Knock on Wood

I recently had a conversation with a fellow grape nut about why I hate Chardonnay. Okay, let me qualify that. I dont HATE Chardonnay. I can appreciate it under the right circumstances and paired with the right food. What I don't like is OAKY Chardonnay. For those of you who are new to the wine world, you may not know that wines, both red and white, are often stored and aged in oak barrels. This gives the wine a woody, vanilla taste that adds complexity. It's also more complicated than that, has something to do with the barrels letting in a certain amount of oxygen. But the gist is that when Chardonnay is stored in oak barrels, it takes on a buttery vanilla flavor. Blech! It can be California or French oak. French is more subtle, doesn't completely overpower the flavor of the wine. (Yay France!) But oak does have its place, and I can even appreciate it in a red wine. Unlike poor defenseless white, red wine has a stronger flavor and can stand up to pushy oak. The conversation about Chardonnay started because a friend had left half a bottle in my fridge after a girls' night. Now that I've knocked on wood (pun totally intended), I admit that the conversation ended with me saying "But I'm still going to drink it. It's still better than soda."