Starting to turn gold in color. Nose shows honeysuckle, lychee and white flowers. Palate follows nose but adds some flint / slate and orange peel. Pretty viscous weight, not overtly sweet but you get a sense there is a little RS there. Aging gracefully; really nice Chenin Blanc from one of my favorite Loire producers.
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Chidaine Chenin Blanc (Arlequin Wines, San Francisco): Magnum. Very sound, light color. Fragrant and honeyed. Less weighty entry than the 2014 Franc de Pied but lots of glycerine later. Rich, Demi-Sec sweetness, strong botrytis. Good amount of soil late, and overall delicate finish. Delicious.
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Chidaine Tasting (Arlequin wine bar): From magnum. Nose has obvious botrytis, honeyed, sweetness, white fruit; palate is medium bodied, medium sweetness, medium acid, decent fruit but I'm not positive the sweetness adds much; finish is medium length. Nice, but I prefer the drier to just off-dry Chenin. 89
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A pale honey yellow in color that invites the eye. The nose follows. Honeysuckle on the nose suggests the sweetness of the wine (2g/l RS+/-) but it is followed by apricot and peach. Licorice continues to complete the finish. Maybe the age has helped; maybe the air was different; maybe the mood was different ....but the wine has seemed to lengthen. And the wine is delightful. My last bottle. 13.5% alc. With scallops over pea purée and under bacon and shallots. Recommended.
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Pale gold, quite clear but good lustre. Honeysuckle, pineapple, orange blossom, excellent floral intensity, deep, a complex and rich fragrance but not heavy. Medium weight, clearly demi-sec, pithy citrus rind, pineapple zing, minerality is strong too. A very interesting drink, not heavy although has superb intensity and length. The sweetness is less than even a mild desert style wine, more like just the richness and body of a good German Riesling. Has some good acidity on the finish which cuts the sugars. Liking this a lot.
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Wholy fruit! Says Bill. Lovely nutty and peachy, thick in the mid palate with a strong balance of acidity on the back end. "I love that" finishes ones taster.
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this wine displayed a terrific balance of pure sweetness with multiple flavors of citrus fruit and a slightly flinty undertone. drank wonderfully from opening onward. at a peak now so drink up.
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Light straw in color. Intense aromas of flowering peach and honey prevail integrated with tropical notes of banana, nutmeg and vanilla. High acidity activates a waterfall of salivation. Full bodied and pillow soft on the palate the overwhelming urge to gulp this down in copious amounts is hard to resist. Relatively thick and coats the mouth presenting a long trailing finish. While drinking nicely now this clearly has the structure and backbone to drink well for decades.
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I promised myself not to pull another bottle of this for another three years. However, when a dish is served and this is the only wine that will pair with it, you just have to make sacrifices. The sweetness of this wine (with about 2g/l RS) works well with the spicy sweetnes of the peanut chicken stir fry. The attack is more white stone fruits (apricot primarily)?) than honeysuckle. Licorice continues to complete the finish. The lack of acidity is not as noticeable, but the lack of length is. 12% alc. With peanut satay chicken and spring vegetables stir fry. Recommended with Reservations.
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Earlier vintages of this wine have been stunning. Chambers Street Wines first turned my attention to this producer. I love the dark hay / rich straw color of this Chenin Blanc. But this bottle, the first of the ‘09 vintage I’ve tasted hasn’t lived up to its older siblings’ reputation. The flavors are sweeter with honey and honeysuckle leading off the attack. White stone fruits fill in while licorice finishes off. The wine lacks length. Tight? Perhaps, but putting this back in the cellar for a few more years may not reward as it lacks the acidity to carry it for very many more years. 12% alc. With oysters rockefeller (homemade and crab cakes (from Black Salt). A disappointing pairing with the crab cakes; not nearly as good as the ‘01. Recommended with Reservations.
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3hr decant. I drank Chidaine's 09 Le Bouchet last night allowing a good opportunity for comparison with tonight's wine from the Clos Habert vineyard just across the river. Between that Vouvray and this Montlouis, I prefer the Montlouis at this point. Similar profiles in many ways, but the Clos Habert seemed to have a bit more of that mouthwatering acidity and a correspondingly lower sensation of sweetness. A nice ginger note complicates the tropical fruit elements and I perceived a greater abundance of dry extract.
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This was yummy. A tropical nose leads to a nicely balanced palate featuring limes grapefruits and citrus peel. Mostly dry with a nice dash of sweetness, I would have perhaps liked a little more acidity. Expands on the palate with massive mineral notes that echo on the very long finish. Good value too.
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Consistent with previous note, only I didn't detect the same acidity and precision as last time. Just a little rounder on the palate than before, although still a marvelous nose, and as with any Chidaine, this crowd-pleaser disappeared at the dinner table very quickly.
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Honeysuckle, citrus, mineral, stone fruit, nice mouthfeel. Didn't seem like it had the same acid level that the 08 did but still a nice bottle of wine and paired great with our cheese course.
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Found this to be slightly flabby due to the relatively low acid levels. Haven't been terribly impressed with Chidaine's '09 demis thus far and I think this is a trend with '09 demi-secs in general. Holding on to the '08 Habert for now.
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Once again, I stand corrected. Not sure why my first bottle of this seemed a bit flabby, but this one did not. Nice acidic backbone, mineral and fruity notes--pear, honeysuckle, lemon and chamomile (good call, gb). Lovely bottle.
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The balancing act between its rich, honeyed flavors, piercing citrus and acid backbone, and chalky mineral finish make this such a fun wine, both for contemplation and sheer pleasure.
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Really lovely once it got going. Tight and not terribly expressive at first, after a couple of hours goes by this wine really hits its stride with lovely mineral and fruit. Already hinting at a great deal of complexity. A truly lovely wine, and a great value.
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Tight right now with nice green apple core that comes across more round and muddled than the '08. Drinks better just above cellar temp and while there is some acidic tension it pales in comparison to levels of greatness the '08 has.
4 hours of air and it opens up a lot showing a nice if somewhat subtle nutty lemon finish. Hold
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P&P. My 2nd btl from this vintage, even lovelier than the 1st with no signs of shutting down. Rich, balanced, and nervy, luscious and slightly oily, with a long, ethereal finish. Although 2008 was more personally appealing across the board, I'm finding that the off-dry to sweet wines of the 09 vintage are stronger than the dry ones.
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Delicious. Nose of oxidized apple, chamomile, pear, banana, slightly off-dry, but bright and lively. On the palate it is clean and vibrant with a great fruit profile of apple and pear. Super acid spine keeping this profile and the slightly off-dry palate lively and this is young with lots of promise going forward. Outstanding.
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This note is from the bottle's third day opened. Had some nice banana peel and herbs - didn't have the freshness you'd expect if it had just been opened, but was lush and round.
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This is pretty intense. Full bodied with an impressive finish. I would almost call it cloying were it not for the acid, which beautifully balances the richness of this wine. It needs time to harmonize though. It's a bit rough around the edges now.
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Pale, lemony yellow color. Rich, full nose of honeyed tropical citrus; very luscious in the mouth, gauzy yet precise, rich yet tightly-knit. Tastes slightly sweeter and less voraciously acidic than the amazing 2008 Clos Habert with its whipsawing live-wire spine, but quite tensile and nervy nonetheless. Another beautiful cuvee from Francois Chidaine.
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Wow. This is lovely. Sweet, delicate, honeyed fruit with bracing acid and a very long tense finish. Medium weight with a smooth oily mouthfeel. Bright and very lively. Will probably age beautifully but has an energy that is hard to resist right now. B++
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3/7/2021 - paulst Likes this wine: 92 Points
Golden; seep apricot; honeyed backdrop; layered and concentrated; long flowered finish.
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2/24/2018 - Bellissimo Likes this wine:
Starting to turn gold in color. Nose shows honeysuckle, lychee and white flowers. Palate follows nose but adds some flint / slate and orange peel. Pretty viscous weight, not overtly sweet but you get a sense there is a little RS there. Aging gracefully; really nice Chenin Blanc from one of my favorite Loire producers.
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1/12/2017 - drwine2001 wrote:
Chidaine Chenin Blanc (Arlequin Wines, San Francisco): Magnum. Very sound, light color. Fragrant and honeyed. Less weighty entry than the 2014 Franc de Pied but lots of glycerine later. Rich, Demi-Sec sweetness, strong botrytis. Good amount of soil late, and overall delicate finish. Delicious.
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1/12/2017 - aagrawal wrote: 89 Points
Chidaine Tasting (Arlequin wine bar): From magnum. Nose has obvious botrytis, honeyed, sweetness, white fruit; palate is medium bodied, medium sweetness, medium acid, decent fruit but I'm not positive the sweetness adds much; finish is medium length. Nice, but I prefer the drier to just off-dry Chenin. 89
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7/30/2016 - timewithwine wrote:
A pale honey yellow in color that invites the eye. The nose follows. Honeysuckle on the nose suggests the sweetness of the wine (2g/l RS+/-) but it is followed by apricot and peach.
Licorice continues to complete the finish. Maybe the age has helped; maybe the air was different; maybe the mood was different ....but the wine has seemed to lengthen. And the wine is delightful. My last bottle. 13.5% alc. With scallops over pea purée and under bacon and shallots. Recommended.
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9/5/2015 - M&Slovewine wrote: 89 Points
Sweet on front and acidic on back end. Green apple and mineral
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6/4/2015 - Biglama Likes this wine: 93 Points
veel karakter, boenwas, stroop, honing, heerlijk drinkbaar
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2/17/2015 - Vini Ciclismo Likes this wine: 92 Points
Pale gold, quite clear but good lustre.
Honeysuckle, pineapple, orange blossom, excellent floral intensity, deep, a complex and rich fragrance but not heavy.
Medium weight, clearly demi-sec, pithy citrus rind, pineapple zing, minerality is strong too. A very interesting drink, not heavy although has superb intensity and length. The sweetness is less than even a mild desert style wine, more like just the richness and body of a good German Riesling. Has some good acidity on the finish which cuts the sugars. Liking this a lot.
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12/31/2014 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Wholy fruit! Says Bill. Lovely nutty and peachy, thick in the mid palate with a strong balance of acidity on the back end. "I love that" finishes ones taster.
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12/7/2014 - jbean007 Likes this wine: 92 Points
this wine displayed a terrific balance of pure sweetness with multiple flavors of citrus fruit and a slightly flinty undertone. drank wonderfully from opening onward. at a peak now so drink up.
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5/21/2014 - PT insurgent wrote:
mineral, toast, honey, peach, grapefruit, waxy, creamy.
Very good.
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7/31/2013 - AtoZ wrote: 92 Points
Comes off sweet but not too sweet. Great nose. Works with spicey food. Might not have the backbone to age ?
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7/7/2013 - SouthernStateofMind Likes this wine: 92 Points
Light straw in color. Intense aromas of flowering peach and honey prevail integrated with tropical notes of banana, nutmeg and vanilla. High acidity activates a waterfall of salivation. Full bodied and pillow soft on the palate the overwhelming urge to gulp this down in copious amounts is hard to resist. Relatively thick and coats the mouth presenting a long trailing finish. While drinking nicely now this clearly has the structure and backbone to drink well for decades.
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1/20/2013 - timewithwine wrote:
I promised myself not to pull another bottle of this for another three years. However, when a dish is served and this is the only wine that will pair with it, you just have to make sacrifices. The sweetness of this wine (with about 2g/l RS) works well with the spicy sweetnes of the peanut chicken stir fry. The attack is more white stone fruits (apricot primarily)?) than honeysuckle. Licorice continues to complete the finish. The lack of acidity is not as noticeable, but the lack of length is. 12% alc. With peanut satay chicken and spring vegetables stir fry. Recommended with Reservations.
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12/30/2012 - timewithwine wrote:
Earlier vintages of this wine have been stunning. Chambers Street Wines first turned my attention to this producer. I love the dark hay / rich straw color of this Chenin Blanc. But this bottle, the first of the ‘09 vintage I’ve tasted hasn’t lived up to its older siblings’ reputation. The flavors are sweeter with honey and honeysuckle leading off the attack. White stone fruits fill in while licorice finishes off. The wine lacks length. Tight? Perhaps, but putting this back in the cellar for a few more years may not reward as it lacks the acidity to carry it for very many more years. 12% alc. With oysters rockefeller (homemade and crab cakes (from Black Salt). A disappointing pairing with the crab cakes; not nearly as good as the ‘01. Recommended with Reservations.
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6/21/2012 - Riccardo Malocchio wrote: 91 Points
3hr decant. I drank Chidaine's 09 Le Bouchet last night allowing a good opportunity for comparison with tonight's wine from the Clos Habert vineyard just across the river. Between that Vouvray and this Montlouis, I prefer the Montlouis at this point. Similar profiles in many ways, but the Clos Habert seemed to have a bit more of that mouthwatering acidity and a correspondingly lower sensation of sweetness. A nice ginger note complicates the tropical fruit elements and I perceived a greater abundance of dry extract.
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6/8/2012 - ron m wrote:
This was yummy. A tropical nose leads to a nicely balanced palate featuring limes grapefruits and citrus peel. Mostly dry with a nice dash of sweetness, I would have perhaps liked a little more acidity. Expands on the palate with massive mineral notes that echo on the very long finish. Good value too.
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5/19/2012 - Billigan wrote: 90 Points
Consistent with previous note, only I didn't detect the same acidity and precision as last time. Just a little rounder on the palate than before, although still a marvelous nose, and as with any Chidaine, this crowd-pleaser disappeared at the dinner table very quickly.
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4/12/2012 - Bellissimo wrote:
Honeysuckle, citrus, mineral, stone fruit, nice mouthfeel. Didn't seem like it had the same acid level that the 08 did but still a nice bottle of wine and paired great with our cheese course.
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4/1/2012 - rentmp3 wrote: 88 Points
Found this to be slightly flabby due to the relatively low acid levels. Haven't been terribly impressed with Chidaine's '09 demis thus far and I think this is a trend with '09 demi-secs in general. Holding on to the '08 Habert for now.
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3/12/2012 - Enfant sauvage wrote: 91 Points
Once again, I stand corrected. Not sure why my first bottle of this seemed a bit flabby, but this one did not. Nice acidic backbone, mineral and fruity notes--pear, honeysuckle, lemon and chamomile (good call, gb). Lovely bottle.
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1/3/2012 - Billigan wrote: 91 Points
The balancing act between its rich, honeyed flavors, piercing citrus and acid backbone, and chalky mineral finish make this such a fun wine, both for contemplation and sheer pleasure.
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12/21/2011 - Enfant sauvage wrote: 87 Points
Eventually opened up, but still struck me as lacking some backbone. Also felt a bit muddled.
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12/5/2011 - W.Simons wrote:
Really lovely once it got going. Tight and not terribly expressive at first, after a couple of hours goes by this wine really hits its stride with lovely mineral and fruit. Already hinting at a great deal of complexity. A truly lovely wine, and a great value.
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11/20/2011 - glaze3 wrote:
Tight right now with nice green apple core that comes across more round and muddled than the '08. Drinks better just above cellar temp and while there is some acidic tension it pales in comparison to levels of greatness the '08 has.
4 hours of air and it opens up a lot showing a nice if somewhat subtle nutty lemon finish. Hold
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9/20/2011 - Riccardo Malocchio wrote: 91 Points
P&P. My 2nd btl from this vintage, even lovelier than the 1st with no signs of shutting down. Rich, balanced, and nervy, luscious and slightly oily, with a long, ethereal finish. Although 2008 was more personally appealing across the board, I'm finding that the off-dry to sweet wines of the 09 vintage are stronger than the dry ones.
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9/1/2011 - gblacave wrote: 92 Points
Delicious. Nose of oxidized apple, chamomile, pear, banana, slightly off-dry, but bright and lively. On the palate it is clean and vibrant with a great fruit profile of apple and pear. Super acid spine keeping this profile and the slightly off-dry palate lively and this is young with lots of promise going forward. Outstanding.
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8/6/2011 - tooch wrote:
This note is from the bottle's third day opened. Had some nice banana peel and herbs - didn't have the freshness you'd expect if it had just been opened, but was lush and round.
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8/5/2011 - jahlove wrote:
This is pretty intense. Full bodied with an impressive finish. I would almost call it cloying were it not for the acid, which beautifully balances the richness of this wine. It needs time to harmonize though. It's a bit rough around the edges now.
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7/21/2011 - Riccardo Malocchio wrote: 90 Points
Pale, lemony yellow color. Rich, full nose of honeyed tropical citrus; very luscious in the mouth, gauzy yet precise, rich yet tightly-knit. Tastes slightly sweeter and less voraciously acidic than the amazing 2008 Clos Habert with its whipsawing live-wire spine, but quite tensile and nervy nonetheless. Another beautiful cuvee from Francois Chidaine.
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5/30/2011 - MRichman wrote:
Wow. This is lovely. Sweet, delicate, honeyed fruit with bracing acid and a very long tense finish. Medium weight with a smooth oily mouthfeel. Bright and very lively. Will probably age beautifully but has an energy that is hard to resist right now.
B++
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