Domaine des Baumard, Savennières, Clos du Papillon 2004 This nose lights up with minerality and matchstick as the sulfur works it way into the air. There’s lanolin and a hint of green as well. The nose is full-on, intense acidity yet not acid alone. There is a viscosity as well and great concentration. This 100% [...]

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Francois Chidaine, Montlouis sur Loire, Clos Habert 2006 In the nose there is a complex mix of minerality and honey while the fruit flavors flow in the mouth from citrus to tropical with comparable acidity - very nice. The estate’s vineyards are certified organic. The vines in the Clos Habert are 60 years old. The [...]

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Chateau Pierre-Bise, Quarts de Chaume 2004
Honey is the signature smell that jumps out of the glass with caramel and some noticeable but tolerable VA.  When you think of the Sauternes model, it works just fine.  There’s also citrus, like fresh orange and orange peel. The mouthfeel is quite thick, a very viscous wine with [...]

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Sebeka, Western Cape, Chenin Blanc 2008 This is a softer version of Chenin than you might expect from South Africa. While the Chenin produced at Mulderbosch and Thelema have electrifying acidity, this has a softer touch of the acid hand and 6.5g/l of RS to round out the mouth. Light-bodied and clean, the wine sports [...]

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Leo Steen Dry Creek Valley Saini Farms Chenin Blanc 2007
This wine was excellent in ‘06 and even better this time around. There is the mineral nerve that we associate with Savennieres and the ripeness of fruit that we associate with California sunshine.  You can smell lime and tropical fruits and the the mouth is full [...]

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Regis Cruchet, Vouvray, Demi-Sec 1996
Then nose is quite evolved where there is a sense of varnish and nuttiness and a little lingering fruit. In the mouth though, there’s tropical fruit and lime with just enough residual sugar to pair this with some fresh berries, but nothing too sweet. Proprietaire and recoltant at Richambarde in Noizay [...]

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Domaine Le Peu de la Moriette (Domaine Pichot), Vouvray 2007 This wine embodies the sweet and tart character that Chenin can show so well when there’s a bit of residual sugar. The grapes are hand harvested from calcerous clay slopes with yields around 25 hectolitres/hectare. The wine is fermented and aged in large old wood [...]

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Bogle, California, Chenin Blanc 2005 This back vintage was lingering in the cellar. There’s a sense of candied tropical fruits, roundness in the palate augmented by a touch of RS and braced by an appropriate amount of acidity. It’s all stainless steel for the production of this clean and fruity wine. V&B in Clarksburg 12.5% [...]

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Vinum Cellars Clarksburg CNW Wilson Vineyards Chenin Blanc 2006
From the ABC crowd at Vinum, these guys are willing to bet on the ‘other grapes’. Barrel fermented and aged 6 months in oak for complexity yet the bracing side of Chenin shines through. P&B in Oakville 13% $8.49 at Bottle Barn Vinum
Husch Mendocino Chenin Blanc [...]

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This flight features two wines from a personal favorite winery, Mulderbosch. Neither of these wines is shy in the acid department and the Sauvignon is particularly herbaceous - yummmm!
Mulderbosch, Stellenbosch, Chenin Blanc, Steen op Hout 2007
P&B in Stellenbosch 13.5% $13.95 at Traverso’s
Mulderbosch, Western Cape, Sauvignon Blanc 2007
P&B in Stellenbosch 12.5% $15.99 at Bottle Barn and $19.95 [...]

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Off the beaten track we find quality Chenin Blanc and Bordeaux-style blends. This Chenin displays minerality and nerve while the Alluvium is quite rich in its styling.
Leo Steen Dry Creek Valley Saini Farms Chenin Blanc 2006
Sourced from vines just over 25 years old. P&B in Healdsburg, 14.2% $16.99 at Traverso’s Leo Steen
Beringer Knights Valley Alluvium [...]

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Régis Cruchet Vouvray Sec 2005
The last bottle tasted earlier in the year was rather evolved yet still possessing the textbook acidity. Perhaps it was one bottle where the cork didn’t hold in the SO2 effectively. No, again we see this premature evolution and the development of volatile acidity. Really, it’s OK and complex [...]

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The previous tasting in the California and Europe class in San Francisco pitted Baumard against Oremus. Tonight’s flight brings in a different top-flight producer, this time from Sauternes. Both the Raymond-Lafon and the Oremus will be tasted side-by-side. In both cases the Oremus proved the favorite.
Chateau Raymond-Lafon Sauternes 2002
My notes from the [...]

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Regis Cruchet Vouvray Moelleux 1989
The last bottle tasted back in early 07 was very complex, with great acidity - an evolved, mature wine that was not liked by the class. Tonight’s wine again had its detractors given the bottle development that is well beyond grape freshness. For me though, this bottle offered the [...]

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Domaine Les Hautes Noëlles Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu sur lie 2006
The last vintage tasted, 2004 was very clean and bursting with acidity. Again tonight with the 2006, this wine struts its acidity with a freshness of fruit to smell in the nose. Mis par Serge Batard in St Léger Les Vignes, imp. to US by [...]

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This flight features 3 whites and offers an opportunity to contrast acid levels, weight and residual sugar.
Chateau Sainte-Marie Entre-Deux-Mers Vielles Vignes 2005
Of the 2004 I noted a perfect balance of the grapes used and a great value. This 2005 bottle was losing its vibrancy and becoming alcoholic. Perhaps the stelvin was not forming a complete [...]

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