In Defense of Chardonnay

We are gathered here today to pour one our for our homie Drizly. Earlier this week, Uber announced it was closing its alcohol delivery app just three years after acquiring it for $1.1B. Oy.

This calls for a drink.

At sipply, we loved using Drizly for all of our last-minute gifting needs. As our resident sommelier, I also enjoyed recommending their unique and interesting bottles to our users. We remain committed to finding delicious wines that you will love, and will always remember the good times with Drizly. RIP.

One of our most gifted bottles is an absolute favorite around these parts: Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs. Made with 100% Chardonnay and retailing at $41.48, this wine comes from Sonoma and Napa and is produced in the same traditional method just like Champagne.

Now, before you say Chardo-NAYNAY 🙅🏻‍♀️ hear me out. Shame on the oak-obsessed Californians of the 70s who suffocated this helpless grape with an ungodly and unrelenting oak treatment. I see you, I hear you.

But listen, Chardonnay is the second most planted white grape globally for good reason. It’s an incredibly versatile grape that can produce some of the world’s best wine with the right growing conditions and treatment. Chardonnay from Chablis, the Northernmost region of Burgundy, produces light, dry white wines with incredible longevity and minerality. The grape is also a key blending partner in Champagne — how sneaky! And White Burgundy (a fancy name for Chardonnay from, well, Burgundy) routinely takes the top spot for the most expensive white wine in the world.

So, get over yourself and embrace ‘blanc de blancs’ (white of whites) wine, especially this flawless Schramsberg. It was good enough for President Nixon to serve at the historic ‘Toast to Peace’ in 1972, and it’s good enough for you to gift or drink!

This vibrant and fresh wine has captivating notes of grannysmith apple, lemon, custard and tart. On the palate, you will discover flavors of grapefruit, ginger and stonefruit. The finish is long and rewarding, leaving you reaching for another sip or three.

Chardonnay is a perfect food companion. Serve this wine by itself or as an apertif, or with a range of food including shellfish, ceviche, lemon chicken or thai curry. It’s a great counterpoint for soft cheeses as well.

We were planning on pouring one out for Drizly, but on second thought, if it’s Schramsberg in the glass we will find a different way to pay our respects. ✌🏻