From: Anjou, Loire Valley, France
Varietal: 100% Chenin Blanc
Tasting Notes and Critical Acclaim: Combining the fresh acidity of the “Anjou Blanc” limestone with the flinty, mouth-coating richness of the “Anjou Noir,” this wine offers a beautiful composite picture of Anjou as a whole, with honeyed notes of apricot giving way to a tangy mineral finish. Fresh lemon blossom and honey nose, with juicy white peach, lime, and slate on the palate. Beware of serving it too cold, though, or you’ll miss out on some of its subtleties.
91 Points – Best Buy – Wine Enthusiast – 2022
“This is a Chenin Blanc for palates that crave complexity. This wine has an aromatic nose of golden apple, orange blossom, white peach, ripe pear and lemon zest. There are additional notes of chamomile tea and pencil shavings on the honeyed midpalate that lend intrigue and depth.”
Pairing: Quickly sauteed asparagus with beurre blanc topped with a poached egg would be heavenly. Sweet and sour pork or pad thai with a slight tang of tamarind would also be delicious. We also adore this wine with mild curries, grilled chicken dishes, and Shrimp Dumplings with Saffron Shallot Sauce (check it out below!). This is a classic “bistro” wine, so anything from a fresh goat cheese salad or fish in cream sauce would be appropriate.
Shrimp Dumplings With Saffron Shallot Sauce
Recipe from Shamim Popal, adapted by Korsha Wilson
About. Geographically, Anjou is divided into two dominant profiles, based on soil types. The first, known as “Anjou Blanc,” lies toward the west of the appellation, where chalky limestone soils impart a lighter, more energetic expression of Chenin. Then there’s “Anjou Noir,” referring to the dark volcanic schist soils of the easternmost edge of the Massif Armorican, where Chenin assumes a richer, more full-bodied character. Sourced from vineyards that fall exactly along the border of Anjou’s two sub-regions, this gorgeously subtle expression from fourth-generation winemaker Pascal Biotteau comes from the village of Saint-Jean-de-Mauvrets, situated on the old Roman road from Angers to Poitiers.
2022 Vintage Notes. A year marked by spring frosts and severe heatwaves in summer, leading to drought and water stress in the vines.Despite difficult weather conditions, the wines of the 2022 vintage have surprising power and aromatics!
The summer heat increased the alcohol content and sugar concentration. For dry whites and rosés, the dominant aroma is ripe fruit. For the reds, the aromatic power and the tannins give a very good vintage to keep. For sweet whites, exceptional late harvests, linked to a little rain after summer, produce great, very fruity wines that will age well.
