Thanks, Yule, for bringing this thread back to the top. Quite frankly, I’d expect this thread to get more action than the Reds thread, as I’m pretty sure there’s broader appeal for Loire’s whites than there is for their reds.
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There’s plenty Loire whites being had in the Natural Wine thread. Thought I’d add one here for the fun of it.
Stephane Bernaudeau - Coqueries 2022
The nose doesn’t do much besides a very elegant red apple scent and a bit of reduction. The acidity is on the strong side and it’s of course a bit young all things considered, but there’s a big wine beneath.
The mouth is dominated by white orchard fruits but centered on ripe red apple. Long finish and a well made wine, the flaw besides.
As another note on CT points out, there’s a slight mousiness to the wine. Not enough to disturb me, but I wouldn’t have expected this. Notes from previous vintages doesn’t mention this, so must be an anomaly.
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Thank you for the cross-post, Mads! Out of respect, I do not enter the Natural Wines thread.
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This was a very nice surprise:
Clos Galerne - Exspecto - Anjou - 2020
Orange peel, honeysuckle and lemon on the nose, then a bright, intense attack of bitter orange, lemon and vanilla, with some nutty flavours mid-palate and a return to the orange on the finish. Very crisp and taut, but with enough “give” to add complexity and breadth. This is a prime example of “New Anjou”, with none of the honeyed flavours of traditional Vouvray, for example. The 14% ABV level doesn’t show at all, thanks to the acidity. Really very tasty indeed. 94 pts
After reading an enticing report by Chris Kissack, I ordered a mixed case from this property a couple of years ago. I didn’t check the ABV levels beforehand (it hadn’t occurred to me that Loire whites could be problematic) - well, more fool me, because both their Rouannières and Moulin Brûlé cuvées were 15% and undrinkable. So watch out! But the Exspecto is right up with the very best, and at 26 euros, represents excellent value.
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and who wore it best?
Hard to distinguish straight out of the bottle. B. developing honey notes with air, G. possibly a bit hollow on the mid palate, but otherwise holding up nicely. I will wait with verdict until the bottles are empty.
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B.
Hints of oak, rich and dense in texture without being buttery, with fine tension and medium+ acidity. Quince, yellow plums, honeydew melon, pear, lemon preserves. On second evening it took a sharp turn into a rich, ripe, Belargus like territory, bordering on a yellow sensory overload (corn? saffron? ), with traces of rs, to come back where it was on opening the following day. Still quite a difference to a lithe 2021 a few months ago. Maybe a slightly weird bottle? Salinity and more than a touch of bitterness on the finish, most pronounced on day 4. I liked it most on day 1. 12% abv.
I will leave my remaining bottles in peace for a while.
G.
No noticeable oak, more puristic and chiseled, steely if you will. A classical CB profile with stone fruit, crushed stones, chalk, herbs, but subdued, not as pronounced as in B. Lively acidity, the finish a bit clipped. Unchanged over 4 evenings. 12.5% abv.
Very good (Clos du Giron was even better), and an excellent value at 20 something eur.
I prefer G. at this stage.
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Julien Vedel Le Compte Marc
Served blindly I would go with Jura (a reductive Chardonnay or maybe even Chat. Chalon) or a slightly oxidative Rioja.
A rich, intense rendition of Chenin Blanc, possibly with a trace of rs. Golden yellow. Quince, roasted nuts, candied ginger, chalk, salt. Energizing acidity, a touch of bitterness. A splendid bottle.
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Cross posted:
I have many more of these, but this bottle confirmed what I already knew: I don’t buy or drink nearly enough Foreau. Savory, aging Chenin aromas of briny Spanish olives, candle wax and wet wool. The palate, not surprisingly, is less savory than the nose suggests, bringing an immediate honeyed apricot richness, baked apple, burnt caramel, and tart pineapple nuance with the typical Foreau mineral density. The palate is quite layered, actually, and brought a number of different nuances over the course of the evening. It has nice concentration, though it remains quite elegant, and gains gravitas at the end with a thunderous finish. Negligible overt sweetness. This is Vouvray at the highest level.
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Foreau Goutte d’Or 1990 – hoping for it to be good!
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Sounds a bit like my Vouvray. No coincidence: Julien Vedel’s day job is at Clos Naudin, Le Compte Marc is his weekend project!
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I love the '16 demi from Foreau. So racy and focused with tremendous depth!
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Reminds me i need to pop a 2008, thanks for the note!
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2022 François Chidaine Vin de France Baudoin - France, Loire Valley, Vin de France (3/2/2025)
– decanted 1 hr. prior to initial taste on Day 1 –
– tasted non-blind over 2.25 hrs on Day 1; revisited on Day 2 –
NOSE: “light” and “bright”; tangy pears and a hint of skunk.
BODY: light tan-yellow color; medium bodied.
TASTE: tangy; medium to medium+ acidity; plenty of mineral; canned grapes and canned pears in simple syrup (canned fruit cocktail); hint of camphor-school paste; 13.5% alc. does not stick out; my score feels a touch low, as my gut impression score would be 88 - 90. Day 2 brings a distinct lanolin-honey note.
50, 5, 10, 15, 7 = (87 pts.)
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Interesting note. So you’re not tempted to taste the wine immediately upon opening? That’s always key for me, to get a sense of things.
And not sure if you mean those descriptors to be negative? They certainly would be for me!
I often taste right upon opening, but sometimes I choose not to, and other times it’s my intention but I get distracted away from it (usually taking care of the kids in some fashion, and/or prepping dinner) — I don’t recall what happened here, but given the wine, I suspect this was a “got distracted” situation.
As for the descriptors being negative, or otherwise: I sometimes don’t characterize them as good or bad, rather leaving that up to the reader to decide, as we don’t all enjoy the same things. Here, I did not enjoy the hint of skunk on the nose, and I did not enjoy the camphor school paste note; I didn’t mind the canned fruit flavors, however.
Yes, that is fair. Personally, canned fruit aromas of any kind are usually a warning sign for my palate of too much malic acid or a wine that has lost its grip and is not something I will enjoy.
Domaine Payen, Savannieres, La Plage Abandonnee 2023
A fine mineral, coiled yet well balanced Chenin from a new address.
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