Thirsty work

7:00am Saturday 16th August 2008

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Fancy a drink? Lucy Corry raises her glass to the week's best buys.

MAKE MINE CHARDONNAY Chardonnay - the wine that gave rise to dozens of little girls being named after mummy's favourite tipple - is in danger of being left on the shelf.

Image-wise, it's been a tough few years for the gutsy grape. First Bridget Jones' started knocking it back to salve her singleton worries, then Kath and Kim started having a nice glass of 'cardonnay' on the patio.

According to a TNS retail survey, 200,000 fewer drinkers put a bottle of 'chardy' in their shopping basket in the last year.

Wine guru Oz Clarke blamed Bridget Jones for making chardonnay look like the drink of choice for the desperate and dateless, but there must be more to it than that.

Maybe it's climate change - a year of rampant drought in Australia has slashed yields - or perhaps it's competition from what are perceived to be classier varieties like sauvignon blanc and pinot grigio.

Either way, I refuse to believe that chardonnay is uncool. Sure, there are plenty of dodgy ones, but a good chardonnay has incredible depth of flavour. It doesn't deserve to go the way of the prawn cocktail or Babycham.

The big, bold Australian chardonnays that tended to dominate the cheap and cheerful end of the wine aisle may become less prevalent as New World winemakers adapt their styles to suit the UK and European markets.

Keep an eye out for the new Grey Label 2007 Chardonnay from Aussie brand McGuigan. This is a lean and elegant wine from the country that brought us sunshine in a glass, with good length and acidity. It's going to be available from Tesco in early August, priced £6.99.

McWilliams Hanwood Crisp Chardonnay 2007 (also £6.99 at Tesco) is another refined nail in the coffin for heavy oaky Aussie chardonnay.

It's fruity, but not aggressively so, and the non-chardonnay fan I served it to was pleasantly surprised. She even asked for a second glass!

If your friends are fully paid-up members of the ABC (Anything But Chardonnay) Club, tell them that Les Quatre Clochers Chardonnay Reserve 2005 is white burgundy. This gorgeous wine, winner of a silver medal at the 2007 International Wine Challenge, represents amazing value - it's like finding a decent designer knock-off at half the price of the original. It's £7.20 at Tesco.

Alternatively, tempt them with a glass of Nederberg Chardonnay Viognier 2007 (you might want to mumble the chardonnay bit). The viognier gives this crisp, full-bodied wine a refreshing lemony lift - and it's just £4.99 from Morrisons and Waitrose.

You could further lure them into French chardonnay territory with a glass of Macon Chardonnay Grande Reserve 2005 (currently on special for £8.50 at Nicolas). By this stage they'll either be seeing the error of their ways, or they'll have run from the room - which means there's all the more for the rest of us.

Lastly, save Bushland Reserve Chardonnay for your best chardonnay-drinking mates. This is proper old-school Ocker chardonnay with big, bold fruit flavours and lots of oak, direct from the famous Hunter Valley. This style of wine might not be so fashionable these days, but people who choose their wine according to fashion deserve to drink vinegar. Best of all, it's £3.99 a bottle at Aldi - and that kind of bargain is always in vogue.

DRINK THIS: It's organic, it's Chilean, it costs just over £6 - and it's even suitable for vegans - there's a lot to love about Gamma Organic Chardonnay 2007 even before you pop the cork. Lots of lush fruity flavours make this a summer winner. Gamma Organic Chardonnay 2007 is available from Oddbins, priced £6.49, or £5.19 a bottle if you buy a case.

LIQUID NEWS :: August 12 marks the traditional start of the grouse-shooting season. Even if you prefer to do your huntin' shootin' and fishin' in the air-conditioned comfort of your local supermarket, you can still celebrate the 'Glorious 12th' with a game feast. The South Africans know a thing or two about wild meat - try a glass of rich and fruity Spier Shiraz 2006 Coastal Region (Majestic, £6.49). It's a big, plummy wine with lots of character - just like your average grouse shooter then!

:: Thirsty Severn Trent dwellers have no excuse for drinking bottled water after a recent blind taste test by non-profit online community Green Thing found that their tap water tasted better than any in England.

Of the 10 regions tested, Severn Trent - covering Birmingham, Derbyshire, Gloucestershire, Nottingham, Leicester and parts of mid-Wales - was given the highest seal of approval by a panel of experts that included Michelin-starred chef Tom Aikens.

Anglian Water came in with second prize, Thames Water with third, and the lowest of the low went to Wessex Water, which scored 10th (out of 10).

Green Thing's Drink Tap campaign wants people to ditch drinking bottled water and switch to tap water for the month of August.

See www.dothegreenthing.com to find out more.

:: If you prefer your award-winning drinks to contain alcohol, you might want to get your hands on Belgium's Triple Karmeliet 'three grain' ale, which has just scooped three gongs at the 2008 World Beer Awards.

The Abbey-style beer was named World's Best Ale, World's Best Pale Ale and World's Best Strong Pale Ale at the annual awards, which are organised by Beers Of The World Magazine.

Judges described it as having a "sweet nose with hints of orange peel, vanilla, banana and spices... These flavours are noticeable in the mouth, along with a honeyed sweetness".

Triple Karmeliet (8% ABV) is available at Waitrose, priced £1.79 for a 33cl bottle.