Which Chenin Blanc are you drinking?

2012 Bellingham Chenin Blanc The Bernard Series Old Vine, Western Cape.

3 yrs in the cellar, SC, 14% alc. Think around $26 Cdn, always feel put away for a while as can have oak tones and I am not keen on that in my SA CB.

Bright light gold color, earthy, floral nose, no wet wool! Some nutty hints after an hour open, more so on day 2.
Medium-bodied, nice finish, good acidity here and fruit balance. No big tropical fruits…“lemon and honeycomb” from across the table. It is all so fresh and inviting, clean and crisp. Wonder how the 2014 will show in time?

YES!! Love this thread idea, as always want to explore chenin further. Nada tonight (debated an 11 huet demi)…but in pumped to talk some chenin.

Recently discovered Loire chenin and loving them! Don’t know why it took me so long to make it to this region. A lot of high quality stuff even in the value priced spectrum of wines. Opened the 2015 Domaine du Fresche Anjou Chenin last night and really enjoyed it.

2015 Domaine du Fresche Anjoy Chenin Blanc
13.5% abv, picked up for around $15 from Chamber St.
Beautiful aromatics of baked apple, pear, graham cracker, and honey without any of the sweetness. Contrasting flavor profile on the palate with more citrus notes buried under lively acidity and high mineral tones. Drinking well now but has short term age-ability with possible improvement in 3-5 years.

hands down the best Chenin I’ve had in the last few months was the Mai et Kenji Hodgson Vin de France Les Aussigouins. Super nerdy/geeky, but just a great bottle.

Goss Creek. A wine I got for $3.99 for cooking some mushrooms. Took it home, tasted it, cut a piece of cheese, a piece of bread, and ended up with an empty bottle. Bought a few more.

I don’t know much about it except that it’s put together by the Langhe Bros. Used to be second label of Domaine Alfred but that’s a long time ago.

Always loved Chenin Blanc’s from Vouvray, especially from producers Huet, and Michel Autran. But been exploring more Chenin’s from Anjou such as Richard Leroy, and Stephane Bernaudeau. Love the gun flint, lemon wax, and tropical notes on many of the Chenin Blanc’s from Loire.

Here in Edmonton, we are fortunate to have a winestore that promotes SA very well, especially both red and white wines from the Badenhorst family. Like Bellingham, the CB seems to benefit from some bottle age. A recent bottle reflected my thoughts that I posted a while back.

TN: 2013 Badenhorst Family Wines Chenin Blanc Secateurs, Swartland SA. Guess my third bottle. $18 Cdn, SC, 13.5% alc.
Pale yellow color, herbal mineral nose, not too waxy(?). “Ripe tropical fruit nose” comment from across the table. I found it quite appealing…quine and melon on the second day.
Initial entry thought is off-dry, good acidity, mineral tones, ripe apple, pear. Nice grip on the finish, some tartness, has held up very well overnight.

Forlorn hope chenin blanc is very nice

Great idea for a thread! I will be following. I don’t drink a lot of white wine, but when I do, it’s often chenin blanc.

Saturday night it was a 1997 Huet Le Haut Lieu Moelleux. Needed half an hour of air but was a lovely wine after that.

latest release of paumanok
long island’s best white

Ha. I was just going to post the same thing. Pamanok.

I’ve been drinking a lot of Chenin Blanc recently, mostly purchased at retail without a lot of information. What I’ve learned is that it’s been very hit and miss with Vouvray and very consistently good with Savennieres. Recently had 2014 Château de l’ Eperonnière Savennières Croix Picot, which I thought was excellent. Also loved 2013 Leo Steen Chenin Blanc The Steen Jurassic Vineyard Santa Ynez Valley.

Thanks Sean. I really need to find some Leo Steen chenin. Been getting nothing but love around here.

Speaking of Jurassic Park - had a glass of Habit chenin at a restaurant the other day and was happy with it…which was nice as i had tried it previously and wasnt blown away (maybe an off bottle).

Drank these on Saturday, as well as a terrific non-premoxed '02 Huet Le Haut-Lieu Demi-Sec and '89 Moelleux.
1967 Huets.jpg

I have had two over the last month or so.

A 1997 Domaine des Baumard Quarts de Chaume was rich and terrific, pretty ready to drink IMHO.

In a sort of lighter, more understated style, a 2014 Château de Fosse-Seche Saumur Arcane was very enjoyable.

Wow! You owe some notes on those 67’s!!

2012 Thibaud Boudignon Anjou - opened for some winemaker friends in Roero; an absolute a show-stopper

2012 Leo Steen, The Steen, Jurassic Vineyard, SBC.
About as good as it gets.
Best, Jim

by far