Have you tried chardonnay lately? You’ll find it crisper and lower in alcohol than it was in its 90s pomp

One of the strict rules of wine writing is that if you’re going to talk about chardonnay, you have to mention Bridget Jones. Other rules include how sherry articles must always contain a reference to grannies or vicars, and anything about German sparkling wine must be entitled The Joy of Sekt. Failure to comply with these diktats means instant expulsion from the shadowy Circle of Wine Writers.

That said, for readers of a certain age, chardonnay is synonymous with Bridget Jones. And not just any chardonnay, either, but an orange-coloured, oaky, slightly sweet Australian chardonnay drunk out of a 25cl glass at All Bar One. You don’t get more 1990s than that.