 price range but much harder to find something exclusive at under a fiver that is not one of the huge brands available from everywhere else. If consideration has been given to the most basic of wines you should trust the choices at higher prices too."

For those who relish the smooth, unoaked style of Chardonnay. Abounds with crisp apple, citrus and pear flavours with a nice little sherbet bite on the finish. Lovely drinking on its own but made for a great combination when served with (Waitrose) Fish Skewers with Thai Spices - Thai Style Salmon and Cod fish Patties lightly spiced with fresh coriander, lime and chili, served with a sweet chili and soy dipping sauce. (I should mention that the dipping sauce killed the wine as it would with almost anything bar water and beer! The sauce itself was terrible to burnt in flavour and very glutinous). Alcohol 13.5%.  Scribblings Rating - 90/100 [3.75 out of 5]

Theo, 50 Connect
In preparing this article my mood became almost as gloomy as the wintry weather that's still dogging us. As I surveyed the wine aisles of the major supermarkets and wine merchants, courtesy of my laptop, I was struck by how many are persisting with Sauvignon, Chardonnay and very little else - hardly sensational.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm fond of both these varietals. Chardonnay in particular can be thrilling if not given so much oak that it can be churned - as with the Montagnac Chardonnay for instance.

Click here for more information on this wine.