WTN: Chenin Plus

My last bottle of 2011 Chidaine Montlouis Les Bournais was great great fun. Still showing plenty of seductive rich and golden sunny fruit but with all sorts of gingery mineral distinction to keep it fresh and Loire. By my last bottle I also figured out a great food match with shrimp and polenta and sauteed carrots, kale and pine nuts finished in an orange vinegar. I like this wine a lot and will try to find more.

The 2011 Le Rocher des Violettes Montlouis Les Borderies was an interesting counterpoint. Fresh, elegant and not as forward or rich as the Bournais. It also seemed to have less depth and breed (not sure about the quality of the vineyard, apparently the vines are quite old) but this was my first exposure to the wine/producer so I don't really know. It was definitely well worth drinking so I'll look for more from this producer. Anyone else have insight?

I also finished my sampling of the 2013 Huet secs. The Clos du Bourg seems the most complete and ready for pleasure right now while the Le Mont was leaning thin and iron appley throughout the evening. Le Haut Lieu was nice and inbetween. Who knows what the future will bring.

The plus was a non-chenin bottle of 2012 Ghostwriter Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay. Wow. This is from California?! Salty and mineral and lean but with plenty of tensile fruit (for my tastes) and underneath the chardonnay orchard fruit is apparent. Good good stuff that I am happy to see being made and even happier to drink.

[David M. Bueker]

I just cannot get up any enthusiasm for Huet. Burned too much.

Big fan of Le Rocher des Violettes (full disclosure, the shop where I work part-time carries it occasionally, as well as others mentioned). Versatile, excellent value, love everything from their chenin, to pet-nat, to grolleau. Haven't ever had the patience to put some chenin away and see how it does with time.

I had a similar take on the Ghostwriter Chardonnay when I first had it--hadn't realized I could love CA Chardonnay. Was similarly moved by Massican.

I just cannot get up any enthusiasm for Huet. Burned too much.

Is that because of premox or something else? I haven't tasted every wine in every vintage but Huet has always seemed like one of the more consistently strong producers across vintages. And with less crankiness than Foreau (to compare with the other high-level elegant Vouvray producer).

Big fan of Le Rocher des Violettes (full disclosure, the shop where I work part-time carries it occasionally, as well as others mentioned). Versatile, excellent value, love everything from their chenin, to pet-nat, to grolleau.

Good to hear. Too bad I'm too far away to stop in for some bottles.

[David M. Bueker]

Premox mostly, but also the lack of Demi-sec which I really love.

Thanks for notes.
I don't remember ever having a Bournais, though I'm a Chidaine fan.
I've had advanced 02 Huets, but no other issues.

I don't remember ever having a Bournais, though I'm a Chidaine fan..

Bournais is one of my favorites, although admittedly I don't follow every cuvee and it's like choosing your favorite child. It's a very reputed site that was replanted in the late 90s, so these wines should only be getting better. There's also a Bournais Franc de Pied that is hard to find and much more expensive. Whether it is worth the extra premium is a matter of taste and wallet strength, but it's also very good.

I just cannot get up any enthusiasm for Huet. Burned too much.

Is that because of premox or something else? I haven't tasted every wine in every vintage but Huet has always seemed like one of the more consistently strong producers across vintages. And with less crankiness than Foreau (to compare with the other high-level elegant Vouvray producer).

Re Foreau, where is the crankiness? In the wines or the man? Until a recent two or three bottles of premoxed/very evolved wines from the early '00s, I would have regarded both the wines and the professional as exemplary.

You give a reassuring bill of health to post-Pinguet Huet. Chris Kissack got banned from the estate for unenthusiastic reviews of 2012, I think.

I too am a fan of Chidaine, in general, and Bournais, in particular.

Re Foreau, where is the crankiness? In the wines or the man? Until a recent two or three bottles of premoxed/very evolved wines from the early '00s, I would have regarded both the wines and the professional as exemplary.

I also find the Foreau wines to be exemplary but in my experience they are more prone to awkward and shutdown showings than Huet. Admittedly I've drunk a lot more Huet and know the wines better than I do Foreau, so maybe that plays a role. But my Huet-slanted drinking has been because of the greater success rate at avoiding shutdown wines.

You give a reassuring bill of health to post-Pinguet Huet. Chris Kissack got banned from the estate for unenthusiastic reviews of 2012, I think.

I don't know that anything is reassured yet. 2012 and 13 were both difficult vintages and much remains to be seen. My first pass with these 2013 bottles was better than last year with the 2012s. I look forward to drinking them again, but am not rushing out to fill the cellar.

Plus, another key point of contention was how committed the domaine would be to sec vs. demi-sec and we haven't had good vintages yet to get a handle on how they will approach those debates in the future. (Or if there is info on their approach I don't have it)

I also find the Foreau wines to be exemplary but in my experience they are more prone to awkward and shutdown showings than Huet. Admittedly I've drunk a lot more Huet and know the wines better than I do Foreau, so maybe that plays a role. But my Huet-slanted drinking has been because of the greater success rate at avoiding shutdown wines.

That is fair comment.