Commodity - A basic good like crude oil, grain, or steel that is interchangeable with other goods of the same type. A soybean is a soybean, it doesn't matter where it comes from.
To some, Chardonnay is a commodity.
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| The best-selling Chardonnay in the U.S. for over three decades |
American Chardonnay is often a wine where none of the components stand out. You won't say, "That's really refreshing, or that's way fruity, etc." The most popular Chardonnays are designed that way. It's the wine you don't have to think about.
That's good on some occasions and for some people. Evaluating a wine can be mentally exhausting as you are having to think about each component (acid, oak, fruit, tannins, sweetness etc.) and how a particular wine compares to other wines of the type. There are many flavors and aromas to decipher. There is something called palate fatigue, where your taste and smell sensors get overloaded and exhausted. Few people are going to want that when they head to the fridge for a cold bottle of wine after a crappy day at work. You can't blame them.
Years ago my mother-in-law, from the Midwest, would always ask for a glass of Chablis in restaurants. In her part of the country, that meant the cheap house white, most likely Chardonnay. Eventually, she learned to ask for a glass of house Chardonnay. She just wanted an inexpensive glass of chilled wine and not have to think about it.
Inexpensive oaky, buttery, soft Chardonnay has its place. You can tell by the sales numbers.
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