Winemaker Notes
The color is gold, accented by bright silver reflections. The aroma is filled with the scent of ripe white fruits and a noticeable woodiness. The taste is strong and direct, with a pleasing creamy texture. The finish is long, fresh, and has a hint of saltiness.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
This balanced, driven and lively chenin blanc shows aromas of dried apples, wildflowers and baking spices. Medium-bodied with bright acidity and character. A seductive mineral center palate brings fresh, stony energy. Succulent and long. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. Drink or hold.
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Wine Enthusiast
Charming, well-integrated aromas of golden-apple compote, brioche and field grass open on the nose along with a touch of honey-drizzled green pear. The palate is relaxed, supple and undergirded by a streak of chalk-dusted acidity that complements the mineral finish.
Unquestionably one of the most diverse grape varieties, Chenin Blanc can do it all. It shines in every style from bone dry to unctuously sweet, oaked or unoaked, still or sparkling and even as the base for fortified wines and spirits. Perhaps Chenin Blanc’s greatest asset is its ever-present acidity, maintained even under warm growing conditions. Somm Secret—Landing in South Africa in the mid 1800s, today the country has double the acreage of Chenin Blanc planted compared to France. There is also a new wave of dedicated producers committed to restoring old Chenin vines.
Praised for its stately Renaissance-era chateaux, the picturesque Loire valley produces pleasant wines of just about every style. Just south of Paris, the appellation lies along the river of the same name and stretches from the Atlantic coast to the center of France.
The Loire can be divided into three main growing areas, from west to east: the Lower Loire, Middle Loire, and Upper/Central Loire. The Pay Nantais region of the Lower Loire—farthest west and closest to the Atlantic—has a maritime climate and focuses on the Melon de Bourgogne variety, which makes refreshing, crisp, aromatic whites.
The Middle Loire contains Anjou, Saumur and Touraine. In Anjou, Chenin Blanc produces some of, if not the most, outstanding dry and sweet wines with a sleek, mineral edge and characteristics of crisp apple, pear and honeysuckle. Cabernet Franc dominates red and rosé production here, supported often by Grolleau and Cabernet Sauvignon. Sparkling Crémant de Loire is a specialty of Saumur. Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc are common in Touraine as well, along with Sauvignon Blanc, Gamay and Malbec (known locally as Côt).
The Upper Loire, with a warm, continental climate, is Sauvignon Blanc country, home to the world-renowned appellations of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé. Pinot Noir and Gamay produce bright, easy-drinking red wines here.