One Fine Chenin Blanc

Chenin Blanc is a grape most people associate with Vouvray, great white wine from the Loire Valley, near to where the more globally popular Sancerre is produced. Chenin Blanc is an extremely versatile grape, and can be turned easily into dessert wine, Champagne-style sparklers, and light and crisp deliciousness. Tonight, Thursday Night Tasting sampled just one excellent and truly unique bottle of Chenin Blanc:

2009 Chateau Soucherie Cuvée les Rangs de Long, Anjou Blanc ($18)

That elaborate labeling really just indicates the wine producer (Chateau Soucherie), the "line" of wines from which this bottle comes (Cuvée les Rangs de Long), and the appelation (Anjou Blanc). There's also a little motto on the label--"Vendanges a la main"--which means "picked by hand."

The most noticeable quality to this wine is the intense floral—no perfumey nose. It's a soft aroma, full and light at the same time. It smells of something I can’t name, but that's so distinct, like a wildflower (I looked at some online descriptions of Chenin Blanc and a flavor called "white flower" was listed). Tracy says this wine smells like a French woman (in a good way). I also get clear citrus tastes, though just a drop. There wine is crisp and healthily acidic, and when I drink it I keep picturing the skin of the grape itself.

The other really noticeable thing about this wine is the color, which is quite lucid and sparkly. There's a kind of yellowy clearness that some wine has that I love, and it's rare. This looks a lot like a wine I had recently but didn't blog about, a Cassis, though that wine had much less delicacy of aroma and flavor than the Anjou Blanc.

Finally, though this wine drinks light and easy, it's a full 13%. This surprised me when I checked the alcohol content. 

Coming up soon on Thursday Night Tasting: killer rosés . . .