The Great Chardonnay Face-Off II

Most events organized by the Philippines Branch have gone over very well.  However, one which was in danger of abortion was the Great Chardonnay Tasting Revisted for the 4th or 5th time over the course of the Branch's 30 year history. Is it because Chardonnays have become passe`- overtaken by sexier grapes like viognier, reisling,and gruner veltliner?  Is the mantra "Bordeaux for red and Burgundy for white" which we held dear for years overtaken by fashion?  Why do we persist in pitting Old World chards against the New World upstarts?  Is it the hope that, for once a French chard (the likes of a Montrachet or Corton-Charlemagne) would regain the throne?

Thank God for the persistence of directors Bill Stone, Othmar Ober, Oscar Ong, among others, that this event pushed through.  The Chardonnay tasting event took place in two parts: the first on November 24, 2011 and the second on January 19, 2012 held at the the Alliance Française.  The planning for the tasting was long and arduous.  The trigger for another Chardonnay face-off was a March 2011 article in the Decanter concluding that some Australian Chardonnays are the equal of top white Burgundy.  A buzz was created; not a few distributors were eager to show off their chardonnays.  A short list of 24 chards from France, Australia, the USA, New Zealand, Chile, Argentina, and South Africa meeting the conditions of availability in the Philippine market, current drinkability, and the price limit of P3500 had to be created by the organizing committee. Bacchus,Happy Living, Le Cellier, Moet Hennessy, Philippine Wine Merchants, Premium Wine Exchange, Sommelier Selection, Straits Wines, and Werdenberg entered their offerings at no charge to the Branch.  To them, we offer our gratitude and appreciation.  Fort & Tay, Wine Depot, and Zen Asia were the other distributors who had wines in the short list.  They offered their wines at a discount.  For that, we are also grateful.  Australia, France, New Zealand, USA were represented by 5 wines apiece while Chile had 2, Argentina and South Africa one each.

The most expensive wine in the list was the Pouilly-Fuisse`at P3565 which pipped the Robert Mondavi at P3500 and the least was Craggy Range at P965.Six wines were P3000 and up; two between P2000 but below P3000; 14 were between P1000 and P1999; and, two were below P1000.  These are list prices.

The event was first scheduled on June 25, 2011 in the morning.  The response from the membership was so poor that the committee had to rethink its strategy.  The planning and implementation were so far gone and the wines were already donated or purchased that canceling the event was not an option.  The format was to be divide the tasting into two parts to be conducted in the evening as judging 24 wines in one go was thought to be overwhelming.  It was slotted towards the end of the year and the beginning of the following year as the calendar of events was already filled up.  Even this strategy elicited a lukewarm response from the membership.  Only seven members participated in the two parts; one guest participated twice.  There were 12 participants (4 guests) in the November event and 11 (2 guests) in the January one.  Member Robbie Delgado brought two lady guests at each one which pushed the numbers.  Anyway, the event could handle a maximum of 15 at each part. The consolation was that the tasting portions were larger.

Othmar mastefully controlled the proceedings on both occasions; from the conduct of the BLIND tasting to the tabulation of the results. At the November tasting, the top 4 wines-in order-- were Seresin Reserve (NZ P1290), Chateau Sainte Michelle (USA P1430), Felton Road Block 2 (NZ P1800), Vire`-Classe` (France P1665).  On January 19, Wither Hills (NZ P990) took top honors followed by Rustenberg Five Soldiers (South Africa P1480), Robert Mondavi Reserve (USA P3500), Bird in Hand Nest Egg (Australia P3190).  When the two parts were combined, Seresin was the most liked, with Chateau Ste Michelle at second place, Wither Hills in third place, and Rustenberg fourth. Robert Mondavi and Felton Road tied for fifth place.

The dinners that followed were AFM's mainstays.  In November, the menu was tuna roulade with green asparagus, fruits de mer in papilotte, steak au poivre or blanc de poulet, and creme brulee accompanied by Brundmayer Gruner Veltliner Alte Reben 2003 and Isole e Olena Chianti Classico 2007.  For the January dinner, it was pate` and rillette, cream of mushroom soup, coq au vin, choice of dessert from the menu served with Charles de Fere Chardonnay Brut and Louis Jadot Moulin-a-Vent.  La Dame de Montrose 2007 were also served.  Frankly, the Novermber dinner was much better.

In conclusion, the New World again dominated the two evenings.  While the Chardonnays offered in the past tastings were different the result remains the same--New World rules.  Price and label do not influence blind tastings.  New Zealand chards were a revelation - -Seresin and Wither Hills in the top 4.  Chateau Ste Michelle from Washington state upstaged Napa to get into the winners' circle.  And the lone entry from South Africa made it to the top 4.  The two evenings were fun and educational.  A word of caution, the tastings do not claim to be scientific nor statistically accurate.  Nevertheless, the participants have spoken.

by Rene R. Fuentes