On the grapevine: Purer than pure

IN case you hadn't realised - and you could certaily be forgiven - winemakers are allowed to produce chardonnay without oak ageing.

The number of oakie Aussie chardonnays on the shelves would easily keep you going from one end of the year to the next.

And yet if you were to ask many a shop assistant for an un-oaked version you could well be met wit h a blank stare.

Oak barrels are expensive and their use in wine will add roughly pounds 1 to a bottle.

So by rights the un-oaked should be cheaper.

Certainly, Marks and Spencer are selling some decent versions.

Probably the best value of all is the Marks and Spencer White Burgundy, a good clean mouthful that shows you what chardonnay can be like before the intrusive winemakers get their grubby hands on it.

Clean crisp, with a refreshing acidity, it's a perfect partner for seafood of all types, but particularly crustaceans.

Also well worth trying is the Marks and Spencer Chablis, a bit more expensive but again showing what the grape tastes like in its purest form.

Just about the purest expression of chardonnay, though, is Chablis.

And it certainly makes your choice easier to know that the co- operative La Chablisienne makes just about every level of Chablis there is - and makes it very well, too. You'll find them everywhere.

But if you really must have oak then the Bin 65 1998 is perfect just now.

This is available in numerous shops, but Marks and Spencer long ago made sure that the version they sell has a slightly different label from everybody else.

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