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Monthly Tasting Group HWS #108; Chenin Blanc Worldwide
By SB
Tasted April 13, 2016 by Zweder with 320 views
Introduction
Every participant had to bring a wine of the theme. We did not know which wines were brought by the others. All wines were tasted blind, also without knowing when the wine you brought was poured.
Flight 1 (2 notes)
White
2014 Millton Chenin Blanc Te Arai Vineyard
88 points
In the bouquet banana, pear, candy and also some rustic flavors. On the palate banana, ripe pineapple, honey, some sweetness, but also good and fresh acidity. Clean and tasty wine. 87 - 88
White
2013 Millton Chenin Blanc Clos de Ste. Anne Là Bas
88 points
In the bouquet yellow fruits like banana, honey and some vanilla? On the palate a slightly sparkling start. Green apples, firm citrus, pineapple, some nuts, oak and grapefruit acidity and bitterness in the finish. Concentrated wine.
Flight 2 (2 notes)
White
2013 Spier Chenin Blanc 21 Gables
89 points
In the bouquet peach, gooseberry, minerals and smoke. On the palate honey, soft and ripe tropical fruits like pineapple and peach, beautiful oak, a touch of sweetness, mild and pleasant acidity. Very good and clean wine. 88 – 89
White
2010 Teddy Hall Chenin Blanc Cape Winemakers Guild Hendrick Biebouw Reserve
89 points
In the bouquet green apples, a bit unripe, grasses and limestone minerals. On the palate green apples, grasses, green herbs, some oak. A bit fat. Good balance between acidity and a touch of sweetness. Some pleasant bitterness in the medium+ finish.
Flight 3 (2 notes)
White
2012 Beaumont Wines Hope Marguerite
88 points
Clean bouquet with white fruits and honey. On the palate honey, peach, pear and pineapple, a touch of sweetness, focused citrus acidity and some bitterness in the finish.
White
2012 Badenhorst Family Wines Steen CWG Kalmoesfontein Dassiekop
88 points
In the bouquet some honey, ripe stone fruits, minerals and anise. On the palate not so very expressive, but there are white and yellow fruits, limestone minerals, some honey, firm acidity and some bitterness in the finish. 88+
Flight 4 (2 notes)
White
2012 Rijk's Chenin Blanc Cape Winemakers Guild
90 points
Special bouquet in a positive sense. Mango, apples, minerals and a bit rustic. On the palate a lot of ripe fruits, honey and minerals. Also a good dose of fresh acidity. Beautiful wine. 89 - 90
White
2010 Rijk's Chenin Blanc Cape Winemakers Guild Private Cellar Reserve
91 points
Beautiful bouquet with ripe yellow fruits, vanilla and some nutty flavors. On the palate still a bit locked. Yellow fruits, limestone minerals, good citrus acidity. Grapefruit including its bitterness in the long finish. 90 – 91
Flight 5 (3 notes)
White - Off-dry
2014 Domaine Huet Vouvray Demi-Sec Clos du Bourg
92 points
Very beautiful and expressive bouquet with flowers, green apples and minerals. Elegant. On the palate white fruits, apple, pineapple, citrus acidity and in fact still a bit locked. Very clean and fresh style.
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White
2010 Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis-sur-Loire Clos Michet
90 points
Beautiful and expressive, aromatic bouquet with white fruits like apples and peach. Also fennel, anise and nuts. On the palate a firm amount of sweetness, pineapple, peach, grasses and some polishing wax. Oak bitterness. Good length.
White
2008 Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis-sur-Loire Remus
90 points
Beautiful bouquet with honey, butter candy, caramel and nuts. On the palate honey, caramel, vanilla and ripe fruits. A touch of sweetness and firm and fresh acidity. Good concentration and length.
Flight 6 (2 notes)
White
2009 Domaine des Baumard Savennières Clos du Papillon
91 points
Beautiful and special bouquet with limestone minerals. On the palate white fruits, stone fruits, minerals and mild acidity. Clean and a good length.
White
2005 Domaine Langlois-Château Saumur Vieilles Vignes
90 points
In the bouquet honey and ripe yellow fruits like bananas. Also slightly oxidized impressions. On the palate spices like clove, iodine, vanilla and caramel. Beautiful and complex wine. This bottle was at its maturity stage.
Flight 7 (1 note)
White
2009 Nicolas Joly Savennières Les Clos Sacrés (Les Vieux Clos)
88 points
In the bouquet nutty flavors, chamomile, and some oxidation. On the palate a bit oxidized as well, a lot of minerals, dry honey and caramel. Something really special. Nicely dry. In this stage I am not really a fan of this, but because I have a few I will score it anyway. 87 – 88.
Flight 8 (2 notes)
White - Sweet/Dessert
2003 Domaine des Deux Vallées Coteaux du Layon Chaume
90 points
The bouquet is not very expressive, but there is some orange peel, pear and vanilla. On the palate apricots, tangerine, honey, almonds and marzipan. Good sweetness and good acidity to back it up. Very good to excellent wine.
White - Sweet/Dessert
2003 Domaine des Baumard Coteaux du Layon Clos de Sainte Catherine
flawed
There is honey, polishing wax, botrytis, apricots and ripe pineapple in the bouquet as well as the taste. A good balance between acidity and sweetness as well. Unfortunately there was also something not really fresh in this wine, so I don't score it. A perfect bottle would probably score 90 or a bit more.