#1 The most “natty Chenin” tasting wine of the lineup. A little yeasty and cidery on the nose. Super peach juice, nice acid and minerality. Unfortunately went even more cidery the longer it was open, maybe some mouse too?

#2 A little muted on the nose, but big and ripe on the palate. Feels hot but the label says 12.5%. Not bad but not a “buy more and put it away” situation, at least not this vintage.

#3 Creamy vanilla honey on the nose. Off dry? Or just a ripe year? Delicious either way, beeswax honey but with good acid and tons of minerality on the finish.

#4 Musty cardboard on the nose, I think this probably got a little cooked in transit (it came over from the US in a non-refrigerated container). The fruit is still definitely there but it’s marred by oxidized notes

#5 Textbook. Beeswax on the nose, ripping acidity, mineral finish, honey and stonefruit. Excellent, especially for the price

#6 I *loved* this when it came out a year ago, but I think time is not on its side. It’s lost some of the liveliness. Still nice lemony bright acid but the fruit feels a little tired. Not bad, but drink up if you still have any!

#7 Completely intact, indistinguishable from new vintage, no tertiary stuff at all. Presumably sulfited to hell despite all the biodynamic care in the vineyards. 13.5% and you feel it. Big, hot, not my jam at all.

#8 Nose is almost non existent, maybe a little lemon and slate? But it shows up on the palate, lemon curd and a tiny bit of honey, lovely medium body and great acid and minerality, almost resembles a great cru Muscadet. None of the typical wooly Chenin beeswax stuff, just lemon chalk granite juice. Killer. And at this price ($48nzd retail, so like…$29usd)? Bonkers good, in the running for wotn.

#9 Wow what a nose. Apricot lemon honey. Fuuuuuck this smells good. Follows through. More apricot lemon honey, good acid, nice chalky minerality on the finish. This was my first real “oh my god Chenin can taste like this?” wine and I’m so happy it holds up to my memory of loving it.

#10 Musty, over the hill for sure. Honey and lemon but it devolves quickly into cardboard. Always a risk with wine this old but still a bummer.

#12 super corked

#13 Polarizing. Wotn for me but some people found it too tight. The pure mineral core is incredible, the acid is great, lemon spritz. If you blinded me on this I might guess Chablis. It’s not austere, still a really nice round mouthfeel up front, just a lovely balance.

#14 Honey and lemon nose. This is super classic, the honey dominates without being too much. Lemon and some light herbaceous notes, great acid, slate finish. If I had two categories in the tasting this would’ve won the Classic side.

#15 Bought this at the winery in 2019. Gold sticker “2009” over whatever previous year label they reused (2007?). Deep brooding nose, a little lemony but pretty muted. Unfortunately noticeable alcohol (15%!). Palate is better, lemon still rides up front, some ginger and honey hanging on for dear life. Honestly might have opened this too early (or too late?), the alcohol is super distracting and there’s not enough interest from the fruit side of things to balance it out.