I think Chenin has been the grape variety where I’ve seen the blind success rate being the lowest! Between a lot of people not drinking it often (I was surprised at how not popular it is in most of France) and the expressions it can take, I’ve seen guesses go all over the place. And I’ve yet to meet a Chenin expert… I’ve met a few people that know a thing or two about Pinot, Bordeaux blends, Nebbiolo, Tempranillo, etc.) but I don’t think I’ve met a Chenin wiz yet. Weird, considering it’s an awesome cépage and between Loire and Swartland there are some domaines who are transcending the heck out of that grape…
I am a kinda Zinfandel bigot–specifically, a Sonoma County Zinfandel bigot. So, I am way out of my comfort zone having a Napa Valley Zin, but this is a delightful and refreshing example of various stone fruit flavors. Not as robust as one might be accustomed for this grape.
I received an email, yesterday, from Lagier Meredith as I am sure many readers here did. It said that they had recently bottled their 2021 vintage wines and those would be available for sale this autumn. If I am not mistaken, this will be the last release from the Lagier Meredith. I have to start drinking faster to make storage space.
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When older chenin gets that lanolin note and texture, I can guess the grape blind. I can often identify Huet and Chidaine Secs as I used to open so many of those.
When it’s some young chenin that’s not those, my guesses are more wrong than right. I’ll get flustered and I start opining some blindly tasted chardonnay is a chenin and embarrass myself.
As far as experts, @Chris_Kissack seems to know a thing or two about Chenin blanc.
My whole blind tasting group is pretty damn good at identifying Chenin (young and old) even if we sometimes get appellation or continent wrong. That’s par for the course blind. We all are deeply invested in the grape, and most of us have been for a couple decades or more now. Do some searches here and/or even mosey on over to Wine Disorder, and you will find many more folks. (Hi @Nathan_V and @Brad_Kane and ….) There is also @Chris_Kissack as mentioned who takes professional pride in the Loire. Pascaline Lepeliter is of course also a committed proselytizer and incredibly knowledgeable. I could go on.
So I think this is a case of YM (and circles) MV even if I (of course) would not argue that more geeks care about Chardonnay and even Riesling than Chenin among white grape varieties.
Well, I think Pascaline does - if her Chenin Chenin Chein shirt is anything to go by 
It was an interesting night of blinds - I did very well on a couple and almost got sidetracked into Italy on an (admittedly not especially great) bottle or red Burgundy. Calling the 13 Mugneret-Gibourg Chaignots an 05 Volnay was not my finest hour either (mine are staying in storage). Blinds 
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You are so brave tho
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@Pascaline… nope not working.
Oh, I know Chenin fans are out there and I’m one of them. I was surprised that it’s not more popular though. It seems that the people I’ve blind tasted with are not Chenin fans and haven’t been exposed to it. I’m also surprised that throughout my wine life, Chenin has not been more popular for the people I’ve tasted with. A lot more people are seeking Jura or Rhône whites over Loire Chenin around me. But I’m obviously not in Loire…!
I’m also surprised by the lack of interest in Champagne for the people I’ve met since I’m in France. It’s very Bordeaux/Burgundy/Alsace. Looks like I’m gonna have to expand my new circle of friends 
!
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That is truly a shame. Find new people! 
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Domaine Phillip Vougeot 1er Cru Les Petits Vougeots 2004
Bad vintage. Unknown producer and Cru (to me). It’s one of those, what have I got to lose moments. Perfect cork, easy to pull out. Great nose of mature Burgundy: red berries, earth, slight leather and other savoury notes. The palate is not quite up to the nose: nice acidity that promotes the red berries, the tannins are integrated but overall it’s a little thin and there is a slight bitterness on the finish. I’ll tack that one to vintage but it could be the producer or the parcel… I have no reference point! Still, totally drinkable but I won’t be looking for more.
Can be a great parcel as it abuts Les Amoureuses, big fan of this vineyard from Hudelot-Noellat.
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Just opened a 1992 Togni. What a beautiful wine - this may be the best bottle I’ve opened this year.
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Opened this 2016 Emrich-Schönleber Halgans last night. Will finish tonight. Delicious from Halenberg young vines. A beautiful mineral food wine based on a wonderfully textural and elegant midpalate.
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Can’t quite make out the vintage. 1999?
Yeah, 1999.
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Ramon,
I don’t drink much CdP these days, but I’ve always liked VT, especially the 1998 and 2001. I still have a few 1998’s as well as a magnum. '98 is my daughter’s birth year in addition to being a great vintage for southern rhone wine. Based on your bottle, would you care to guess how many years it will be before these start to decline?
Cheers!
Warren
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I’m continuing my “Are bad vintages really atrocious to drink” tour. This time, 1991 St-Em. More precisely, Château Beauséjour Duffau-Lagarosse. Verdict?
Disintegrating cork. I should have gone with the Ah-So from the get go. Filtered to remove the crumbly cork. Nose… hmmm… not sure. Good news, it doesn’t smell deviant at all but it does smell evolved and weak… almost like the shadow of a wine. The palate follows suit: shrill, thin and uninteresting. Pass.
The meal was great though! Côte de boeuf where I tried a new marinade, garlic sautéed potatoes in duck fat and green beans. Some spoiled children asked for Roquefort to add to the sliced beef and I obliged. Damn kids…
10 years, at least. Lucky daughter!
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At a dinner of wines from 2000(two champagne and five Bordeaux) I brought the zind humbrecht rangen gewurztraminer VT. As has been pointed out, more rangen than gewurztraminer, a fabulous wine with a spectacular nose (if you like gewurztraminer), and bracing acidity to make the 7.8 brix RS seem less sweet. Unfortunately, my last bottle.
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