Oaked vs. Unoaked Chardonnays Result in Strikingly Different Wines

Last spring I featured a column on the differences between oaked and unoaked chardonnay and how the addition of oak can influence a wine’s color, aroma, flavor and overall body style.

At the time I included a number of oaked and unoaked recommendations, but I tasted them separately rather than side-by-side. So as an alternative, I decided to give the comparison method a try at a recent class I taught at Bellingham Technical College. The differences, though not entirely surprising, were striking.

For the unoaked wine, I served a Ryan Patrick Vineyards 2009 Naked Chardonnay (about $11). Sourced from Columbia Valley grapes and fermented in stainless steel, this lighter bodied chardonnay had a whisper of lemon with a splash of wet stone and minerality on the finish. The wine was a bit non-descript for my tastes, but for those who appreciate a unoaked, cleaner chardonnay it might prove to be a refreshing choice.

The oaked chardonnay was represented by a Crème De Lys Vineyards 2010 Chardonnay (about $11) from Sonoma, California. There’s a bit of caramel on the nose, baked apple and tropical fruit flavors, and a lengthy finish of toasted vanilla and lemon crème. Most of my class preferred the more pronounced flavors and fuller body of this chardonnay, but again, it’s really all a matter of personal preference.

If you’d like to have some fun with this, I’d suggest organizing a wine tasting party by having everyone bring a variety of oaked and unoaked chardonnays and compare the differences.

Toss in some chardonnay-friendly cheeses such as fontina, camembert, brie or provolone along with a sliced baguette or some rustic bread and you’ve got a relatively low-cost activity that should prove to be entertaining and informative.

Here are a few more chardonnay choices for you to consider:

A to Z Wineworks 2009 Chardonnay (about $15) – This is another chardonnay that’s aged in stainless steel, rather than oak, resulting in a lighter, brighter wine. Citrus aromas lead off, with more citrus on the palate along with flavors of white peach and pear. The wine was sourced from 17 different Oregon vineyards.

J Vineyards & Winery 2009 Chardonnay, Russian River Valley (about $28) – Everything I’ve tried as of late from this California winey has been awesome, and this chardonnay is yet another stunning example. Aged in French oak barrels, it opens with hints of toffee and butterscotch aromatics along with gentle flavors of mango, stone fruits, and marzipan. The finish is round and creamy with a hint of baking spice.