From magnum. Wow, this may be the best Chiquet I've had. I really like this -- it's got the fresh vibrancy I want but also good breadth on the palate from the fruit as well. Almost a little bready to boot, but never too rich that the acidity doesn't get to shine.
Not fatally reduced like the last bottle of this that I had, however there is still quite a bit of reduction overall. This time, you can taste the intensity of the fruit and the long minerally finish on the back end as well. It's the sort of intense where the wine almost feels bitter (but this one actually is, just a little).
Slightly sweetish, with that floral, hand-soap thing that I tend to find in nattier white wines. Kind of honeyed, but also that may well be the product of the warmer vintage. Good acidity despite the riper wine.
I think this is actually labelled as a NV wine with a lot number denoting the year. Why is this done? I have no idea. Again this comes across as something of the nattier style, with a sweet floral element that is a little distracting. Slightly bitter on the back end, but the generous fruit hides the alcohol well.
Not quite my style of chenin -- this is one of those that seems to be veering towards the waxy/oily Savennières style. Again a voluptuous sweetness but the heft on the palate makes this less compelling after more than a glass.
France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Savennières-Coulée de Serrant
This might be among the best bottles of Joly I've ever tasted. I guess sometimes nature conspires against his attempts to ruin the great terroir he owns. Nonetheless a very weird wine with a nose that can't be pinned down. Sometimes there are some really off-putting doughy aromas, then some times there are some yellow fruits. The palate is still very broad and alcoholic. Not my style of wine at all -- barely any acidity (and at times fruit), and just a lot of weird animally notes.
I liked this a little more than the 2014 Carmes alongside, finding this a little more ready to drink and overall approachable. Nice tropical white fruits with the zippy acidity that Guiberteau is known for. This one for my palate is ready to drink now.
To be honest, I didn't know Clau de Nell made a chenin at all (this is a relatively new planting according to the resident Wilson rep). Clearly another relatively ripe chenin with predominantly yellow-tinged fruit. Drops off a little on the midpalate, but then picks up again towards the finish.
Intense note of peaches on this wine; the sheer fruitiness would almost make me think that this is a dessert wine, but of course this wine if quite dry. Sufficient acidity on the back end to gives this the freshness it needs to counterweight the breadth of fruit.
Best of the three vintages for my palate. Tropical fruit with good weight, counterbalanced by fresh acids. A little bit of a green herbal thing that I tend to find on super young white wines, but all in all consistent with my last experience with this wine a few weeks ago. Great value.
Easily the most disappointing of the 2017-9 lineup. This was just pretty much dilute without much flavour. Lots of acidity on the back end, but it seems to end there.
Not quite as showy as the 2019, this has more depth than the dilute 2018. Certainly cut from the same cloth with a coolness to the wine that makes it very easy to drink on a hot day. I would have liked the fruit and acidity to be dialled up a little more here, but this certainly represents a very enjoyable, easy-drinking chenin.
France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru
Very much a bottle that was still alive. A very strange nose here, with something that smells like an Andes mint (yes, that's right). On the palate, that weird smell does go away -- this is one of those high-botrytis, apricotty chenins. If it had more of an acid vein, you might have confused it with an Huet (but then again, this isn't Vouvray).
I found the 13 regular Brézé to be drinking a little better than this right now, but this is certainly no slouch of a wine. It needs lots more time to soften up; it is all stern and structural right now, with a minerally vein that evokes those of Burgundy. Moderately reduced now, but best to let these lie for a few years yet.
A relatively large-scaled wine with a good hit of oak on the nose. Perhaps a little bit of reduction as well, and despite the relatively nice acidity (for Savennières), it still seems a little too heavy-handed for my palate.
2008 Gaston Chiquet Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs d'Aÿ 93 Points
France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
From magnum. Wow, this may be the best Chiquet I've had. I really like this -- it's got the fresh vibrancy I want but also good breadth on the palate from the fruit as well. Almost a little bready to boot, but never too rich that the acidity doesn't get to shine.
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2011 Richard Leroy Chenin Les Rouliers 90 Points
France, Vin de France
Not fatally reduced like the last bottle of this that I had, however there is still quite a bit of reduction overall. This time, you can taste the intensity of the fruit and the long minerally finish on the back end as well. It's the sort of intense where the wine almost feels bitter (but this one actually is, just a little).
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2018 Ferme de la Sansonnière (Mark Angeli) La Lune 88 Points
France, Loire Valley, Vin de France
Slightly sweetish, with that floral, hand-soap thing that I tend to find in nattier white wines. Kind of honeyed, but also that may well be the product of the warmer vintage. Good acidity despite the riper wine.
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2018 I. et S. Bernaudeau Les Terres Blanches 88 Points
France, Vin de France
I think this is actually labelled as a NV wine with a lot number denoting the year. Why is this done? I have no idea. Again this comes across as something of the nattier style, with a sweet floral element that is a little distracting. Slightly bitter on the back end, but the generous fruit hides the alcohol well.
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2015 Domaine de Bellivière Coteaux du Loir Vieilles Vignes Eparses 88 Points
France, Loire Valley, Coteaux du Loir
Not quite my style of chenin -- this is one of those that seems to be veering towards the waxy/oily Savennières style. Again a voluptuous sweetness but the heft on the palate makes this less compelling after more than a glass.
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2005 Nicolas Joly Clos de la Coulée de Serrant 83 Points
France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Savennières-Coulée de Serrant
This might be among the best bottles of Joly I've ever tasted. I guess sometimes nature conspires against his attempts to ruin the great terroir he owns. Nonetheless a very weird wine with a nose that can't be pinned down. Sometimes there are some really off-putting doughy aromas, then some times there are some yellow fruits. The palate is still very broad and alcoholic. Not my style of wine at all -- barely any acidity (and at times fruit), and just a lot of weird animally notes.
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2013 Domaine Guiberteau Saumur Blanc Brézé 93 Points
France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur
I liked this a little more than the 2014 Carmes alongside, finding this a little more ready to drink and overall approachable. Nice tropical white fruits with the zippy acidity that Guiberteau is known for. This one for my palate is ready to drink now.
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2018 Clau De Nell Val de Loire Chenin 88 Points
France, Loire Valley, Val de Loire
To be honest, I didn't know Clau de Nell made a chenin at all (this is a relatively new planting according to the resident Wilson rep). Clearly another relatively ripe chenin with predominantly yellow-tinged fruit. Drops off a little on the midpalate, but then picks up again towards the finish.
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2016 Château Yvonne Saumur Blanc 88 Points
France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur
Intense note of peaches on this wine; the sheer fruitiness would almost make me think that this is a dessert wine, but of course this wine if quite dry. Sufficient acidity on the back end to gives this the freshness it needs to counterweight the breadth of fruit.
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2019 Beau Rivage Chenin Blanc 90 Points
USA, California, Central Valley, Clarksburg
Best of the three vintages for my palate. Tropical fruit with good weight, counterbalanced by fresh acids. A little bit of a green herbal thing that I tend to find on super young white wines, but all in all consistent with my last experience with this wine a few weeks ago. Great value.
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2018 Beau Rivage Chenin Blanc 85 Points
USA, California, Central Valley, Clarksburg
Easily the most disappointing of the 2017-9 lineup. This was just pretty much dilute without much flavour. Lots of acidity on the back end, but it seems to end there.
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2017 Beau Rivage Chenin Blanc 88 Points
USA, California, Central Valley, Clarksburg
Not quite as showy as the 2019, this has more depth than the dilute 2018. Certainly cut from the same cloth with a coolness to the wine that makes it very easy to drink on a hot day. I would have liked the fruit and acidity to be dialled up a little more here, but this certainly represents a very enjoyable, easy-drinking chenin.
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1976 Domaine des Baumard Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru 90 Points
France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru
Very much a bottle that was still alive. A very strange nose here, with something that smells like an Andes mint (yes, that's right). On the palate, that weird smell does go away -- this is one of those high-botrytis, apricotty chenins. If it had more of an acid vein, you might have confused it with an Huet (but then again, this isn't Vouvray).
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2014 Domaine Guiberteau Saumur Blanc Clos des Carmes Brézé 93 Points
France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur
I found the 13 regular Brézé to be drinking a little better than this right now, but this is certainly no slouch of a wine. It needs lots more time to soften up; it is all stern and structural right now, with a minerally vein that evokes those of Burgundy. Moderately reduced now, but best to let these lie for a few years yet.
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2014 Eric Morgat Savennières Fides 88 Points
France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Savennières
A relatively large-scaled wine with a good hit of oak on the nose. Perhaps a little bit of reduction as well, and despite the relatively nice acidity (for Savennières), it still seems a little too heavy-handed for my palate.
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