Chardonnay is the coolest…

It may have been a handful, ok … 28, Ontario wineries that first came up with the idea of a fête celebrating Chardonnay, but appreciation for that refined and complex grape already existed within the minds of Chardonnay lovers everywhere.

Having experienced the height of its popularity in the 1990s, Chardonnay found itself feeling the powerful brunt of a backlash. The ABC movement – Anything But Chardonnay – was born of the “mass-distribution of warm-climate offerings [that] led to perceptions that it was over-oaked and lifeless,” says an International Cool Climate Chardonnay Celebration report. The happy truth here is that Chardonnay doesn’t fit that description one bit.

Cool climates do wonders for this little grape loved so much by the winemakers who choose to work with it. Given the right terroir, Chardonnay shines through as balanced, refreshing, complex and elegant. “Cool climate Chardonnay can be a magical wine.”

In April of 2010, 28 Ontario wineries invited premium cool climate Chardonnay producers from around the world to present their best examples of this malleable grape. Called i4c (International Cool Climate Chardonnay Celebration) both the group and the celebration have grown. The result? More and more of us have a chance to indulge in one of the great pleasures of the vineyard – the taste and aroma of Chardonnay in the glass.

Come out to Niagara July 19 to 21 to experience the best of Chardonnay. Info and tickets at www.coolchardonnay.org.