Things You'll Need:
- One bottle of oaked Chardonnay
- One bottle of un-oaked Chardonnay
- A corkscrew and wine glasses
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Step 1
Recognize that Americans created their own style of Chardonnay that has been popular for the past 15 years. This style is aged in new French or American oak barrels.
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Step 2
Understand that barrels made of French or American oak may impart the flavor of vanilla, spice, or butter into the wine during aging. French or American oak barrels are what make Chardonnay taste rich and buttery on the tongue.
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Step 3
Understand that un-oaked Chardonnay is Chardonnay that has been fermented and then aged in stainless steel, old barrels or glass-lined containers.
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Step 4
Be aware that most domestic unoaked Chardonnay is made from Chardonnay grapes and that French Chardonnay, which derives from the district of Burgundy in France, is often called Chablis.
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Step 5
To really appreciate unoaked Chardonnay doesn’t mean that you never drink a big buttery Chardonnay anymore, but that you appreciate the difference.
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Step 6
To appreciate the difference, buy a bottle of each type. Oaked Chardonnay is still the predominate one on the market. Un-oaked Chardonnay will generally state that on the label.
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Step 7
Invite some friends over and chill both wines to between 45 to 50 degress Fahrenheit. When chilled, uncork and pour into wine glasses or jelly glasses if you’re so inclined.
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Step 8
Notice upon tasting the un-oaked Chardonnay that there is a very straightforward and refreshing taste without the butter and vanilla taste of the oaked version. You may also notice that the un-oaked version seems a bit more sharply acidic than the oaked version, which surprisingly makes it an interesting and refreshing wine.
