Chenin Blanc Rocks In So Many Ways

I kind of moved away from Chenin for a little while. Why? Not really sure, I just wasn’t finding wines that excited me. But in the most few months I have been coming across more and more that that are really great wines, and almost more importantly, great food wines.

Maybe I was just being presented to many of the“great” Chenin Blancs, such as Savennieres and naturally made low-intervention wines from the Loire. Nothing against these, but you do have to place them in their appropriate frame. They are not wines for everyone, and sometime I am just looking for something a bit more straightforward. 

The wines I have been seeing lately though are well balanced, with fresh fruit and acidity. They are great to drink, work well with food and are often reasonably priced. 

Chateau de la Mulonniere, Anjou Chenin Blanc 
M de Mulonniere, 2016

What I like about this wine is it’s straightforward simplicity that actually becomes very complex as you drink through it. It creeps up on you as to really how good the wine is, but only after you get into it for a few minutes - then it strikes you and you are like, wow, this is good. 

Fresh fruit is key. It’s understated but elegantly interwoven with the mouth filling palate and rich acidity. Think somewhere between a ripe golden apple mixed with just a dollop of lemon cream. Not tart but juicy and rich. The finish is smooth across you palate with a continuation of the balanced acids into the finish. All you want is another sip. 

This one got me a little excited to taste some Chenin again, and I am going to run it this summer as a feature because it’s good and I think is a great value. 

General retail is about $15. It is part of the Saget group, and is imported by Taub Family.