Winemaker Notes
Engaging aromas of mixed stone fruit, lychee, and honeysuckle are followed by similar flavors on the palate with a lifting texture that includes a touch of varietal beeswax. The flavors linger with a pleasant mix of fruit and other savory impressions. The firm acidity both assists in supporting the middle richness, as well as providing for a bright, mouthwatering, and refreshing wine.
Professional Ratings
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A barrel-fermented effort, Lang & Reed's 2022 Chenin Blanc is slightly honeyed, with a bit of varietal character of wet-wool accenting pear, peach and bergamot notes. Medium to full-bodied, the wine is nicely rounded up front, then tightens up to finish balanced, with lemony acids providing refreshment and length.
-
Wine Spectator
There's an appealingly rich, toasty quality framing the yellow apple, dried apricot and vanilla custard notes, with a drizzle of wildflower honey and a delicate acidity that weaves in and out. A candied ginger accent lingers on the finish. Drink now. 270 cases made.
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.
A large and diverse appellation within California’s North Coast AVA, Mendocino is home to several smaller sub-regions—most notably the Anderson Valley. This scenic region, with rolling hills covered in redwood forests as well as vineyards, is one of the world’s top producers of certified organically-grown grapes. Due to wide geographical and climatic variation, a vast array of wine styles can be found here.