FOSTER'S says it has detected early signs of a revival in the fortunes of chardonnay after two years of almost suffocating dominance by New Zealand sauvignon blanc, which threatened to rob the company and the Australian wine industry of drinkers. Recent statistics from Nielsen reveal a return to growth for chardonnay, in the $14-$19 and $25-$35 a bottle categories. Sandy Mayo, global brand director for Penfolds at Foster's, said September-quarter figures showed chardonnay sales were growing at nearly 6 per cent in the $14-$19 bracket, compared with a 2 per cent growth for sauvignon blanc. Advertisement: Story continues below She said consumers with an interest in wine were starting to return to the grape and that this should eventually trickle down to lower price points for casual drinkers.