- Just a great little bottle of Chenin. Perfectly balanced and harmonious, nectarines, peach, apple, a hint of honey, this is impossible not to like. A touch of RS offset with the precisely right acidity and tang, a touch of vanilla, voila, a minor masterpiece. Not sure how this found it’s way into my cellar, but a wonderful summer wine on a perfect CO summer afternoon. This would pair so well with so many foods and cheeses. Double Yum or 92+ points if you prefer.
Cheers,
Mitch
Have had this on a few occasions and had very consistent notes. Lights out value and quality!
I had one of these two days ago. Outstanding qpr.
Opened an 08 Bouchet last week. Impressive stuff. Chidaine is on fire.
No argument from me on the quality of wines coming out of François Chidaine’s domaine, but what we really have here is a sign of how 2008 is a particularly excellent vintage for demi-secs in Montlouis and Vouvray, such as the Clos Habert above, and your Le Bouchet. I don’t know what it was about the vintage that favoured this style, but wines from Chidaine, Jacky Blot, Huet, Carême and so on have been stunning.
Well I blame you, Chris, you enabler, for my (sadly limited) 08 Chidaine and Huet purchases so far. More properly, I should thank you for your terrific set of collected notes on Loire producers and bottles. How is 2010 looking for Touraine and Nantais?
Now I’ll have to keep an eye out for Blot and Careme, with which I’m not yet familiar.
Thanks for those comments Ian, they are much appreciated.
2010 is fine for Nantais I think, from what I have tasted the wines have good depth but also fine acidity, so they come across as flavoursome, ripe but fresh. It should be a vintage that delivers the kick we want from the region.
Touraine had a more difficult time in 2010. The weather was not as favourable, with rather cool and changeable weather through the summer, including some July hail which damaged some vineyards. It was not a vintage for much besides pétillant and sec wines in Vouvray & Montlouis, and although there are small amounts of demi-sec and moelleux at some domaines the quantities are very limited (to the extent I don’t think Huet will be actively marketing their single moelleux, a Le Mont première trie, and will probably just be offering to long-standing customers or perhaps visitors to the domaine). What secs I have tasted can be good, but at some domaines (e.g. Aubuisières) the wines feel distinctly lighter than usual. When I last visited in January some domaines (e.g. Champalou) chose to show largely other vintages instead, which says something.
The red wines from Chinon and Bourgueil are, based on what I have tasted so far thought, pretty good. I think the further you move downstream, through Saumur and Anjou, the better the wines, and so they should be, I spent some time in Faye d’Anjou during the summer and the weather was gorgeous (I know there is more to a vintage than just a few weeks in high summer, but still…it gave me hope). Upstream, at Sancerre, I haven’t tasted widely, but there is promise, with firmer wines than in 2009.
I don’t link to my own site in view of the Berserkers FAQ but if you search on it for “Loire 2010” you will find a recently published Loire 2010 report with individual write-ups for the four principle regions, and two further pages of winemaker comments, opinion and tasting notes.
Hope this helps.
Thank you; reading the report will give me something to look forward to this weekend.
My Bourgueil-Chinon repertory is limited so far to Baudry and Breton (well, a little Joguet and Taluau, as well), and from Saumur solely Hureau - I need to get out more. Haven’t found a Sancerre I love, though I have a wee bit of Vatan buried somewhere. But every time I open a good Chenin-based wine from the Loire (tonight its an 02 Baumard Savennieres Clos du Papillon), I puzzle over why these wines don’t get the attention white Burgundy does. And Muscadets are simply unbeatable for affordable fine whites.
Thanks again.
Sorry for the thread drift, but any insight into Chidaine’s new venture into Spain?
Eric, that’s a new one on me. I will ask François and let you know if I get anything useful back!
Chris–more thread drift. I loved the 2008 chidanes, and some of the Huets, but when we tasted a Huet line-up, I thought the Le Mont demi sec and the Moelleux Haut-Lieu had a disulfide problem (also in one of the 85’s we had). I don’t have a lot of experience with Chenin, but I couldn’t drink the wines. does this ring a bell, or is this just the “truflle note” that sometimes is in tasting notes? (Not just just a truffle note for me–more marshmallow/parsnip/rubbery garlic-truffle)
Hi Eric
I’ve had a reply from François, who explains as follws; the Spanish venture relates to a small vineyard at 800-1000m altitude in Bullas (Murcia) owned by friends of François. In order to help out when the friends experienced a financial crisis François purchased the fruit when still on the vine, fruit which has since been picked and fermented in steel, then raised in steel before bottling last April. The blend is 60% Monastell and 40% Tempranillo, I think the style is to be fresh and fruity (as suggested by the altitude and absence of oak) and it will be called “3P” in honour of François’ friends who own the vineyard.
I’m sorry he didn’t say where or when the wine would be released/shipped, but I’m guessing soon from the style of the wine.
Hope this helps.
Hi John
Thanks for this message. I have seen seen this issue raised before on this forum but I’m afraid then as now it doesn’t resonate with me at all. I’ve tasted each of the 2008 Huet cuvées 3-5 times since release, in London with Noel Pinguet and the UK importer, at the domaine and at the Salon in Angers, and I’ve never noted any aroma suggestive of a sulfide/disulfide problem. That doesn’t mean it isn’t there of course.
Truffle aromas relate to dimethyly sulfide, as do quince and cabbage, whereas the heavier dimethyl disulfide is more associated with onion and asparagus, but also quince, whereas diethyl disulfide smells of garlic, onion or rubber, so there is some crossover between these sulphur compounds. Whichever of these you are picking up they all relate to sulphur and reduction. A brief search for published data on taster sensitivity to these substances didn’t turn anything up - I was wondering if this might explain the varied detection of this aroma? Just a thought though - haven’t found any evidence of that so far; most work seems to suggest they are easily detectable (e.g. <1 - 5 ppm).
Sorry, not much help here I’m afraid!
I don’t have any 2008s lined up for tasting in the immediate future but I’m certain I’ll come back to them. I will keep your experiences in mind when I do.
Hi Mitch,
Thanks for the note. I’m a big Chidaine fan, but haven’t tried any of the '08s yet, so very good to know.
Cheers,
-Robert
Hi Robert, yeah worthy of an additional purchase though I better check to see how many I already have as I didn’t know I had this until I grabbed it. I just went to Chris’ winedoctor.com website for the first time, and he gave a much more detailed review of the wine and he’s certainly far more of an authority on Loire wines than I, and he wrote a pretty glowing review of the wine as well. For about the price of a middling Borgogne Blanc for godsake. You buying much 09 Burgundy Robert, or like me do you feel priced out these days?
Had the Clos Habert last night, great wine indeed, “incredibly vibrant” is how I’d sum it up.