December 15, 2023 - This was simply the most beautiful Chenin based dessert wine that I have ever tasted, surpassing a number of Huet's Vouvray wines.
Relatively pale golden hue for a wine with significant botrytis.
Great aromatics bursting out of the glass: candied fruit, honey, spices.
The acidity nicely balances the RS providing a very harmonious mouthfeel.
Very long and intense finish.
This will continue to drink wekk for a long time with the screwcap finish.
November 25, 2023 - Can’t beat the sweet chenins. Light on its feet and powerful at the same time.
June 3, 2023 - Complete agreement with RGCM's last two tasting notes, which perfectly describe this wine. I bought 2 bottles from Acker's weekly auction, and this was my first. Only thing that I can add is that the bottle had a Stelvin closure. This bottle is just more proof that Stelvin is a wise choice for ageable wines.
November 17, 2022 - Prior bottle was just over 4 months ago and my notes were quite consistent. Huge apricot notes on the nose along with orange and pineapple qualities. Slightly above medium bodied with orange, pineapple and apricot again the dominant fruit notes. Tart notes on the back of orange and lemon as well as acidity provide good contrast. As with my prior bottle, the acidity isn't quite up to the level of some of my earlier bottle which takes away slightly from mid-body definition and freshness. That said, the fruit is still showing beautifully in this wine and the combination of mid-body depth, richness/near sweetness and backside tart notes/acidity continue to make for a very enjoyable bottle. Should continue to hold along these lines and if I have the opportunity to purchase more, I certainly will.
July 9, 2022 - Prior bottle was three and a quarter years ago and this wine has held up well. Apricot, orange, pineapple and lemon notes on a nose that remains quite aromatic. Still between medium and full bodied (has kept its depth, not thinned out) with white peach upfront, moving to orange, pineapple and other tropical notes on the backside. Moderately tart acidity as well as citrus notes of orange and lemon on the backside still provide quite good structure and contrast. Overall, the wine remains in a great drinking window with excellent overall balance between fruit/acidity. The only reason I marked it down slightly was the complexity seemed a bit less than the stellar nature of my first four bottle and the acidity (not surprisingly) not quite as vibrant. That said, this wine clearly has the fruit and structure to remain rewarding for at least another couple of years, if not longer. I'll plan to open my next bottle in June/July 2023.
February 4, 2021 - Effortless. A bouquet of fresh flowers, pickled ginger, honey, beeswax, alfalfa. So pure and clean - it's a great wine that happens to also be sweet.
January 18, 2021 - Pale gold. Aromas of medium + intensity- dried citrus peel, apricot, honey, honeysuckle, ginger, mango, lanolin. On the palate the wine is sweet with high acidity, medium alcohol, full body. The flavor intensity is pronounced with dried citrus peel, apricot, honey, honeysuckle, ginger, mango. The finish is long and pleasing. An outstanding wine- well balanced, demonstrating intensity and complexity and length on the finish.
July 30, 2020 - It had been about 8 years since I had a Baumard CSC (last one was '07) and I mistakenly forgot how bloody sweet this wine is. Opened with some Thai food thinking that a demi-sec chenin would hit the spot with spicy Asian food, but I quickly realized this needs to be treated as a dessert wine. It is truly lovely with gobs of apricot and honey, and certainly it is balanced and hemmed in with great Loire chenin acid, but just need to remember the sugar factor. Finish goes on and on. That I paid $25 for this at Premier Cru is insane as it would certainly hold its high with any classed growth Sauternes. This has aged flawlessly and still tastes bright and youthful. I have another bottle of this (and of the 07) and I suspect it will give pleasure for another decade (but next time on its own for dessert or with nuts, blue cheese, foie gras...)
April 29, 2020 - At first the nose was thin but as the air had its way, this beauty released the aromas. Peach Peach Peach but also a natural perfume quality of Northern CA spring. The mouthfeel is HUGE coating every taste bud and hangs out for a couple of seconds then builds in the mid-tongue with a crisp acidic liveliness. Tropical flavors linger for a long while. A fantastic treat on a warm night. What a fun and exciting, 15 year stunner.
April 30, 2019 - OMG. Long and intense with rich apricot and hazelnut lifted by a hint of lemon curd. Incredibly concentrated. Yet rich as it was, sampled alongside an otherwise very fine 01 Coutet Sauternes, the Coutet felt viscuous and cloying where this Baumard was clean and fresh. Only 12.5% alc too.