2004 Domaine Richou Anjou Blanc Les Rogeries (Loire) At first, strong aroma of vanilla candle, but that all blows off in about 4 hours. What emerges is rich lemony, creamy, waxy, dry chenin with a solid mineral core (rhyolite based vines) and plenty of acidity. The finish is raw nuts with bitter lemon and is wonderfully long and tasty. Day 2 shows even more of a mineral core and more mid-palate complexity. Good stuff, worth laying down for a while.
2004 Domaine Richou Coteaux de l'Aubance La Séléction (Loire) Baby fat sweetness that is just at the low end of dessert level sugar. Very clean, fresh lemon/pear flavors with a slight touch of botrytis that is light on the palate with a sweet, acidic finish marked with plenty of minerality from the shale base. At $25 retail, it’s a bargin for dessert chenin. While it’s a fun drink now, it’s extremely primary.