The Chameleon of Chardonnays

I love big, bold reds. Some friends say I like to chew my wine. But last night, I dove right into a 2020 Pierre Ponnelle’s Saint-Véran. This delightful chardonnay had a few surprises waiting to be discovered.

The Saint-Véran tastes like toasted almonds with a light honeysuckle flower note. Made with 100% chardonnay grapes, this white is rich but not heavy. It is not buttery or oaky, which turns many wine lovers away from chardonnays.

Next, I tried the Saint-Véran with two cheeses and a hard salami. First up – a smooth, traditional goat cheese. Nope…just nope. The wine took on the sour notes of the cheese. While it brought a citrus out in the wine, it was bitter and not refreshing. Next – an aged (not smoked) gouda. The creaminess from the gouda really brought out and increased the almond flavor of the wine. Definitely recommend sturdy, creamy cheeses with this wine. Finally, the salami – the clear winner! The fats from the salami brought out the sweetness in the wine. Almond notes were still alive, but the honeysuckle jumped ahead with floral scents excited in my nose.

The producer's website says this wine matches with white meat, shellfish, and fruit pastries. I tried it with smoked chicken legs of two flavors – lemon pepper and sweet, spicy bacon wrapped. The lemon does not pair with this wine. A bitterness pronounced itself again. The sweet and spicy bacon wrapped smoked chicken legs were a hit! The wine sang like a beautiful soprano.

And therefore, I call this the chameleon of chardonnays. Pierre Ponnelle’s Saint-Véran mimicked the flavors of the food. I purchased this delight at Wegman’s for an affordable $17. I will have to grab another bottle to give it a go with the fruit pastry!