Community Tasting Note

forceberry wrote:

Monday, March 27, 2023 - 100% Chenin Blanc from biodynamically farmed vineyards averaging 80 years in age. Harvested on 23rd and 24th of September, 2019. Fermented spontaneously in oak barrels. 14% alcohol.

Pale, youthful and quite neutral yellow-green color. The nose feels quite ripe but also a bit reticent with aromas of white peach, some apple jam, light cool green-toned hints of peppermint, a little bit of cantaloupe, a hint of waxy funk and a touch of creaminess. The wine feels broad, ripe and quite sunny on the palate with a full body and lush flavors of apple jam and mushy white peach, some fresh apricot tones, a little bit of stony minerality, light creamy nuances, a hint of waxy funk and a touch of acacia honey. The rather high alcohol lends a little bit of warmth to the palate and the medium acidity gives some sense of balance and structure to the wine but the overall feel remains quite round and a bit heavy. The finish is rich, juicy and slightly warm with a moderately long, sweetly-fruited aftertaste of white peach and fresh apricot, some rich waxy tones, a little bit of stony minerality, light sweet nuances of apple jam, a hint of creaminess and a touch of honeydew melon.

A round, fruit-driven and a bit weighty Chenin from the very ripe end of the spectrum. I guess in a cool vintage this kind of richness and lush flavor profile can work really well when you have more acidity and the overall fruit character doesn't get too sweet. However, this vintage feels a bit too soft and heavy, also starting to taste a bit too sweet after the wine warms up in the glass. This is a pretty nice wine, but the somewhat modest acidity does take a small toll on the final score.

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