A huge surprise ! Cork worrisome . Nose delightful good fruit. Soft round smooth mouthfeel and nice finish . With fruit spread and feta and chèvre . Great combination . Happy it survived in cellar this long
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. Immediate Chenin, but guesses were Huet and Foreau. Mark gets Chidaine. General approval. Citrus, mango, candied ginger, with wool and wax in generous doses. Moderately sweet, vivid acids, fun. B+/A-
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Yellow baked apples, baking spice honey and mango on the nose, starts off a little dark gold but within a few minutes lightens up and becomes more focused. A real nice tension between the fatness of the ripe grapes and the superb acidity on the back end. If you are fan of aged Loire Chenin this will rock your world as it maintains such an easy lush presence yet it has the underlying structure that makes you take notice. There is an amazing whiff of Umami sea breeze mineral that accompanies a slightly nutty flavor that somehow reminds me of Maraconna almonds. Old Chidaine rocks and you got to love the price of admission compare to some of the big boys such as Huet & Baumard. I get the feeling that this vintage is only going to get better with time!
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The deep, sunny yellow of sunflowers. Shy but complex nose of honey, apricot, mango and several floral and animal notes. Demi-sec palate. Rich and sensual. More passionfruit than apricot here. Ples mango and pineapple. Awesome balance. This is marvelous juice.
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Off-Dry. Again, good but not exciting. A 2002 opened first was oxidized, but this was still quite fresh and a reasonably inspired match for pork and green beans in a moderately spicy masala sauce.
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Note: I use a scale on which 85 represents a very good wine.
I do not have a lot of experience with Loire wines of this type, so I cannot put it into context. As noted by others, the wine is "off-dry" -- not truly sweet, but not dry. Not quite as rich ion the mouth as I thought it might be, but this was not important.
Next time, I will try it with some pate or something along those lines.
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A tad denser and richer than the bottle I had in november. Tropical scents, candied citrus, ginger, melon and mango. But also a very attractive sweet vegetal note on the palate: parsnip, grilled butternut squash, honey drizzled carrotcake, something like that. Not twoo sweet, truly demi sec. Great with a mango/chicken salad!
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This is great sweet aged Chenin from the Loire. More bottles to come and September promises Foie Gros with plum freezer jam. This is the real deal. So different from the last bottle tasted 5 years ago.
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Continues to slim down and gain focus. Floating like a butterfly, stinging like a bee, and favoring mineral and spice over fruit, this is just nervy enough and absolutely delicious. No signs of early ox, just another out of this world Chidaine experience. Desert island producer.
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Cool, low-key minerality, like mossy rocks, sea breeze and November Rain. Lovely balance in charming sweetness and acidic backbone. Voluptuous mid-palate, but finishes nearly dry. Lovely demi-sec.
Had with pasta tonite. Not a great pairing, but I was unfamiliar with this wine or producer until now. I wasn't prepared for the level of sweetness of this wine. I'll know better next time. Very pretty nose of creme brûlée, pears and baked apple. Plenty of sweet fruit here, as well as honey, orange peel & spice. A pretty full-bodied wine, with fair acidity level. Very round in the mouth, quite viscous and concentrated. Just the right level of sweetness that would enable one to match this wine with various types of food. A very pleasant learning experience, and this wine's got a long way to go.
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Very nice if not spectacular in any way. Could use more acidity for my taste, but the yellow fruits and honey provide a richness and enough acidity to go well with a picnic of cheeses and pates and Jamon Iberico.
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At age 10 this is entering a nice point of softness and integration. The aromatics are a delicate combo of baked apple with a little pear and honey notes combined with hints of baking spice and the wine is soft yet mouth coating with a delicate layering of flavors which go from the fruit to a nice salinity and a fairly long finish. There still good freshness here and while the acidity is not pronounced it is definitively in the background. Maybe a touch drier than a dem-sec as you still get a sweetness on the entry. This shows pretty as it maintains a lightness vis a vie the texture. Quite a fine effort and another good example of the value of Chidain's wines and his delicate touch with this cuvee. Very versatile with food choices as this went well with grilled pork tenderloin, assorted salads as well as artisan cheeses. This would be excellent choice for Fioe Gras or pate. With good provenance this Should be good for a decade or two if not more.
While this is not the most vibrant wine I have ever drank, it is well balanced. There's plenty of citrus fruit and melon, along with just a touch of that Chenin Blanc wet wool. Very nice pairing with my spicy seared scallops, as the moderate sweetness balanced the spice of the food.
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Chidaine’s ’05 Les Tuffeaux was drinking on all cylinders with Thanksgiving dinner. Originally, I was going to start out the family meal with a nice chardonnay. But, my niece asked for something sweet, but not too sweet. So, I pulled this out of the cellar. Surprisingly, a quite good pairing with the turkey and everything else that came with it, as well as the pumpkin pie. I also opened a 1989 red Beaucastel, but although it was quite excellent by itself, it did not especially pair well with the food so we decided to complete consuming it later, after the desert. The Les Tuffeaux had similar aromas and flavors witnessed in past tastings: honey, baked apple, pear, apricot, ginger, hints of orange liqueur, maybe some crème brulee, and minerals. Creamy and viscous in the mouth. Big, rich and concentrated fruit. A nice and extended finish. Really drinking at its apogee now, but should last for many years. Quite a versatile wine for food pairing! Score 93-94.
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Still has a light golden color. Aromas and flavors of honey, baked apple, pear, some orange liqueur, apricot, touches of crème brulee, and minerals. Big, rich and fairly concentrated. Creamy and succulent in the mouth. Nice acid and balance. Again, a long soft and honey-like finish. This chenin blanc has lots of time left. My problem is keeping my hands off of it for a while. I consumed the last bottle almost a year ago, so I should wait longer before the next bottle. Pairs nicely with Thai food, as long as it’s not spicy.
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Suspect that some do not understand these wines from Chidaine. This wine was classic. Quince, white current, pear and white nectarine. Hmmmm....very white fruit. Hint of white pepper! Some sweetness with backbone to back it up. Bounces around the palate and makes one reach for another sip. Brings summer fruits back from memory. This one should go for another 5-10 years.
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A lite gold color (must have been dark in the room during my last evaluation, when I referred to it as being dark gold). Anyway, this wine seems at its apogee, but given it's a quality chenin blanc, it should last longer. It's similar to my last tasting. Aromas of honey, orange liqueur, ginger, baked apple, a touch of creme brulee. Big, rich, concentrated and creamy in the mouth. A long honey-like finish. Pairs nicely tonight with baked chicken.
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This was on tonight. This has started to turn in to a beautiful mature women with soft, subtle fruit and sweetness. At the same time it shows some experience under her belt by the way of baked apples and spices. Yummy.
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Another great Chidaine experience; very consistent with prior note but the wine has shed some of its baby fat and overt fruit in favor of nascent secondary nuances of smoke, mineral and earl grey tea. Killer stuff that should continue to develop for many years to come.
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This bottle was advanced with a deep gold color. The first aromas seemed off (VA) but then blew off quickly. It remained intact for 3 days with rich aged notes, but the sweetness was not integrated. I'm hoping it is a subpar bottle or in an awkward phase. Not at all comforting with a remaining case.
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Golden yellow color with honeyed stone fruit, and brioche aromas. On the palate medium-bodied with a wonderful smooth mouth feel with Honeyed stone fruit flavors. Medium long finish. This is an excellent Chenin Blanc!
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Incredible!.........Found this bottle half empty in a corner in my cellar. It has been standing there for 6 months with the cork half in it. I was about to throw it, but I smelled and tasted a little and……no signs of oxidation or whatsoever. The bouquet as well as the taste still showed some yellow fruits and minerals. With this experience I think I can keep my other bottle for another 30 years if I would want that.
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Darkish golden color. Aromas of honey, orange liquor, ginger, baked apple. Similar flavors. Big rich and concentrated fruit. Creamy texture in the mouth. A long sweet honey-like finish. Drinking nicely now, but should last for years. Amazingly, it pairs decently with my wife's secret recipe for chicken and pork meatloaf.
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Licht goud-, strokleurig. In de geur peer, perzik, banaan, tropisch fruit en diesel. Haast edelzoet in smaak met rijpe peer, abrikoos en honing, maar ook rubber en gesteente. Wat vettige, middellange- tot lange afdronk. Net open is de wijn iets log, maar met wat tijd komt de mineraliteit tevoorschijn en zorgen de zuren voor balans. Ik kan me best voorstellen dat deze wijn het "eeuwige leven" heeft. Nu 92 punten, over 20 jaar....?
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Stunning. The core of crushed stones is dominating now. It's like pulverized gravel, ginger and clover honey. The parts are less in evidence as the whole demands all the attention, but there's still a lovely aura of fruit and a slight acidic bite on the finish.
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Did quite well tonight with a Southern New Year's meal. Very well balanced, with inviting aromas of ginger scented pit fruits and an exotic floral quality. Precise on the palate, with late arriving acids giving good shape to the sweet tea and lemon flavors, and extending the cool finish.
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Dinner with Friends (Mawby, Chidaine, Pinson, Desaunay-Bissey, Nerthe, Maybach, Sineann): Chidaine rocked in 05. This is dry with great orange notes as well lots of crushed sea shells. Slightly saline as well. Balanced with a lush texture. Great with the salad. Tasted a few hours later it had opened up and was drinking even better. No hurry on these.
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Still has great focus and balance. The overt richness has now been sublimated, and it's purring on all cylinders: tender, subtle, deep, kaleidoscopic, and great with citrus-dressed halibut (lemon in my case, but I would have squeezed an orange if I'd had it).
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Drinking well now. A fun golden color. Quince, apple, honey, chalk, citrus, and wool on the nose. Quince, pear, tart apple, ginger, chamomile tea, minerals, and honey on the palate. Medium plus finish.
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in such a gorgeous place right now. i know this could go for another two decades, and go for it. but i don't know what I'd be looking for that's not here right now. clean and pure, balanced and energetic, there is wax, lots of wool, and a dollop of honey. a bit advanced, maybe. if i had more i would drink it now because it shows secondary aromas and flavors and so much freshness.
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Lovely, well-balanced wine, with subtle honeyed floral notes, tense minerality, and bright acidity. Does better served a little cooler than cellar temp.
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Total stunner, very large-framed and fat, honeyed fruit, considerably sweeter than I expected from the many notes on this, but the acids and awesome flint-like minerality keep this huge wine very lively and fresh. This blew away a bunch of wine noobs.
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Sweeter than I expected. This does not have the acidity I was expecting. It is borderline cloying and one dimensional when first opened. After some time it starts to open up and show some great fruit. The acidity also starts to come into balance. Definitely closer to the fruitiness of a Huet than the wooliness of a Baumard. A nice well structured chenin.
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there is better balance than there was a while ago - there is RS but is in the background, the very woolly character has taken over, and it works perfectly well with the bright freshness of the wine.
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Rich in its almost honeyed way, with aromas of quince, warm bread and pink grapefruit tinged with salt and chalk. Nice finish with remarkable persistence. Would buy again.
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Demi-sec sweetness, with ripe apple-y fruit, quince, ginger spice. Actually this was not bad at all and a bit less sweet and tropical than I'd feared. Paired fabulously with lobster with ginger noodles.
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On the nose, lime, yeast, slate. In the mouth, drier than I expected. Nice balance of sweetness and minerality -- slate, a little citrus. A little simple at this point, I hope this increases complexity over time.
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Opens slowly with powerful earl grey aromatics coming to the fore followed by a kaleidoscopic array of citrus fruit - lemons, orange rind and grapefruit pips eneveloped in smoke-infused, honeyed chamomille tea . . .absolutely magnificent expression of chenin!
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If I could drink this wine once a week I would be psyched. This was beautiful, intensely aromatic, with fresh acidity that just let in the faintest bit of sweetness around the edges. I will get a few more bottles to see how things shape up over the next few years, but I have no doubt that results will be pleasing.
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Every time I come back to this wine it gives me something different? It seems to be aging at an accelerated rate. More developed color than the last bottle. It is starting to develop that muture sweet wine bouqet.
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Well, just as I had thought this wine was on last legs, along came this bottle, which was more alive and lively than any of the ones that preceded it. Very enticing nose of honey, freshly cut apple, and pear. Yes, it is fairly rich and sweet, but this had the tangy acidity, brown spices, and complex fruit to give the sugar some competition. Wonderful showing, although sadly, I did as I said I was going to do and drank all of these young. Bye bye.
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Manderin Oranges, white truffles, more disjointed than I remember. Changed considerably with air time. Intersting to see how this develops considering the changes so far.
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Beautiful ripe orchard fruits, honey, orange, spice, flowers, and intense minerals, all superbly balanced on the long finish. Lovely body with great focus. Just gorgeous stuff.
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steadily improving as the sugar integrates and the wine finds balance in the bottle. still a bit disjointed upon opening - it was incredible on the second day, with herbs, ripe fruit, wool, wax, layers of off-dry goodness, everything you could ask for, and in a balanced and classy package. I assumed (wrongly) that this doesn't have the acidity to age well. This time the acidity was more prominent, and I'm gonna hold what I still have.
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I really think this is a remarkable expression of Chenin. Complex nose of honey, citrus, orchard fruit, lanolin, etc. Off-dry but with pitch perfect balance between acid/sweet. In the mouth, it's honeyed peaches, Anjou pear, and a dense and salty mineral under-structure. Brilliant, lingering finish. This is a massive wine. Complex in four directions. You can get lost contemplating it. Or just drink it and be shocked how fast it goes.
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Let decant about an hour and a half. At first was overly sweet with hints of acidity and tannin on the back end. At around the 4 hour mark it really began to sing. The front end remained huge and sweet with ripe pear and honey undertones but as the mid palate transitioned to the finish a laser shot of rich acidity toned down the sweetness which led into a long complex floral finish. This was a fantastic wine.
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As with other Chidaines, this one had great length and demonstrated many complex aromas and tastes, including persimmon, quince, pit fruits. Probably a touch too sweet for me, however, especially upon revisiting a day later.
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Much like the other bottle, this was a melange of fruit tastes with a light honey aftertaste. Waxy consistency and great fruit concentration. Went well with pork loin.
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This is an unusual wine...one of those you go "hmmmmmmm" when you first taste it because it is interesting in an un-winey way. The nose is excellent and complex. The first taste was of of a multi-fruit sweetness, but that gave way to floral and fruit flavors as the wine opened up and expanded.This is a dense, heavy wine that still managed to have a delicate taste. With the right food it could be spectacular. We served it before dinner and some people were still drinking it when they cut into steaks, yet it still held up.
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Very clean and fresh; obviously a high-quality wine. I was surprised that it was a little too sweet for me because I've enjoyed Vouvrays, for example, that were sweeter.
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Grapefruit, apples, fresh cut flowers, melon and pineapple. Nice body and freshness. Well balanced. Rich fruit in the mid palate with a long complex finish. 13% alcohol.
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I liked this very much. Opened as an aperitif and I was quite happy with the sweetness and acidity/minerality. This is a very rich wine. Almost pulled it off with dessert as well. I guess this is off dry, but really quite a bit of sugar here. This should be very interesting to watch age.
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a great showing for this wine, much better than 5 months ago. apple skins, wool, wax, honeysucke, and pure fresh rainwater on the nose. a beautiful nose. plenty of residual sugar but well balanced and drinkable with medium body and great energy for such an off dry wine.
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Teriffic! Nose was closed: some lemon and honeysuckle. Very complex on the palate. It seemed to be very sweet initially with honey and floral notes, then it evolved into a long dry finish with lemon, grapefruit and some rock/mineral. Outstanding!
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Entirely consistent with my note from July. Very rich, comes across as sweeter than typical Demi-Sec level. I disagree with the CT drinking window, which goes out to 2016; with its relatively low acidity, this is not going to be an immortal Chenin, and I plan on drinking my remaining few bottles soon (and with pleasure).
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Quince and roasted hazelnut aromas. Classic Chenin flavors finishing with a touch of honey. There is fleshiness to this wine, and some good acidity, but it is a bit fat. I think it works best as an aperitif - it is excellent sipping.
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Yellow. Wonderful nose of quince and honey. Significant residual sugar, but long and delicious. This reinforced my feeling that many of the '05 Loire Chenin Blancs lack a tad of acidity to make them really great and ageworthy. However, they are enormously pleasurable right now.
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Aromatically this is pretty tight right now. Some lemon rocky scents with air. In the mouth full demi sec sweetness, quite rich and silky, ripe yellow peach and chalky minerals. Long finish. The acidity seems buried under the baby fat. Pretty damn good right now, potentially excellent, try again in a few months.
Overnight the wine really blossoms and opens with honey and quince aromas, and the minerals more noticeable. Also the wine seems more in balance with a good spine of acidity to accompany the richness of the palate. There is several layers of flavor here and the wine is an excellent example of demi sec Chenin from the Loire.
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34g of RS. Beautiful off-dry wine with aromas of peach and pineapple and flavors of honeyed mandarin orange and almonds, and especially honey. With its rich but crystal-clear mouthfeel and zingy but modest citric acidity, it cuts through my Thai curry perfectly. Also goes great with goat cheese. 100% organically grown!
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3/11/2023 - Reinoudoor Likes this wine: 92 Points
I love it. This is perfect right now. Typical sweetness and acidity in very good balance.
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6/17/2022 - mowtod Likes this wine: 91 Points
A huge surprise ! Cork worrisome . Nose delightful good fruit. Soft round smooth mouthfeel and nice finish . With fruit spread and feta and chèvre . Great combination . Happy it survived in cellar this long
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5/9/2022 - DaleW wrote:
. Immediate Chenin, but guesses were Huet and Foreau. Mark gets Chidaine. General approval. Citrus, mango, candied ginger, with wool and wax in generous doses. Moderately sweet, vivid acids, fun. B+/A-
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3/12/2021 - bon vivant wrote: 95 Points
Yellow baked apples, baking spice honey and mango on the nose, starts off a little dark gold but within a few minutes lightens up and becomes more focused. A real nice tension between the fatness of the ripe grapes and the superb acidity on the back end. If you are fan of aged Loire Chenin this will rock your world as it maintains such an easy lush presence yet it has the underlying structure that makes you take notice. There is an amazing whiff of Umami sea breeze mineral that accompanies a slightly nutty flavor that somehow reminds me of Maraconna almonds. Old Chidaine rocks and you got to love the price of admission compare to some of the big boys such as Huet & Baumard. I get the feeling that this vintage is only going to get better with time!
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3/6/2021 - jkoenen wrote: 94 Points
The deep, sunny yellow of sunflowers.
Shy but complex nose of honey, apricot, mango and several floral and animal notes. Demi-sec palate. Rich and sensual. More passionfruit than apricot here. Ples mango and pineapple.
Awesome balance.
This is marvelous juice.
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9/18/2020 - cweiss wrote:
Off-Dry. Again, good but not exciting.
A 2002 opened first was oxidized, but this was still quite fresh and a reasonably inspired match for pork and green beans in a moderately spicy masala sauce.
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10/25/2019 - John Nezlek wrote: 87 Points
Note: I use a scale on which 85 represents a very good wine.
I do not have a lot of experience with Loire wines of this type, so I cannot put it into context. As noted by others, the wine is "off-dry" -- not truly sweet, but not dry. Not quite as rich ion the mouth as I thought it might be, but this was not important.
Next time, I will try it with some pate or something along those lines.
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1/21/2018 - cweiss wrote:
Off-dry. Good, but not exciting. Hasn’t evolved much.
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9/17/2016 - cweiss wrote:
Chatham. Again, underwhelmed though nothing wrong with it and decent match for steamed lobster.
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7/19/2016 - jkoenen wrote: 93 Points
A tad denser and richer than the bottle I had in november. Tropical scents, candied citrus, ginger, melon and mango. But also a very attractive sweet vegetal note on the palate: parsnip, grilled butternut squash, honey drizzled carrotcake, something like that. Not twoo sweet, truly demi sec. Great with a mango/chicken salad!
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6/7/2016 - Mark Larson Likes this wine: 95 Points
This is great sweet aged Chenin from the Loire. More bottles to come and September promises Foie Gros with plum freezer jam.
This is the real deal. So different from the last bottle tasted 5 years ago.
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5/25/2016 - DHJ1968 wrote:
Continues to slim down and gain focus. Floating like a butterfly, stinging like a bee, and favoring mineral and spice over fruit, this is just nervy enough and absolutely delicious. No signs of early ox, just another out of this world Chidaine experience. Desert island producer.
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4/15/2016 - bon vivant wrote:
Very similar to my last bottle, second half stored with preserver even better the next day
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11/11/2015 - jkoenen wrote: 91 Points
Cool, low-key minerality, like mossy rocks, sea breeze and November Rain. Lovely balance in charming sweetness and acidic backbone. Voluptuous mid-palate, but finishes nearly dry. Lovely demi-sec.
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8/30/2015 - cephomer Likes this wine: 92 Points
Had with pasta tonite. Not a great pairing, but I was unfamiliar with this wine or producer until now. I wasn't prepared for the level of sweetness of this wine. I'll know better next time. Very pretty nose of creme brûlée, pears and baked apple. Plenty of sweet fruit here, as well as honey, orange peel & spice. A pretty full-bodied wine, with fair acidity level. Very round in the mouth, quite viscous and concentrated. Just the right level of sweetness that would enable one to match this wine with various types of food. A very pleasant learning experience, and this wine's got a long way to go.
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5/25/2015 - cweiss Likes this wine:
Very nice if not spectacular in any way. Could use more acidity for my taste, but the yellow fruits and honey provide a richness and enough acidity to go well with a picnic of cheeses and pates and Jamon Iberico.
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3/22/2015 - bon vivant wrote:
At age 10 this is entering a nice point of softness and integration. The aromatics are a delicate combo of baked apple with a little pear and honey notes combined with hints of baking spice and the wine is soft yet mouth coating with a delicate layering of flavors which go from the fruit to a nice salinity and a fairly long finish. There still good freshness here and while the acidity is not pronounced it is definitively in the background. Maybe a touch drier than a dem-sec as you still get a sweetness on the entry. This shows pretty as it maintains a lightness vis a vie the texture. Quite a fine effort and another good example of the value of Chidain's wines and his delicate touch with this cuvee. Very versatile with food choices as this went well with grilled pork tenderloin, assorted salads as well as artisan cheeses. This would be excellent choice for Fioe Gras or pate. With good provenance this Should be good for a decade or two if not more.
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12/7/2014 - Mr T wrote:
Same as before
Good but ultimately too fat for my taste
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1/21/2014 - Rieslingfan wrote: 88 Points
While this is not the most vibrant wine I have ever drank, it is well balanced. There's plenty of citrus fruit and melon, along with just a touch of that Chenin Blanc wet wool. Very nice pairing with my spicy seared scallops, as the moderate sweetness balanced the spice of the food.
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11/28/2013 - Chainthroer wrote: 93 Points
Chidaine’s ’05 Les Tuffeaux was drinking on all cylinders with Thanksgiving dinner. Originally, I was going to start out the family meal with a nice chardonnay. But, my niece asked for something sweet, but not too sweet. So, I pulled this out of the cellar. Surprisingly, a quite good pairing with the turkey and everything else that came with it, as well as the pumpkin pie. I also opened a 1989 red Beaucastel, but although it was quite excellent by itself, it did not especially pair well with the food so we decided to complete consuming it later, after the desert. The Les Tuffeaux had similar aromas and flavors witnessed in past tastings: honey, baked apple, pear, apricot, ginger, hints of orange liqueur, maybe some crème brulee, and minerals. Creamy and viscous in the mouth. Big, rich and concentrated fruit. A nice and extended finish. Really drinking at its apogee now, but should last for many years. Quite a versatile wine for food pairing! Score 93-94.
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9/14/2013 - cweiss wrote:
Solid but not distinguished. More acid zip would have been nice.
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3/12/2013 - Chainthroer wrote: 92 Points
Still has a light golden color. Aromas and flavors of honey, baked apple, pear, some orange liqueur, apricot, touches of crème brulee, and minerals. Big, rich and fairly concentrated. Creamy and succulent in the mouth. Nice acid and balance. Again, a long soft and honey-like finish. This chenin blanc has lots of time left. My problem is keeping my hands off of it for a while. I consumed the last bottle almost a year ago, so I should wait longer before the next bottle. Pairs nicely with Thai food, as long as it’s not spicy.
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12/10/2012 - seekwine wrote: 92 Points
Suspect that some do not understand these wines from Chidaine. This wine was classic. Quince, white current, pear and white nectarine. Hmmmm....very white fruit. Hint of white pepper! Some sweetness with backbone to back it up. Bounces around the palate and makes one reach for another sip. Brings summer fruits back from memory. This one should go for another 5-10 years.
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8/18/2012 - GPW wrote:
Youthful. Some sweetness, but paired with decent acidity = juicy mouthfeel.
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5/7/2012 - Mr T wrote:
sweeter than I remember but still very nice and almost enough acid to pull it off with more normal fare...getting a bit flabby
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4/19/2012 - Mr T wrote:
my note would be similar to chainthroer....this one is big and rich and a little fat but still very interesting
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4/13/2012 - Chainthroer wrote: 92 Points
A lite gold color (must have been dark in the room during my last evaluation, when I referred to it as being dark gold). Anyway, this wine seems at its apogee, but given it's a quality chenin blanc, it should last longer. It's similar to my last tasting. Aromas of honey, orange liqueur, ginger, baked apple, a touch of creme brulee. Big, rich, concentrated and creamy in the mouth. A long honey-like finish. Pairs nicely tonight with baked chicken.
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1/1/2012 - mburke wrote:
Very good beautiful balance sweet quince taste but not heavy at all.
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11/17/2011 - BillB656 wrote:
Rich lemon honey. More sweetness than I was anticipating. Has decent acidity but leaning a bit towards the soft side.
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10/13/2011 - bambam wrote: 92 Points
This was on tonight. This has started to turn in to a beautiful mature women with soft, subtle fruit and sweetness. At the same time it shows some experience under her belt by the way of baked apples and spices. Yummy.
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9/30/2011 - DHJ1968 wrote:
Another great Chidaine experience; very consistent with prior note but the wine has shed some of its baby fat and overt fruit in favor of nascent secondary nuances of smoke, mineral and earl grey tea. Killer stuff that should continue to develop for many years to come.
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9/27/2011 - Mark Larson wrote: 88 Points
This bottle was advanced with a deep gold color. The first aromas seemed off (VA) but then blew off quickly. It remained intact for 3 days with rich aged notes, but the sweetness was not integrated. I'm hoping it is a subpar bottle or in an awkward phase. Not at all comforting with a remaining case.
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9/16/2011 - Martin Redmond Likes this wine: 91 Points
Golden yellow color with honeyed stone fruit, and brioche aromas. On the palate medium-bodied with a wonderful smooth mouth feel with Honeyed stone fruit flavors. Medium long finish. This is an excellent Chenin Blanc!
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8/26/2011 - Zweder wrote:
Incredible!.........Found this bottle half empty in a corner in my cellar. It has been standing there for 6 months with the cork half in it. I was about to throw it, but I smelled and tasted a little and……no signs of oxidation or whatsoever. The bouquet as well as the taste still showed some yellow fruits and minerals. With this experience I think I can keep my other bottle for another 30 years if I would want that.
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8/23/2011 - Chainthroer wrote: 93 Points
Darkish golden color. Aromas of honey, orange liquor, ginger, baked apple. Similar flavors. Big rich and concentrated fruit. Creamy texture in the mouth. A long sweet honey-like finish. Drinking nicely now, but should last for years. Amazingly, it pairs decently with my wife's secret recipe for chicken and pork meatloaf.
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8/21/2011 - Strikermax wrote: 92 Points
Licht goud-, strokleurig. In de geur peer, perzik, banaan, tropisch fruit en diesel. Haast edelzoet in smaak met rijpe peer, abrikoos en honing, maar ook rubber en gesteente. Wat vettige, middellange- tot lange afdronk.
Net open is de wijn iets log, maar met wat tijd komt de mineraliteit tevoorschijn en zorgen de zuren voor balans.
Ik kan me best voorstellen dat deze wijn het "eeuwige leven" heeft. Nu 92 punten, over 20 jaar....?
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8/20/2011 - drinkfunkyanddance wrote: flawed
Flawed.
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6/3/2011 - RationalDenial wrote: 94 Points
Stunning. The core of crushed stones is dominating now. It's like pulverized gravel, ginger and clover honey. The parts are less in evidence as the whole demands all the attention, but there's still a lovely aura of fruit and a slight acidic bite on the finish.
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3/5/2011 - Zweder wrote: 90 Points
Bananas in the bouquet. Yellow and white fruits on the palate. Minerals and a firm dose of sweetness.
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1/1/2011 - AdamWallstein wrote: 93 Points
Did quite well tonight with a Southern New Year's meal. Very well balanced, with inviting aromas of ginger scented pit fruits and an exotic floral quality. Precise on the palate, with late arriving acids giving good shape to the sweet tea and lemon flavors, and extending the cool finish.
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11/26/2010 - Mr T wrote:
great as ever...opens with time to get more interesting
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11/15/2010 - TWG wrote:
Good wine with Chinese food,had less sweetness than younger bottles but the acidity has dropped off. It was a bit disappointing.
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11/7/2010 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 92 Points
Dinner with Friends (Mawby, Chidaine, Pinson, Desaunay-Bissey, Nerthe, Maybach, Sineann): Chidaine rocked in 05. This is dry with great orange notes as well lots of crushed sea shells. Slightly saline as well. Balanced with a lush texture. Great with the salad. Tasted a few hours later it had opened up and was drinking even better. No hurry on these.
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10/24/2010 - Wicker Parker wrote:
Still has great focus and balance. The overt richness has now been sublimated, and it's purring on all cylinders: tender, subtle, deep, kaleidoscopic, and great with citrus-dressed halibut (lemon in my case, but I would have squeezed an orange if I'd had it).
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10/4/2010 - Vinsant wrote: 93 Points
Drinking well now. A fun golden color. Quince, apple, honey, chalk, citrus, and wool on the nose. Quince, pear, tart apple, ginger, chamomile tea, minerals, and honey on the palate. Medium plus finish.
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10/1/2010 - brooklynguy wrote:
in such a gorgeous place right now. i know this could go for another two decades, and go for it. but i don't know what I'd be looking for that's not here right now. clean and pure, balanced and energetic, there is wax, lots of wool, and a dollop of honey. a bit advanced, maybe. if i had more i would drink it now because it shows secondary aromas and flavors and so much freshness.
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2/15/2010 - SteveHyde wrote:
Lovely, well-balanced wine, with subtle honeyed floral notes, tense minerality, and bright acidity. Does better served a little cooler than cellar temp.
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2/7/2010 - Chomsky wrote:
Total stunner, very large-framed and fat, honeyed fruit, considerably sweeter than I expected from the many notes on this, but the acids and awesome flint-like minerality keep this huge wine very lively and fresh. This blew away a bunch of wine noobs.
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2/6/2010 - CerveloGuy wrote:
Sweeter than I expected. This does not have the acidity I was expecting. It is borderline cloying and one dimensional when first opened. After some time it starts to open up and show some great fruit. The acidity also starts to come into balance. Definitely closer to the fruitiness of a Huet than the wooliness of a Baumard. A nice well structured chenin.
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1/22/2010 - brooklynguy wrote:
there is better balance than there was a while ago - there is RS but is in the background, the very woolly character has taken over, and it works perfectly well with the bright freshness of the wine.
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12/7/2009 - Martin Redmond wrote: 89 Points
Rich in its almost honeyed way, with aromas of quince, warm bread and pink grapefruit tinged with salt and chalk. Nice finish with remarkable persistence. Would buy again.
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11/4/2009 - jsherdc wrote: 92 Points
Slightly disappointing day 1, but came alive day 2.
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9/20/2009 - 5laton wrote:
Demi-sec sweetness, with ripe apple-y fruit, quince, ginger spice. Actually this was not bad at all and a bit less sweet and tropical than I'd feared. Paired fabulously with lobster with ginger noodles.
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8/6/2009 - gbauer wrote:
On the nose, lime, yeast, slate. In the mouth, drier than I expected. Nice balance of sweetness and minerality -- slate, a little citrus. A little simple at this point, I hope this increases complexity over time.
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6/29/2009 - NickG wrote:
Honey. Rich. Voluptuous. Beautiful. I think I'm in love.
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6/18/2009 - DHJ1968 wrote:
Opens slowly with powerful earl grey aromatics coming to the fore followed by a kaleidoscopic array of citrus fruit - lemons, orange rind and grapefruit pips eneveloped in smoke-infused, honeyed chamomille tea . . .absolutely magnificent expression of chenin!
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6/14/2009 - Alexmt79 wrote: 93 Points
If I could drink this wine once a week I would be psyched. This was beautiful, intensely aromatic, with fresh acidity that just let in the faintest bit of sweetness around the edges. I will get a few more bottles to see how things shape up over the next few years, but I have no doubt that results will be pleasing.
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4/3/2009 - bambam wrote: 88 Points
Every time I come back to this wine it gives me something different? It seems to be aging at an accelerated rate. More developed color than the last bottle. It is starting to develop that muture sweet wine bouqet.
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3/29/2009 - drwine2001 wrote:
Well, just as I had thought this wine was on last legs, along came this bottle, which was more alive and lively than any of the ones that preceded it. Very enticing nose of honey, freshly cut apple, and pear. Yes, it is fairly rich and sweet, but this had the tangy acidity, brown spices, and complex fruit to give the sugar some competition. Wonderful showing, although sadly, I did as I said I was going to do and drank all of these young. Bye bye.
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1/19/2009 - bambam wrote: 90 Points
Manderin Oranges, white truffles, more disjointed than I remember. Changed considerably with air time. Intersting to see how this develops considering the changes so far.
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12/26/2008 - Mr T wrote:
a bit more sweet than I would have liked tonight with not enough acidic contrast. good but not great.
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10/28/2008 - Wicker Parker wrote:
Beautiful ripe orchard fruits, honey, orange, spice, flowers, and intense minerals, all superbly balanced on the long finish. Lovely body with great focus. Just gorgeous stuff.
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10/1/2008 - brooklynguy wrote: 90 Points
steadily improving as the sugar integrates and the wine finds balance in the bottle. still a bit disjointed upon opening - it was incredible on the second day, with herbs, ripe fruit, wool, wax, layers of off-dry goodness, everything you could ask for, and in a balanced and classy package. I assumed (wrongly) that this doesn't have the acidity to age well. This time the acidity was more prominent, and I'm gonna hold what I still have.
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9/28/2008 - RationalDenial wrote: 95 Points
I really think this is a remarkable expression of Chenin. Complex nose of honey, citrus, orchard fruit, lanolin, etc. Off-dry but with pitch perfect balance between acid/sweet. In the mouth, it's honeyed peaches, Anjou pear, and a dense and salty mineral under-structure. Brilliant, lingering finish. This is a massive wine. Complex in four directions. You can get lost contemplating it. Or just drink it and be shocked how fast it goes.
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9/17/2008 - herberto wrote: 91 Points
Very sweet but great fruit and ultimately refeshing as a table wine.
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8/2/2008 - junglejuice wrote: 93 Points
Let decant about an hour and a half. At first was overly sweet with hints of acidity and tannin on the back end. At around the 4 hour mark it really began to sing. The front end remained huge and sweet with ripe pear and honey undertones but as the mid palate transitioned to the finish a laser shot of rich acidity toned down the sweetness which led into a long complex floral finish. This was a fantastic wine.
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7/22/2008 - gordoyflaca wrote: 93 Points
Still good. Becoming more complex, tropical fruits, a pleasant bitterness.
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7/4/2008 - pgb67 wrote: 90 Points
As with other Chidaines, this one had great length and demonstrated many complex aromas and tastes, including persimmon, quince, pit fruits. Probably a touch too sweet for me, however, especially upon revisiting a day later.
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5/20/2008 - Demisec wrote: 93 Points
Slightly sweet. Richly spicey. Long finish.
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5/10/2008 - jsherdc wrote: 94 Points
Hints of Flower petals. Slightly Honeyed. Great finish. It still tasted great 1 week later!
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5/5/2008 - pizzler wrote: 91 Points
Much like the other bottle, this was a melange of fruit tastes with a light honey aftertaste. Waxy consistency and great fruit concentration. Went well with pork loin.
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4/20/2008 - pizzler wrote: 88 Points
This is an unusual wine...one of those you go "hmmmmmmm" when you first taste it because it is interesting in an un-winey way. The nose is excellent and complex. The first taste was of of a multi-fruit sweetness, but that gave way to floral and fruit flavors as the wine opened up and expanded.This is a dense, heavy wine that still managed to have a delicate taste. With the right food it could be spectacular. We served it before dinner and some people were still drinking it when they cut into steaks, yet it still held up.
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4/12/2008 - gordoyflaca wrote: 92 Points
Sweet honeyed citrus with earthy tones and touch of petrol.
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4/3/2008 - Baggio wrote: 91 Points
Very clean and fresh; obviously a high-quality wine. I was surprised that it was a little too sweet for me because I've enjoyed Vouvrays, for example, that were sweeter.
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3/11/2008 - goofy Yno wrote: 93 Points
honeydew, grass, citrus. a creamy feel in the mouth, full body,a little sweet, but long finish.
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3/11/2008 - jeff nowak wrote: 92 Points
back up the truck. fabulous QPR.
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3/11/2008 - kstoddard wrote: 93 Points
Grapefruit, apples, fresh cut flowers, melon and pineapple. Nice body and freshness. Well balanced. Rich fruit in the mid palate with a long complex finish. 13% alcohol.
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3/11/2008 - jsherdc wrote: 92 Points
On the sweet side. Honeyed and delicous.
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2/23/2008 - Mr T wrote:
I liked this very much. Opened as an aperitif and I was quite happy with the sweetness and acidity/minerality. This is a very rich wine. Almost pulled it off with dessert as well. I guess this is off dry, but really quite a bit of sugar here. This should be very interesting to watch age.
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2/10/2008 - brooklynguy wrote: 89 Points
a great showing for this wine, much better than 5 months ago. apple skins, wool, wax, honeysucke, and pure fresh rainwater on the nose. a beautiful nose. plenty of residual sugar but well balanced and drinkable with medium body and great energy for such an off dry wine.
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2/10/2008 - bambam wrote: 92 Points
Honeysuckle, Quince. Off Dry. Auslesse level residual sugar. Outstanding. Serve as an aperitif or without food.
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12/25/2007 - EricFromMD wrote: 93 Points
Teriffic! Nose was closed: some lemon and honeysuckle. Very complex on the palate. It seemed to be very sweet initially with honey and floral notes, then it evolved into a long dry finish with lemon, grapefruit and some rock/mineral. Outstanding!
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12/18/2007 - drwine2001 wrote:
Entirely consistent with my note from July. Very rich, comes across as sweeter than typical Demi-Sec level. I disagree with the CT drinking window, which goes out to 2016; with its relatively low acidity, this is not going to be an immortal Chenin, and I plan on drinking my remaining few bottles soon (and with pleasure).
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10/25/2007 - brooklynguy wrote: 88 Points
Quince and roasted hazelnut aromas. Classic Chenin flavors finishing with a touch of honey. There is fleshiness to this wine, and some good acidity, but it is a bit fat. I think it works best as an aperitif - it is excellent sipping.
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10/15/2007 - Demisec wrote: 94 Points
Thick. Intense exotic floral nose (when not overchilled) and follow through. Not sweet.
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8/2/2007 - gordoyflaca wrote: 93 Points
nice, sweet citrus.
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7/9/2007 - LoireFan wrote: 84 Points
Off-dry (and not indicated on the bottle), it lacked sufficient acids to carry the sweetness of the wine. Disappointing!
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7/4/2007 - drwine2001 wrote:
Yellow. Wonderful nose of quince and honey. Significant residual sugar, but long and delicious. This reinforced my feeling that many of the '05 Loire Chenin Blancs lack a tad of acidity to make them really great and ageworthy. However, they are enormously pleasurable right now.
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1/27/2007 - marc d wrote:
Aromatically this is pretty tight right now. Some lemon rocky scents with air. In the mouth full demi sec sweetness, quite rich and silky, ripe yellow peach and chalky minerals. Long finish. The acidity seems buried under the baby fat. Pretty damn good right now, potentially excellent, try again in a few months.
Overnight the wine really blossoms and opens with honey and quince aromas, and the minerals more noticeable. Also the wine seems more in balance with a good spine of acidity to accompany the richness of the palate. There is several layers of flavor here and the wine is an excellent example of demi sec Chenin from the Loire.
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1/23/2007 - Wicker Parker wrote:
34g of RS. Beautiful off-dry wine with aromas of peach and pineapple and flavors of honeyed mandarin orange and almonds, and especially honey. With its rich but crystal-clear mouthfeel and zingy but modest citric acidity, it cuts through my Thai curry perfectly. Also goes great with goat cheese. 100% organically grown!
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