ROOM FOR UNOAKED CHARDONNAY

Chardonnay is already the top selling varietal by volume, but the latest research suggests there is a virtually untapped opportunity to expand sales. While 31% of respondents listed chardonnay as their favorite wine, it seems that U.S. consumers might prefer a less oaky chardonnay according to a survey conducted in Wine Opinions quarterly Core Track Report. Over half (59%) of the 2,250 wine drinkers in the U.S. claim that have either seen or are familiar with chardonnays containing less or no oak flavors. Out of the respondents, 78% have tasted or purchased the Australian-style wine.

Historically, chardonnay has always been aged in oak barrels, but Christian Miller, the Research Director of Wine Opinions claims the “wine consumer market is fracturing when it comes to a taste for oak in chardonnay." The survey found that most consumers accept both styles, but members of the industry tend to have a higher acceptance for the non-oaked range.

And for those 41% of regular wine drinkers who said they have not seen or heard of the wine style, only 11% said they were either “not very” or “not at all” interested in samplying it. In fact, 60% claimed they were either “somewhat” or “very” interested in the unoaked style.