2010 Charles Duveaux Chardonnay

Is it bad to call a wine boring? I know it isn’t a compliment, no one is going to call you up and say, “I’m drinking the most boring bottle of wine right now, you’ve got to try it!” And yet, boring, ordinary, pleasant, and inoffensive are the first words that come to mind when I tasted the 2010 Charles Duveaux Chardonnay tonight.

It’s no secret that I am not fond of the buttery, oaky Chardonnays coming out of California. I highly prefer the green apple tartness, chalk,  minerality and austerity of a good Chablis. So when I bought this Chardonnay, a Vin de Pays d’Oc, from the Languedoc-Roussillon area in Mediterranean France, I was curious to check it out, and at $12, I didn’t have much to lose by trying it.

I was happy with the bottle. Served very chilled, it was light and refreshing with a vague hint of honey peaches on the nose, and a refreshing acidity. The only problem was that it had very little discernible flavor. It was pleasant, extremely simple and refreshing. The kind of wine to serve to non-wine drinkers, a pretty perfect party white since people will readily drink it even if it doesn’t make any impression. In fact, perfect uses for this wine might white sangria (slices of fruit would be delicious) or white wine spritzers at a brunch.

So maybe boring isn’t bad, its a safe bet (I’ve certainly tried undrinkable Chardonnays at this price point that served no purpose whatsoever) when you are in the mood to be bland or need a vehicle for other flavors.