Pierre Chavin 5.5% Chardonnay

The Pierre Chavin brand is a French marketing creation claiming to bring traditional French winemaking elan to zero or lower ABV drinks, all aimed at export markets (they maybe didn’t think the French people would fall for these products?).   Such elan that they even claim that this drink has an “ageing potential” of 5 years – which seems most improbable given that it’s a soft drink.  In fact, it  is a mixture of 100% dealcoholised wine, grape juice, yeast and oak infusions and citric acid.

Despite apparently working all night to harvest their grapes and their clever use of flavourings, nothing of the taste of Chardonnay survives their reportedly “gentle” production process and to me the result most resembles watery cold tea with a large squeeze of lemon.  Disagreeable to my palate but, contrarywise to the Hardys 0% Chardonnay, my wife quite liked this drink – appreciating the balance of the acid and underlying fruits.  Which also proves that this does not resemble a Chardonnay, as that’s a wine she loathes…

In summary, some may enjoy this light refreshing drink but don’t expect it to be Chardonnay-like.