Saw a conversation between Cathy Corison and Tegan on Twitter about a Chenin Vineyard in Napa being pulled out. Tegan referenced making a Chenin from the vineyard last year. Anyone have more info?
Thanks, Tom
We had a bottle last week that did the opposite. It took a couple hours for the oak to come to the fore and it seemed pretty oaky the next day.
I’ve been pushing to do Chenin. It’s one of the many white varieties I would never do with oak. it doesn’t need the complexity-crutch aspect, and it doesn’t need the softening. Doesn’t mean it can’t be done well. Doesn’t mean this particular wine won’t integrate it in a year or two. For how it showed now, I did enjoy it, but thought it would’ve been better done in stainless.
As far as fully neutral wood goes, I’ve had many old school European wines that really showed the old wood as a prominent feature - like the rough woody tannins you get from a spent tea bag. Not a good thing.
-
2012 Sandlands Chenin Blanc - USA, California, Sierra Foothills, Amador County (3/22/2015)
Popped and poured, bright golden lemon with a slight haze. Interesting, stone-filled aromas of honeysuckle, beeswax, subtle lemon and oak. Medium-light body, immediate notes of citrus and an impression of minerals are complimented by undertones of sliced pear, stone fruits and a touch of oak…perhaps more Pouilly-Fuissé than Amador County. Well-rounded, plush texture almost obscures the moderate-plus acidity, puts on weight with air.
Great now, should only improve with additional cellaring.
I still get a touch of oak from this, which is fine. Just a great bottle of white and a steal @ $24 per.