When it comes to white wine there are two popular styles that come to mind: Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. A well-practiced wine drinker will generally have a preference of one over the other, but what about the novice who can’t tell white wine from white vinegar?

First up is Chardonnay wine, sometimes referred to as a ‘Cheeky lil Chardy’.

It’s pronounced ‘shar-do-nay’ with the name stemming from the Chardonnay wine grapes used to make the wine. As the most widely planted wine grapes in the world, it’s little wonder the wine is so common.

Chardonnay is referred to as a ‘dry’ white wine, meaning it lacks the residual sugar present in sweeter white wines. Chardonnay usually shows fruity flavours of citrus, pear and apple, however, the taste will vary slightly according to climate and where the grape itself was grown.

Chardonnay is a versatile wine that lends itself to warmer weather and is often paired with light delicate food like grilled fish and shellfish, but it also works well with mild, buttery and creamy dishes.

It’s best to avoid pairing a chardy with acidic foods like raw tomato, olives and bitter vegetables as it can potentially destroy the taste of the wine. Chardonnay has such a subtle nature, it can easily be overwhelmed by pungent foods – don’t say we didn’t give you a heads up.

Here are some of our favourite Chardonnays at Tipple:

Cloudy Bay Chardonnay
Flavours of stone-fruit and citrus are perfectly balanced with creamy nutty oak. Crisp and a lengthy finish.

Fat Bastard Chardonnay
Cold and slow fermentation has created a well balanced Californian Chardonnay with ripe stone fruits on the palate.

Montalto Estate Chardonnay 2015
Made with the best fruit from the estate’s vineyards; fermented and matured in quality French oak. Citrus and white peach fruits, with creme brûlée and hazelnut complexity.

Now, let’s move onto the Sauvignon Blanc, Australia’s best selling white wine commonly known as a ‘Sauv Blanc’. The French term can seem difficult to say (and spell) but is pronounced ‘sah-vin-yon-blonk’ and stems from the green-skinned Sauvignon Blanc grape, which actually translates to “Wild White”.

Sauvignon Blanc is a refreshing drop and tends to be sweeter than Chardonnay with primary flavours of lime, passionfruit, white peach and green apple, making it quite flexible on the food pairing front. Sauvignon Blanc pairs well with goats’ cheese and green vegetables, two foods that help to bring out the best flavours of the wine.

You may have heard your wine snob friend ask for the Marlborough Sauv Blanc on the menu, a famous region in New Zealand that is known for producing delectable wines. This particular wine region tends to create a richer textured wine by adding a small amount of sugar. It’s always a win-win choice if you’re a Sauvignon Blanc novice.

Here are some of our favourite Sauvignon Blancs at Tipple:

Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc
A medium-bodied white wine with aromas of guava, nettle and gooseberry and finished off with some herbal tones.

Brancott Sauvignon Blanc
A crisp white wine that displays bright citrus aromas of Tahitian limes with blackcurrant and a hint of wild thistle.

Latitude 41 Sauvignon Blanc
A delicious palate of ripe fruits from melons, passionfruit and gooseberry, with hints of oak that adds creaminess and complexity.

To wrap things up, if you like a dryer wine, Chardonnay is probably your best bet, but if you like wine that is fruitier and a bit more on the sweeter side, give Sauvignon Blanc a try.

If you’re interested in learning about Australia’s white wine drinking habits, you can check out this blog post where we take a deeper dive into our data and what suburbs are drinking what. [ link]

Last but not least, for the month of November, we have some great wines on special. Perhaps it’s time to try something new?

6ft6 Sauv Blanc $24.99 $21.99
Fat Bastard Malbec $18.99 $16.99
Oyster Bay Brut Rose $26.99 $23.99

For all your other needs, you can choose from a large selection of white (and other varieties) on Tipple (link to White wine section on Tipple) and get it delivered to your door cold & fast.