I always get confused with how these schools get delineated. When I came around in the early 00s, the old school style was severe, austere (perhaps underripe), sulphured and backwards. Then ‘new school’ folks starting pushing for more ripeness, then folks went back again.
At the end of the day, climate change may defeat everyone. Chidaine definitely feels riper and more polished than 20 years ago, but winemaking evolves every vintage as well.
There’s a name I haven’t seen in years! Seems nonexistent at the retail I frequent.
Isn’t that the case for all (white) wine these days. I know Anjou dry chenin has always struggled with being a bit alcoholic and clumsy, hence @chris.c1’s point about the rs. But I don’t like 14% white wine from anywhere. (For the most part…)
Folks are discussing ripping up white grapes to replant with red bc it’s getting warmer. I have never had an amazing Sancerre rouge. But, you have Pascal and Francois Cotat making incredible white that have some RS.
I started to mention that in @Ken_V thread on non-Burg French whites. Seemed about early 2000s that it became uncool but I thought they were making some pretty nice wine. Nothing too edgy or groundbreaking but solid.
Sadly in the early 00s Baumard had massive premox problems and that’s probably why they went off the radar. They now use different closures but none of the dry wines I’ve tried in more recent vintages really compete with the young Turks in Anjou. It’s a pity because Baumard wines really got me into Chenin in the mid-90s.
Their '96 Savennieres, as well as Closel’s, also went pre-mox early. A real shame as for the first five or seven years, the Clos Papillon bottlings from both of them were extraordinary. Real benchmark Savennieres.
They can indeed run hot and too ripe on the fruit. I’d urge you to try the '22 and '23 vintages as Martial has taken over the production more it seems, and these are much cleaner and more sharp. I started buying again.
NOSE: light aromatics — not expressive; little fruit – what is present strikes me as faint stone fruit. Want more fruit.
BODY: medium hay/golden yellow color; medium bodied/ Diam2 closure.
TASTE: more minerals than fruit; slightly tangy; glycerin mouthfeel; labelled @ 12.5% abv.; boring; needs more fruit and/or zip; little hint of “cheap wine” — maybe a touch off-dry? Best to drink with a decent chill, as that helps with its too-low acidity, and it already has little in the way of fruit, so there’s not much fruit flavor or aroma to deaden with the chill. $13 price tag is certainly acceptable, but this is no diamond in the rough. Not a rebuy for me. Gut impression score: low-to-mid 80s.
Pepiere Clisson is pretty fire as well – and it actually ages well! (that’s me throwing down the gauntlet)
I haven’t seen much Luneau-Papin lately; the L d’or has been a consistent winner.
Let me know Alan if you ever want to do an aged Muscadet dinner. I got 2002, 2004 and 2005 Bregeon Gorges. I have heard good things (these wines were made when Bregeon was still at the helm).
No one wants to drink them with me! I’m looking for old Muscadet wing people!
