Look for this term when picking a chardonnay that’s fresher and brighter

While it may not be in the average American’s vocabulary, the wine trade term “unoaked” — found on this wine’s label — is now formally recognized as a word by most dictionaries. It refers to wines or spirits that do not come into contact with wood in the winemaking process and therefore do not feature the constellation of sensory traits that are traditionally imparted to wine through either fermentation or aging in oak barrels.

Oaky wines feature the distinctive tastes and smells of toasted oak — a nutty, caramelized quality reminiscent of vanilla, bourbon, and dessert spices. While oakiness is present in the vast majority of premium red wines, it doesn’t stand out as vividly as it does in white wines, so is rarely mentioned by the winery. As a result, the word unoaked is almost invariably used as a white wine descriptor, since in this category it has both a useful descriptive meaning and positive connotations from a marketing perspective. Chardonnay is the main white grape whose wines become more desirable when they are oaked, so it is also the main style where customers may be actively seeking an unoaked version.

This unoaked chardonnay from California is an atypical example in that it is both lighter bodied and fresher tasting than the winery’s premium, barrel-fermented offering. Made entirely in stainless steel tanks, it is also decidedly more refreshing, with more prominent snappy acidity. Its flavor profile is of fresh-picked orchard fruits like golden apples and ripe green pears, with a juicy touch of cantaloupe.

California; 13.8% alcohol

PLCB Item #4010 — on sale for $14.99 through March 1 (regularly $16.99)

Also available at: Canal’s of Berlin Discount Liquor Mart in Berlin, N.J. ($11.99; canalsofberlin.com), Wine Warehouse in Mantua ($12.98; mantua.winewarehousenj.com), Canal’s Liquors in Pennsauken ($13.99; canalsliquors.com).