January 31, 2024 - Deep gold with brass edges. Delicate aromas of dried fig, citrus rind, dried flowers, and hazelnuts, with a hint of oak. In contrast to the nose the palate is full bodied, round with a nice punch of medium plus acid, medium alcohol (13%), long finish.
December 27, 2023 - Beautiful wine, perhaps a bit softer than my review from 2 years ago but very elegant.
November 11, 2023 - Chenin Chenin Chenin; 11/10/2023-11/12/2023: #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.
August 14, 2023 - Excellent. This is the sweetest of the five sec wines in the Chidaine lineup. We know this thanks to the handy back label. Not a sweet wine, but noticeably not bone dry. This was perfect over several nights with various appetizers, including a peach, tomato, balsamic burrata as well as a canned butters sardines with frisee. This is a lovely wine and is so perfect with dishes that appreciate the combination of aromatics, acid, and touch of sweetness.
Peach, honey, apricot, spices. It builds and builds and gets more interesting with air and time. Enough acid to make it almost quenching. Long, rewarding finish.
13% abv
July 25, 2023 - Golden color. Nose is classical Chenin plus massively herbal notes - apple/quince, citrus, and honey (up to here Chenin), plus matcha tea, yuzu leaves, and pebbles on the stream (brought back the memory of my childhood when I was growing Swallowtail Butterflies by feeding the caterpillars with yuzu leaves). In the mouth, very high acidity, powdery and spiky at the beginning, drawing linear gradual upward curve (contrary to exponential upward curve typical of chenin), very steady, and increasing the level each sip as if the tide increases its water level. Some residual sugar is balancing otherwise painful amount of acidity. Rich and lingering aftertaste almost like dessert wine. It’s a true classical Chenin, but it also reminds me of top notch Wachau Riesling somehow, probably the structure of the acidity.
August 31, 2022 - Pale yellow. Honey, lemon, and white flowers on the nose. Deep charge of rich fruit which crawls under your tongue and then comes up and dances on the back of your palate, in a taut muscular acid frame, bound and balanced, I would say medium body except that it so redolent, long finish.
June 23, 2022 - Big nose, ripe tropical, honey melon, kaffir lime leaves. Broad nectar palate, ripe yellow apples, and more green acidic lime. Pleasant pepper spice both in nose and palate. Towards a cloying richness, but lands in a nice spot. Its described as sec in the back-label, but as the cuvee most towards the tendre ones. (I uploaded an image of the back label).
Its a meal of its own, but went well with risotto on day two. Think it would handle a versaillity of foods, for example holding up well too some asian mixtures.
May 28, 2022 - A bit of oxidation on the nose at first, which blew off with some air. Deep golden color. I was a bit surprised how advanced this seemed. Perfect cork. My last of 4 bottles. I preferred this closer to cellar temp - quite rich and long on the finish. Very balanced and smooth (13% alc.). Nose of honey, bruised pineapple and wool. Similar palate - not sweet.
November 19, 2021 - My third Chenin Blanc this week, and the best - even compared to the Huet 2019 Sec. Only my second Chidaine ever and I am already a fan.
Served at cellar temperature.
On the nose, floral, pineapple, peach. The floral notes are really pleasant.
On the palate, zesty, mineral, floral, lime zest, dried apricot, fruity. White pepper lingers.
Multi-layer, dry, really enjoyable wine. I have one left and may try to order another one.
October 12, 2021 - 93 Amarillo dorado intenso. Nariz apabullante de fruta cítrica, ceras, miel.... En boca es intenso, con muy buena acidez, limpio, y con un final muy largo. Tiene mucho volumen, pero ni rastro de dulzor. Excelente.