We could use some help identifying quality producers of Loire chenin blanc stickies generated in at least some part with noble rot. The back story is that we grow chenin blanc on a hill above a river that terminates out to Long Island Sound. Our location provides fogs in September/October and leads reliably to botrytis infection in one of our chenin clones. We are able to protect the grapes by bagging each cluster in organza wedding bags and then an envelope of tight knit netting to keep varmints out. The yields are so low that we only do this with a half row(~400 ft). Harvest is usually the first week of December. So our idea is to benchmark where our chenin stickie is in comparison to very good to excellent examples from the Loire. We have some ideas but would like to hear from others who have more experience with this wine class of the chenin blanc. Thank you in advance…Gary
One obvious choice is Francois/Julien Pinon Cuvée Botrytis
SGN category is so niche, odds are anything you find to compare to here in the US should be solid. I’m not sure if its exactly comparable, but the old Moulin Torchais Quarts de Chaume I’ve tried have been very impressive, but that could also be the impact of bottle aging.
Huet Moelleux Premier Tries and Cuvée Constance are typically made from botrytised grapes, IIRC. Baumard Quarts de Chaume usually is as well, I think.
If you can get your hands onto any sweet 1997 Loire Chenins, they are quite exceptional.
For example some amazing wines I’ve tasted from 1997:
- Brisebarre Vouvray Moelleux Reserve Personnelle
- Delesvaux Coteaux du Layon SGN
- Delesvaux Coteaux du Layon Carbonifera
- Delesvaux Coteaux du Layon Anthologie
- Chateau de Fesles Bonnezeaux
- Patrick Baudouin Coteaux du Layon Maria Juby
- Patrick Baudouin Coteaux du Layon Apres Minuit
- all Huet Vouvray Moelleux - although only the Première Trie and Constance tend to show botrytis character
Do the Cotats’ wines have bot in some years?
They do harvest later than many producers in Sancerre I think in some rare vintages they might get a tiny bit of botrytis, but I’ve understood that used to be a bit more common in the past and is very rare. And when they do, that’s only a tiny portion of the fruit.
But that’s Sauvignon Blanc, anyway.
Shame on me for wine thinking before coffee drinking.
And don’t forget the Anjou wines where botrytis also showed up in the dry wines. Maybe less common in the past few years with the trend towards leaner wines, but 15-20 years ago with the first wave of natural producers, it was more common. Although perhaps difficult to locate bottles! Depends on where you buy wine. And if on LI, why not ask the Loire folks at CSW.
We have had good and great times with these wines. Coteaux du Layon, Bonnezeaux, Quarts de Chaume. Usually on the ground in France though. I would take a chance on almost any of these that are available that come with some favorable reviews.
If you’re part of berserkerday, post some of these wines to the board. they will be snapped up!
We’ve always enjoyed Moulin Touchais with age.
While a beautiful wine, I think it is only late-harvest Chenin. In some vintages there can be a little bit of botrytis, but to my understanding, that isn’t part of the Moulin Touchais style.
Yes you are correct, often some Botrytis, but not dominant.
Thank you everyone. I have been focusing in on the three Loire regions well known for dessert chenins mentioned above. I’ve seen good availability for the Baumard wines but most others are harder to find. One I’m a bit interested in is a 2019 Belargus Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru Les Quarts.
Otto & Mike - Thank you for the specific grower names. I’ve come across the Delesvaux SGN bottling but not the other 2. I’m also very familiar with the Huet wines for which I believe the Cuvèe Constance is the one bottling that consistently has botrytized grapes.
Thank you all…Gary