Chardonnay's festival comeback

BY MAIKE VAN DER HEIDE

Ladies and gentleman, chardonnay is back.

Well, for a day at least.

Presumed unpopular but still the biggest-selling white wine globally, chardonnay and Marlborough are not often used in the same sentence, but at Saturday's Marlborough Wine Festival that all changed.

Sauvignon blanc was still the staple favourite, with pinot gris a very close second, but many wineries reported chardonnay sold rather well indeed.

Some thought perhaps the festival had attracted a particularly large group of chardonnay supporters this year, but Tohu marketing manager Jo De Fazio reckoned chardonnay was making a "resurgence".

She found festival-goers were feeling particularly experimental this year, so not only keen chardonnay drinkers but even solid sauvignon sippers were making a change, even if it was only for a glass.

Besides those varieties, she said Tohu sauvignon blanc's fresh, crisp and fruity flavour was a hit, but so was the riesling's sweeter taste.

Seresin Estate's big seller on Saturday was its Memento Riesling, but sales and marketing manager Joanna Glover said their chardonnay was also very well received, as it always was.

She said the Memento was a refreshing drop, so perfect for the hot afternoon, but also low in alcohol and with lots of residual sugar had an off-dry flavour that people loved.

Besides sauvignon, she said gewurztraminer had been chosen by a number of people, along with pinot gris and Seresin had a lot of repeat customers, particularly for the Memento.

Wine Marlborough marketing manager Marcus Pickens said perhaps it was chardonnay's turn to make it back to the stage.

"It's been slightly less fashionable for years, but it's still the highest-selling white wine in the world," he reasoned.

At Wither Hills, which was named best festival site for 2010, pinot gris was a popular pick of the day, but so was the 2008 Rarangi sauvignon blanc.

Wither Hills Rarangi vineyard manager Dwayne Ternent said the vineyard's coastal climate clearly influenced the wine and the result was a unique, drier style of sauvignon blanc.

Villa Maria retail and public relations manager Vince Edwards said its sweet, crisp riesling and its only red variety, pinot noir, was going down very well with those enjoying the sunny day.

Saint Clair Family Estate owner Neil Ibbotson said Pioneer Block 19 – otherwise known as the Bird block on Thomsons Ford Rd – was the most popular wine of the day at his stand.

It has also just been chosen by German airline Lufthansa to serve in their business class.

Mr Ibbotson said it was the wine's intensity and power that made it so attractive. Saint Clair's pinot gris was the second most favourite followed by its riesling, he said.

At Spy Valley Wines, general manager Blair Gibbs reported new variety Envoy Riesling Eschalon, a sparkling wine, was particularly popular with the festival-goers.

- The Marlborough Express