Oaked Chardonnay versus Unoaked Chardonnay, who's winning in South Africa?
It's difficult to determine the most popular style of Chardonnay in South Africa as it can vary depending on several factors, including regional preferences, trends in the wine industry, and personal taste. However, in general, unoaked Chardonnay tends to be more popular than oaked Chardonnay.
Unoaked Chardonnay is a style of wine that is made without being aged in oak barrels. This allows the true flavours and characteristics of the grape to shine through, resulting in a fresh, crisp, and often fruit-forward wine that is easy to drink and pairs well with a variety of foods.
On the other hand, oaked Chardonnay is a style of wine that is aged in oak barrels, which can impart flavours of vanilla, caramel, and toast to the wine. This style of Chardonnay tends to be fuller-bodied, richer, and more complex than unoaked Chardonnay, but can also be more polarizing due to the distinct oak flavours.
In recent years, there has been a trend towards more unoaked Chardonnays, which highlight the fruit flavours and freshness of the grape without the influence of oak. This style is now referred to as "unwooded" or "naked" Chardonnay. However, there are still many producers in South Africa who make oaked Chardonnays that showcase the grape's versatility and ability to take on different flavour profiles depending on the use of oak.
At Du Toitskloof we give you the best of both worlds with a lightly-oaked Chardonnay. Whilst 50% of our Chardonnay is matured in French oak, the other 50% is fermented in stainless steel tanks ensuring that the wine is fruit-forward, bursts with citrus flavour and hints at vanilla with a smooth mouthfeel.
