When I ran a Ferment on Premises a few years ago there were a few customers who liked it without the oak. I recall one customer who would make the Ken Ridge Classic Chardonnay without the oak, and the KRC Pinot Noir (which didn't come with oak) with oak, so it wasn't just that he didn't like oak.
Most customers made it with the oak, of course.
Personally I'm not a Chardonnay fan, and although I probably tasted it both ways, I don't recall it.
Steve