LCBO Food & Drink Early Summer 2021

BASICS

The myth that a white wine should be served in a smaller glass than a red is just that: a myth. A larger bowl and gently narrowing rim help amplify and focus the aromatics in any wine— and will help make your Chardonnay sing.

Chardonnay is the second most planted white grape in the world. This fact alone should give you a sense of its importance among winemakers and wine lovers. Why is it so special? Well, Chardonnay is remarkably adaptable to growing regions, which means it can flourish in climates from South Africa’s ocean coast to Chile’s Andean hill­ sides and from the cooler reaches of Northern Italy to the desert climes of Sicily. It loves Burgundy’s golden slopes, the cool lakeside plains of Prince Edward County, Ont., and New Zealand’s ocean breezes. Wine­ makers love it because it can handle a variety of oak treatments, types of fermentation and viticulture (grow­ ing and harvesting) methods. What you need to know is that in all its iterations, Chardonnay is an incredibly food-friendly wine, as perfect for dinner for one as it is for a family meal or special toast (Cham­ pagne, after all, typically contains Chardonnay). For these reasons, it offers an incredible range of flavour profiles—so many variations, in fact, that there really is a Chardon­ nay for everyone. You may just not know it yet. Read on and get ready to excite your taste buds.

Meet your match

Don’t like Chardonnay? Perhaps you just haven’t found the right one. Our style guide to this crisp white may change your mind, even if you’ve subscribed to the ABC movement.

By Dick Snyder | photography by darren kemper

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FOOD & DRINK EARLY SUMMER 2021