Dautel and the poetry of sticks

Dautel: A nearly unerring sense of taste and proportion

Dautel Chardonnays

For the moment we can ignore the question of what role German Chardonnay might play as a citizen of this overpopulated world. It also makes sense to have it as the consort to the Pinot Noirs because, Burgundy. Though I suggest looking at Chablis and not the Côte d‘Or as the template for these Chardonnays.

2022 Bönnigheim Chardonnay—glug-glug-glug!

The village-wine, screwcapped, 12.5% alc.

I confess it smells delicious. All the sweet-straw fragrance of “basic” Chard is amply displayed.

I further confess, as a glass of “basic” dry-white-wine for who knows what function or purpose, you could hardly do better. Even Pinot Blanc might be too assertive— and forget Riesling, which is much too distracting. This Chardonnay is happy, clean, and delicious. It doesn’t pretend to any great stoniness nor to any big leesy richness. It shows the virtues of essential simplicity, the kind that isn’t mundane, the kind that is interesting enough but just barely not too interesting.

It scratches the Muscat itch, but even that wine would be too adamant (albeit charmingly so in the best instances) whereas this is just the perfect companion-wine when you don’t want to think about it but also don’t want your intelligence insulted. 

I appreciate it without reservation! In its way it is perfect.

2021 Niedernberg, Besigheim 

Chardonnay on the side of the label—heavy bottle—no other designation and nothing on the website. What is this?

It is definitely “toasty-oaky.” Sweetly, attractively so, but one doesn’t trust these attractions. 12.5%