From the coravin. Nose of pear and gravel. Very light color. Delicate flavors of lemon, melon with some minerality. Nice acid. Well balanced, With some complexity. Chenin blanc has a lower ceiling than some other grapes imo, and this wine nudges against that ceiling. Solid wine. About what I would expect from Nigel - the best of its breed, or close to it.
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Decanted a portion and it opened after an hour on day 1. Vacuvin’d the rest and PnP portions on day 2 and 4, each time opened much quicker. Medium straw to medium yellow color. 👃🏻 initial banana dissipated after decant, then grapefruit rind and a little honeysuckle 👅 strong acidity with a little white pepper, grapefruit, hint of lemon and pear with 30-35 sec finish Not my preferred style of chenin blanc but nicely made. I tend to gravitate towards very slightly less dry styles with more complexity but this reminded me of a high octane Anjou.
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Absolutely outstanding chenin! Bright citrus, lanolin, and just a bit of sunshine to remind you that it's from CA. The perfect amount of structure and acidity creates an excellent, medium bodied mouth-feel and bodes well for future development. Great stuff - consider me 'all-in' again for the next release.
On my first glass now after pop and pour from cellar temps. Nose is a bit shy but the flavor and finish is outstanding. So balanced and the acidity is just right for my taste. Wish I had more, but thankfully the 23 comes out next week and in more quantities than the inaugural vintage.
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Not really a fan of Chenin Blanc (their cloying nature is not my style), but was looking forward to this after Shae mentioned that this Aberro CB "...is bone dry". So was pleasantly surprised by how fantastic this was (I've gone from, ok let's try the one offered... to...wish I could get a 3-pack!) Interestingly, I got pear notes on the nose and palate, similar to their Aisana SB. Love the silky viscosity, almost creamy. Plenty of acidity to drive this as well (my problem with more traditional CB is a lack of acidity). Also had an intriguing bitter note that really intensified the pear and subtle cirtus flavors. Complex with great depth of flavor. After a week+ on nitrogen it lost some oomph but was still great. Drinks great on opening and with a slight chill from the cellar. If I had more I'd drink sooner than later as it seems like it might lose some character if aged too long. Though if you prefer your CB more mellow this will easily go a few years.
Friendsgiving Dinner (Schur House - Riverwoods IL): Walkaround tasting. Not for me. This somehow manages to showcase Cali's high alcohol character along with pronounced bitterness that didn't complement each other. Others liked this more.
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PnP’ed and consumed over 2 days. Medium+ nose of honeysuckle, pear, lemon peel, white pepper, lanolin, flint, and a hint of vanilla. On day 2, a biscuit flavor added to the complexity. Medium+ acidity, medium-bodied, lightly creamy mouthfeel, and medium citrusy and chalky finish. Excellent and rivals the best examples of Chenin Blanc from South Africa.
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Was feeling optimistic after my latest experience with Plaisance Anjou (I’m not a chenin blanc fan). In comparison, this felt a bit flat. Flavors, minerality, acidity all turned down. It was inoffensive, well-balanced, but just not memorable. A solid wine, but lacking in QPR.
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Welcome home pt. 2 (FermentedBeast's Lair): Clean, crisp and light orchard fruits with good intensity on the nose. Flowers, dried stones and minerals, and with time, green apple is more prominent.
A clean cut of fresh green apples on the palate, gentle ripeness but with good bitterness from minerals that brings it lift. Subtle notes of honey that gives the illusion that this has a bit of weight but this maintains grace and swiftness. Just a slightly lighter (flavors, not weight) and cleaner taste compared to the chard next to it. Might be better with a chilled temp. 94-95
I don’t drink a lot of Chenin Blanc, but this was good enough to make me want to try more. Gorgeous floral nose and an incredibly long finish with waves of complexity. I used Coravin and after a couple days the vibrant freshness was gone, muting the nose and flavors. Though it was still nice, the contrast to the almost magical brightness of the first day only served to highlight how impressive it first was.
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The opening bottle for another palooza weekend with @Mark1npt Started out a bit to chilled but was still delicious that way. Amazing nose of florals, beeswax, honey, orchard fruits. Concentrated palate of the same plus some other interesting fruits—Mark’s suggestions of guava and fig were spot on, along with apples and pear. Left my glass for a few hours to attend a school parents event (I know, right in the middle of a palooza!) and it had changed dramatically with air and as it warmed. Even more intense florals on the nose, tangerine on the palate. Long finish. Just stunning. Really wish, like everyone, that we had more!!!!!!
Opening wine from my host Decanting Queen in our latest Jenapalooza.
Pnp'd quite chilled and enjoyed in spurts over the next 4 hours. Sweet spot for me was about 2 hours in. Light yellow in the glass, waxy nose with white flowers, a hint of citrus and maybe guava or white fig? Palate of more white florals and stone fruit. I liked it better as it warmed in the glass over time but that's often my MO with both whites and reds. It was smooth and a bit 'leesy' when chilled but developed some nice 'cut' or 'edge' to it once warmed which is what I'm looking for in a Chenin.....and most Cali Chenins can't give you that. Thanks for the intro to this one, DQ!
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This was a nice reward at the end of a long travel day one of our favorite family spots on earth. Wyoming.
I love this wine. Plenty of body and a finish for days. This might have lasted all of 45 minutes.
If tasted blind I would have been completely stumped. For me it was like a cross up of Sav B (think Lail Georgia & your favorite domestic white burgundy.) I wish I had a case as I would love to crush these all summer long.
I hope Nigel & Shae increase the production of this wine.
Have to be up front and say I do not drink a lot of Chenin Blanc as they are usually too light and unintersting to me. This was in a different league though. Acid, mineral, big fruit. A good CB at last! Fantastic.
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Incredible acid. Tons and tons of minerality and spice. Fruits range from green apple to citrus to a hint of stone fruit. Just a whiff of floral backdrop. Tremendous! And I imagine has a long life ahead.
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It would be a minor sin to add anything to csimm's note below. It's poetry. I would just add that if you happen to have an Aberro and Korean fried chicken at the same time in the same place, you won't want to leave.
There's a noble nose on this Chenin that sports a whiff of the exotic at first, but then rolls right into freshly cut honeydew, warm honey, and even the slightest hint of petrol aromas. It smells kinda like a fruit salad at the Four Seasons in Bora Bora on the deck of your overwater bungalow that is prepared by a dude named Jacques Pierre Francois Chevalier; he's wearing a tuxedo but he never sweats, because he is just that smooth.
The attack on this thing is like a Swiss Special Forces Army Reconnaissance Detachment: regimented, polished, Zoolander-ishly handsome ("being really, really, ridiculously good looking"), and effortless in a way that you know is anything but elementary. Every component is beautiful and deliberate. Notes of tangerine, white melon, lychee, lemon verbena, pineapple rind, and the essence of a Beckham kid's lemonade stand in the Cotswolds.
Where this specimen really reaches elite status is actually AFTER you take your first sip, because it's in the gorgeously seductive aftereffects when the execution really begins to take hold. The finish is a true Cersei Lannister creeper, lingering and captivating. You can't stop experiencing it even if you wanted to. If you're busy flapping your jaws and stuffing your facehole with Flamin' Hot Cheetos, you might miss the extra layers of flavor that continue to build even when you think you're done with your swallow.
I know this all sounds horribly Kinsman fanboy of me and all, but the subtleties in this Chenin are just as compelling as its more conspicuous elements, and a thing that can encapsulate both nuance and sensation is a thing to which one should pay attention.
Drink it now just cuz you can't help yourself, or hold for a bit. I have no doubt there is even more complexity to come. It'll be one of those bottles you wished you hung on to for a decade but know full well your bottles aren't lasting beyond this summer. Oh, and don't be a goober like me and serve it too cold. The flavors especially glide when they rise slightly above cellar temperature.
5/27/2024 - MuddyBear Likes this wine: 92 Points
From the coravin. Nose of pear and gravel. Very light color. Delicate flavors of lemon, melon with some minerality. Nice acid. Well balanced,
With some complexity. Chenin blanc has a lower ceiling than some other grapes imo, and this wine nudges against that ceiling. Solid wine. About what I would expect from Nigel - the best of its breed, or close to it.
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5/9/2024 - Asull2k Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted a portion and it opened after an hour on day 1. Vacuvin’d the rest and PnP portions on day 2 and 4, each time opened much quicker. Medium straw to medium yellow color.
👃🏻 initial banana dissipated after decant, then grapefruit rind and a little honeysuckle
👅 strong acidity with a little white pepper, grapefruit, hint of lemon and pear with 30-35 sec finish
Not my preferred style of chenin blanc but nicely made. I tend to gravitate towards very slightly less dry styles with more complexity but this reminded me of a high octane Anjou.
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5/5/2024 - RichEB1 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Absolutely outstanding chenin! Bright citrus, lanolin, and just a bit of sunshine to remind you that it's from CA. The perfect amount of structure and acidity creates an excellent, medium bodied mouth-feel and bodes well for future development. Great stuff - consider me 'all-in' again for the next release.
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5/1/2024 - Dine&Vine Likes this wine: 95 Points
On my first glass now after pop and pour from cellar temps. Nose is a bit shy but the flavor and finish is outstanding. So balanced and the acidity is just right for my taste. Wish I had more, but thankfully the 23 comes out next week and in more quantities than the inaugural vintage.
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1/9/2024 - ozziewine Likes this wine: 95 Points
Not really a fan of Chenin Blanc (their cloying nature is not my style), but was looking forward to this after Shae mentioned that this Aberro CB "...is bone dry". So was pleasantly surprised by how fantastic this was (I've gone from, ok let's try the one offered... to...wish I could get a 3-pack!)
Interestingly, I got pear notes on the nose and palate, similar to their Aisana SB.
Love the silky viscosity, almost creamy. Plenty of acidity to drive this as well (my problem with more traditional CB is a lack of acidity). Also had an intriguing bitter note that really intensified the pear and subtle cirtus flavors. Complex with great depth of flavor.
After a week+ on nitrogen it lost some oomph but was still great.
Drinks great on opening and with a slight chill from the cellar. If I had more I'd drink sooner than later as it seems like it might lose some character if aged too long. Though if you prefer your CB more mellow this will easily go a few years.
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11/24/2023 - Burgundy Al wrote:
Friendsgiving Dinner (Schur House - Riverwoods IL): Walkaround tasting. Not for me. This somehow manages to showcase Cali's high alcohol character along with pronounced bitterness that didn't complement each other. Others liked this more.
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11/4/2023 - billyloveswine Likes this wine: 93 Points
PnP’ed and consumed over 2 days. Medium+ nose of honeysuckle, pear, lemon peel, white pepper, lanolin, flint, and a hint of vanilla. On day 2, a biscuit flavor added to the complexity. Medium+ acidity, medium-bodied, lightly creamy mouthfeel, and medium citrusy and chalky finish. Excellent and rivals the best examples of Chenin Blanc from South Africa.
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10/18/2023 - BadOyster wrote: 90 Points
Was feeling optimistic after my latest experience with Plaisance Anjou (I’m not a chenin blanc fan). In comparison, this felt a bit flat. Flavors, minerality, acidity all turned down. It was inoffensive, well-balanced, but just not memorable. A solid wine, but lacking in QPR.
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10/13/2023 - EM_MB Likes this wine: 93 Points
Gorgeous and surprisingly complex CB. Wish I had more.
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9/3/2023 - WineBurrowingWombat Likes this wine: 95 Points
Welcome home pt. 2 (FermentedBeast's Lair): Clean, crisp and light orchard fruits with good intensity on the nose. Flowers, dried stones and minerals, and with time, green apple is more prominent.
A clean cut of fresh green apples on the palate, gentle ripeness but with good bitterness from minerals that brings it lift. Subtle notes of honey that gives the illusion that this has a bit of weight but this maintains grace and swiftness. Just a slightly lighter (flavors, not weight) and cleaner taste compared to the chard next to it. Might be better with a chilled temp. 94-95
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8/26/2023 - TrojanMatt Likes this wine: 93 Points
I don’t drink a lot of Chenin Blanc, but this was good enough to make me want to try more. Gorgeous floral nose and an incredibly long finish with waves of complexity. I used Coravin and after a couple days the vibrant freshness was gone, muting the nose and flavors. Though it was still nice, the contrast to the almost magical brightness of the first day only served to highlight how impressive it first was.
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8/24/2023 - Decanting Queen Likes this wine: 94 Points
The opening bottle for another palooza weekend with @Mark1npt
Started out a bit to chilled but was still delicious that way. Amazing nose of florals, beeswax, honey, orchard fruits. Concentrated palate of the same plus some other interesting fruits—Mark’s suggestions of guava and fig were spot on, along with apples and pear.
Left my glass for a few hours to attend a school parents event (I know, right in the middle of a palooza!) and it had changed dramatically with air and as it warmed. Even more intense florals on the nose, tangerine on the palate. Long finish.
Just stunning. Really wish, like everyone, that we had more!!!!!!
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8/24/2023 - Mark1npt Likes this wine: 94 Points
Opening wine from my host Decanting Queen in our latest Jenapalooza.
Pnp'd quite chilled and enjoyed in spurts over the next 4 hours. Sweet spot for me was about 2 hours in. Light yellow in the glass, waxy nose with white flowers, a hint of citrus and maybe guava or white fig? Palate of more white florals and stone fruit. I liked it better as it warmed in the glass over time but that's often my MO with both whites and reds. It was smooth and a bit 'leesy' when chilled but developed some nice 'cut' or 'edge' to it once warmed which is what I'm looking for in a Chenin.....and most Cali Chenins can't give you that. Thanks for the intro to this one, DQ!
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7/18/2023 - MJP Hou TX Likes this wine: 96 Points
This was a nice reward at the end of a long travel day one of our favorite family spots on earth. Wyoming.
I love this wine. Plenty of body and a finish for days. This might have lasted all of 45 minutes.
If tasted blind I would have been completely stumped. For me it was like a cross up of Sav B (think Lail Georgia & your favorite domestic white burgundy.) I wish I had a case as I would love to crush these all summer long.
I hope Nigel & Shae increase the production of this wine.
96
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7/4/2023 - TastesGoodToMe Likes this wine: 94 Points
Have to be up front and say I do not drink a lot of Chenin Blanc as they are usually too light and unintersting to me. This was in a different league though. Acid, mineral, big fruit. A good CB at last! Fantastic.
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6/18/2023 - jondrinkswine Likes this wine: 95 Points
Incredible acid. Tons and tons of minerality and spice. Fruits range from green apple to citrus to a hint of stone fruit. Just a whiff of floral backdrop. Tremendous! And I imagine has a long life ahead.
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6/17/2023 - ledocq Likes this wine:
It would be a minor sin to add anything to csimm's note below. It's poetry. I would just add that if you happen to have an Aberro and Korean fried chicken at the same time in the same place, you won't want to leave.
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5/5/2023 - csimm wrote: 96 Points
There's a noble nose on this Chenin that sports a whiff of the exotic at first, but then rolls right into freshly cut honeydew, warm honey, and even the slightest hint of petrol aromas. It smells kinda like a fruit salad at the Four Seasons in Bora Bora on the deck of your overwater bungalow that is prepared by a dude named Jacques Pierre Francois Chevalier; he's wearing a tuxedo but he never sweats, because he is just that smooth.
The attack on this thing is like a Swiss Special Forces Army Reconnaissance Detachment: regimented, polished, Zoolander-ishly handsome ("being really, really, ridiculously good looking"), and effortless in a way that you know is anything but elementary. Every component is beautiful and deliberate. Notes of tangerine, white melon, lychee, lemon verbena, pineapple rind, and the essence of a Beckham kid's lemonade stand in the Cotswolds.
Where this specimen really reaches elite status is actually AFTER you take your first sip, because it's in the gorgeously seductive aftereffects when the execution really begins to take hold. The finish is a true Cersei Lannister creeper, lingering and captivating. You can't stop experiencing it even if you wanted to. If you're busy flapping your jaws and stuffing your facehole with Flamin' Hot Cheetos, you might miss the extra layers of flavor that continue to build even when you think you're done with your swallow.
I know this all sounds horribly Kinsman fanboy of me and all, but the subtleties in this Chenin are just as compelling as its more conspicuous elements, and a thing that can encapsulate both nuance and sensation is a thing to which one should pay attention.
Drink it now just cuz you can't help yourself, or hold for a bit. I have no doubt there is even more complexity to come. It'll be one of those bottles you wished you hung on to for a decade but know full well your bottles aren't lasting beyond this summer. Oh, and don't be a goober like me and serve it too cold. The flavors especially glide when they rise slightly above cellar temperature.
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