2018 Bellingham Chenin Blanc The Old Orchards

Community Tasting Notes (2) Avg Score: 90.5 points

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  1/10/2021 - mjwstickings Likes this wine: 91 Points

  This is a truly superb Chenin Blanc, a showcase for Loire-like chalky minerals and lemony acidity but with additional orchard, stone, and tropical fruit complexity, as well as mild pepper spice and a hint of butter / butterscotch cream, that suggests both Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, channeled through notes of apple, pear, peach, yellow plum, pineapple, and guava. With this combination, a core structure and dry-lean quality that expresses the varietal's French origins and a fleshier body that expresses New World ripe fruit, it's also distinctively South African, and it straddles new and old seamlessly. In fact, its elements are balanced generally, the tart and sweet fruit (acidity and sweetness generally), the fruit and mineral backbone, the leanness and creaminess, the dryness and ripeness. It's simply an impressive wine and, in that, yet another incredible South African value ($18 in Ontario), with room to improve over the next 2-3 years.

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  3/9/2020 - Alykhan V Likes this wine: 90 Points

  Nose initially marred by strong reduction, smell of rotten eggs
  It took a good 10 minutes of periodic swirling for it to fully blow off
  
  After that, the wine was extremely pleasant
  Aromas of orchard fruit, green apples, floral notes, and strong minerality
  The body was richer and the acidity not overly-piercing.
  Off dry, slight sweetness
  Very well balanced
  
  Pairs nicely with spicy dishes when you want to do something different than a Riesling

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