Two of my favorites. I also like Arnaud Lambert, but I found a 2020 Clos du Midi tired last night. It was better last year.
Foreau is a wine Chris James enlightened me about recently, Pinon is solid, and Careme is new to me. I’ll look to track some down.
Opened a 2014 tonight. A bottle that’s been sitting in my house probably several years, so at temps ranging from 60 in winter to 75 in summer. It’s pristine, no color change, pretty delicious.
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This is still floating around the retail chain. Grab a few if your interest is piqued. I am among those who believe Demi-Sec is the highest expression of Touraine Chenin.
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I am, too and that '16 Foreau demi is stellar. Might be my favorite after the '08.
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hmmmmmmm … okaaaaay!
I did, btw, grab that '15 mag last weekend …
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I realize I’m responding to 3yo post, but I would put Cotat above Vatan personally. The newer Vatan wines have been extremely variable/volatile for me. The high alcohol and high VA on sauvignon can get so strange. Vatan from the 90’s has been spectacular however. Just curious if I’m on an island here or if others have had the same experience.
Sounds like I need to get on trying a bottle of 08.
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+1 
More seriously, haven’t had Vatan past that bottle, but gosh when Cotat hits it’s just so great.
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I’m obsessed with this wine.
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The '16 sec is every bit as stupendous as the demi-sec.
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^Better. Because it’s not sweet 
Something off the beaten path: IGP Cotes de la Charite
Alphonse Mellot Les Penitents 2021
A puzzlingly good Chardonnay, in a richer, but not overwhelmingly opulent style.
All kinds of exotic fruit, a touch of oak/vanilla, mineral elements. Medium- acidity.
Not only geographically an interpolation between Sancerre and Burgundy.
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Very interesting. I have visited Mellot once (2014?) but this wasn’t featured in the tasting. It’s a quality address so no surprise that they would also do Chardonnay well.
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1975 Moulin Touchais for a friend’s 50th birthday. Structured and should drink well for years (or decades) but great right now. The bottle we had 10 years ago was good but not as great as this one.
At under $100 at Woodland Hills (one of many vintages they are selling) a great value.
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It’s bottle to bottle for 2014 unfortunately. The outstanding 2004 was/is like that too.
I’ve only had 5 or 6 bottles of Cotat, only 3 of Vatan, but I agree completely.
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Like Loire chenin a lot. Am relatively new to it and eager to try more, so this thread is great reading. The latest I sampled was this one.
2019 Francois Chidaine - Montlouis-sur-Loire - Les Tuffeaux
Aromas of baked lemon and slightly bruised apples. Slightly waxy texture with some zesty bitter notes. Good acidity, still feels fresh and lively, not headed downhill any time soon. The touch of sweetness (10 g/l residual sugar) helped it pair quite well with a mild Thai curry. I am sure it would match well with a lot of cheeses as well. Despite the sweetness, it’s not terribly opulent in style, it’s not very honeyed or ‘orange’ in the fruit character.
I’m replying to myself (!) in order to add this note:
2022 Pierre Ménard - Anjou - Le Clos des Mailles
Good, but not quite as good as I hoped. Very marked by the hot vintage, this has a nose brimming with white peach and honey, which dominate the palate too, along with notes of apricot and bitter orange. It’s richer than I expected, and the 13.5° ABV definitely showed. Thankfully, some crisper notes of lemon and lime give the finish the balance it needed, but it’s not the razor sharp wine he produced in 2021. 90 pts
I hadn’t tried Clos des Mailles before so I don’t know if the style is different anyway compared to La Varenne de Chanzé, but I suspect that the difference is just the vintage. I had a similar impression tasting a Plaisance 2022.
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It’s been maybe 20 years since I’ve tasted an Ogereau wine, and of course so much has changed for them. Was eager to drink this 2021 Domaine Ogereau Anjou Blanc Bonnes Blanches Sec because back in the day this was only a sweet wine site and I hear the winemaking has gotten more elegant.
There was a lot to like about this bottle, as it went well with dinner (trout with pesto, roasted potatoes, roasted oyster mushrooms and sauteed kale). There was plenty of textured fruit and body but also plenty of mineral precision.
That said, it did not inspire an immediate repurchase, because it was maybe a bit too Anjou heavy and leaned too much on the apple flavors for my ideal preferences. Still, would happily buy in a restaurant and am excited to taste more new Ogereau.
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