I really think all wine drinkers should pay more attention to Chenin Blanc from the Loire Valley. I wrote about a fantastic sparkling wine from Vouvray made from Chenin Blanc and tonight I am posting about a lovely wine from Saumur also made of Chenin. Both these wines have convinced me that we really need to start paying more attention to this excellent grape and the Loire Valley in general. For whatever reason Chenin Blanc has fallen to the wayside in our wine minds trumped by oceans of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc (Loire's biggest white grape), and Riesling. It may have something to do with the fact that if Chenin Blanc is not grown in the right place it usually makes wines that are utterly bland and neutral. I am thinking of some examples from South Africa and Argentina.
The Loire Valley has been making outstanding wines for a long time, yet it has largely been forgotten about. Aside from it's two most popular regions Pouilly Fume and Sancerre where Sauvignon Blanc reigns, the rest of the region remains under appreciated. I am thinking of regions like Chinon (home to Cabernet Franc), Vouvray, Saumur, and Savennieres (home to Chenin Blanc) and Muscadet Sevre & Maine (home to Melon de Bourgogne), just to name a few. All of Loire's regions are well worth discovering , the quality is extremely high, there is a multitude of characterful and interesting wines, not to mention the fact that prices are extremely good. For example, of the greatest wines of the region Nicolas Joly's Coulee de Serrant widely considered by critics to be one of the top white wines in the world retails for roughly $100 CDN. Compared to classified growth Bordeaux, cru Burgundy, or flagship wines from Australia this is really quite cheap.
I realize that I have gone a bit off topic by focusing more on the Loire Valley itself rather than Chenin Blanc from the Loire, so I will refocus. Chenin Blanc is absolutely wonderful especially from its home, the Loire Valley. It seems to exhibit the perfect balance between fruit and acidity while remaining rich and opulent resulting in absolutely beguiling wines. Furthermore, the grape is so versatile making outstanding sparkling wines, bone dry versions, off dry beauties and unctuous dessert wines. In this regard it is really only matched by Riesling for pure versatility. The wonderful thing about Chenin from the Loire is that the wines are a fairly low prices, but all show a ton of character and interest. I would highly recommend trying anything from Vouvray, Saumur, or Savennieres all of which use pretty much exclusively Chenin Blanc. There is no doubt in my mind that you will be very impressed.
The wine I am blogging about tonight is from Saumur and at $12.95 makes a great case for the fact that you do not have spend a great deal of money for fascinating, individual, and characterful wine. The next time you have a $12 - $15 bottle of Chardonnay, Riesling, or Sauvignon Blanc in your hand put it down and look to Chenin Blanc from the Loire. Try something different and be impressed.
Domaine de la Seigneurie des Tourelles - Saumur Blanc - 2008 - Loire Valley - France (Joseph Verdier)
This wine is produced by the large Joseph Verdier wine trading company based out of the Loire Valley. This company owns a ton of wineries throughout the Valley from Chinon to Vouvray. There is not too much information available about this wine except that it is 100% Chenin Blanc grown in chalky tufa soil.
The wine is an attractive golden yellow colour. The nose is absolutely gorgeous with notes of candied tropical fruit, sweet melon, pear, quince with depths of what I can only describe as freshness. In the mouth the wine is just delicious, medium-full bodied, smooth and voluptuous with flavours of tropical fruit and lime with a great backbone of acidity. The wine finishes dry with a lovely balance and an interesting mineral note. It is the nose that really steals the show as it is pretty complicated and so lovely. It is not easily deconstructed as the notes of sweet fruits are always present, but there is a hidden mineral/earthy depth that I cannot quite put my finger on. Overall the wine is beautifully balanced and interesting. Very Good.
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