Chenin Blanc Tasting

Chenin Blanc Tasting

What's wine90 doing a Chenin Blanc tasting for? Well, multiple reasons. Firstly, to support the good old peeps at Red Nose Day, secondly because my exp of Chenin Blanc as an Italian wino leaves a lot to be desired and thirdly, it was a Thursday. And?

Here I am, being very supportive of the Red Nose White but unfortunately the wine really was a one dimensional glugger but for £5 and a S.A Chenin Blanc was I really expecting something better? I think the face says it all. This wine actually outperformed the Pecan Stream Chenin Blanc, which at twice the price, was abysmal and one of the worst wines I've had this year.

So, lets talk about Chenin Blanc then.

Finding its best expression in the Loire valley, Chenin Blanc is a grape capable of making a variety of wines in many styles. A grape of high acidity you can find Chenin sparklers, dessert wines and regular still wines. Chenin is a tricky little guy to cultivate and begs for low yields. This is what it gets in the Loire valley with crop yields governed by AOC regulations to be no higher than 45hl/ha even in standard Anjou bottlings. So, perhaps it wasn't really surprising then, that of the 5 Chenin Blancs that made their way to the tasting panel... that's me and the wine sleuth... the Loire Chenins made a clean sweep.

Sadly, all the wines brought to the table were dry and not a thing from Vouvray or Coteaux du Layon but we did get to taste a Samur which just edged out the Anjou "Chateau de la Guimoniere" to be my favourite Chenin of the night.

As you can see, there wasn't only Chenin on the table so after the formalities of the Chenin evening (which took a lot out of me I can tell you) we moved onto to happier places, a nice 2004 Savigny les Beaune and a zappy little Zin, the Frogs Leap 2005.

*takes deep breath*..... AND TASTING NOTES TIME.

La Grille Classic Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc 2007 - BUY - £8 - 3rd place

A pale straw yellow with obvious green glints. On the nose the wine has a nut, apricot and green apple profile but it's on the palate where this wine really satisfies with razor sharp acidity, great balance and a long clean finish. Notes of peach on the palate. 87 Points

Saam Mountain Red Nose White Chenin Blanc 2008 - BUY - £5 - 4th place

Pale straw yellow in the glass, a dull faded, "dole" tropical fruit nose with pineapple and mango showing, good weight to the wine, a mid bodied effort. Ok acidity and vegetal on the finish but really not a bad effort for the money. One dimensional, a bit like an alcoholic Lilt but drinkable. 82 Points

Chateau de la Guimonière Chenin Blanc 2005 - BUY - £9 - 2nd place

Dark straw yellow with vibrant fresh tropical fruits on the nose. A creamy mid bodied wine with some noticable nutty notes on the palate, good acidity and structure with a lingering powerful finish. Top Chenin, 89 Points

Pecan Strean Chenin Blanc 2006 - PASS - £10 - 5th place

Golden straw yellow, not particularly aromatic but when it finally comes regular tropical notes ensue. Really lacking in fruit, mid bodied, off point, and unpleasantly green throughout. 77 Points

Les Andides Samur 2007 - BUY - £6 - 1st place

A mid straw yellow, this wine is bursting with fresh tropical aromas on the nose, even with hints of kiwi. Super tight and crisp acidity with a citrus palate, coating mouthfeel with an aspagus note on the end. 89 Points

Where can I buy these wines?

All available at Waitrose exlucing the Chateau de la Guimonière which is available at Winerack.

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Favourite Chenin regions? Favourite Chenin wine? Suprised at these results?

Artisan and Vine Battersea

Artisan and Vine Battersea

The Artisan and Vine wine bar in Battersea is a pleasant place to while away a Sunday evening. A sling shot from my London pad it's amazing I hadn't discovered the Artisan and Vine before. Not only are there 120+ high quality wines on the list, (several by the glass) but they're also big friends to English winegrowers stocking some very good fizz, whites and even passable reds. The best thing about the Artisan and Vine is that you aren't going to wake up the next morning with a tongue like a badgers wotnots or a thick head because the Artisan and Vine specialise in natural wines. Dropping all those sulphites and dodgy yeasts that go into so many wines not only means you can taste more without the hangover but these well made wines are also easy drinking with a great deal of smoothness.

Situated between Clapham and Wandsworth the bar wasn't exactly jumping on a chilly March evening, there's plenty of seating as well as passionate and knowledgeable staff. This is a brilliant place to come and try the best of natural wines in an informal environment. What you must not miss, especially if you're English, are the English wines. This weekend I spent some time in Brighton and noticed many of the bars were also stocking English whites and fizz. English wines are everywhere at the moment and us Brits should really be drinking the best of them.

The Artisan and Vine is also very fairly priced. You will not find your 300-500% mark up on wines here. A very modest mark up per bottle is added and if you decide you like a wine or want to try some of the other natural wines on offer you can buy bottles to take home some 30% cheaper than the prices on the wine list. I took full advantage of this purchasing a Frog Leaps Zinfandel. As if all this wasn't reason enough to take a trip to Battersea the food here is also first class providing great accompaniments to wine. Winner winner chicken dinner. Get yourself down there for a glass of top drawer natural Rioja, they even stock the Ostertag wine I reviewed last week. G'wan. Treat yourself.

SARAH NEWTON IN WINE DRINKING SHOCKER. READ ALL ABOUT IT. BELOW.

Oliveir Rivière Rayos Uva Rioja 2007 - BUY - €8 (Spanish)

A dark brooding purple in the glass. The nose is a delight. Whilst still being recognisable Tempranillo you are not bombarded with oak instead fresh aromas of dark fruits, chocolate and spices with the vanilla playing fourth fiddle. On the palate the wine is very tannic but not overly dry and chewy, favourable tannins create the structure within a raisined fruity and luscious mouth feel. When talking about the finish on these wines you are reminded that these are natural wines without the throat stripping finish, this wine had a mid length to the finish. 91 Points+

Biddenden Ortega 2006 - BUY - €8 (English)

A light straw colour the wine was offering some interesting mineral notes. On the palate the wine has very good acidity and a pleasant sweetness. Apple fruits but very basic, mid bodied, off dry. Not a complex or particularly interesting wine but really easy drinking and just tasty. Super aperitif wine. No world beater, it is what it is and I enjoyed it. 83 Points

Bookers Vineyard Blackbird Merlot 2006 - PASS - €13 (English)

Dark ruby red, a gorgeous colour followed by a pretty nose of cherry and plums. The promise is short lived as on the palate the wine is light bodied, insipid and lacking in fruit and overly acidic, unbalanced wine that started so well but tastes really quite average. 79 Points

AA Cos Rami Bianco 2006 - BUY - €11.50 (Italian)

Dark golden straw colour in the glass. A highly aromatic blend of 50/50 Inzolia and Grecanico with notes of creamy pineapple and melons. Great acidity on the palate the wine is so on point here that you would not be guessing such a warm terroir as Sicily. Gentle and rounded on the palate, mid bodied with a seductive finish. Well made. 89 Points

Joining me on my night at the Artisan and Vine was fellow wine blogger, The Wine Sleuth. I presume she will blog these up and have a completely different take on all these wines! We shall see. We also tried a Loire Chenin Blanc that threw me, Denise describing it as "voluptuous" with my take on the wine being "flabby". They sound very similar but our meanings were very different.

Where can I buy this wine? (The Rioja)

Americans - Goose Egg. Sorry.

Europeans - Wijnfolie - €8

Brits - Zelas - £14.99

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