Our experts praised the diversity and value of these ageable Loire Chenin Blancs, many from the 2015 and 2014 vintages. Read the full report below.
Published in the February 2017 issue of Decanter magazine and now available online and in full, exclusively for Premium subscribers.
169 wines tasted, with one rated Outstanding
‘A positive tasting that showed off the terroir-driven nature of dry Loire Chenin Blanc and its differing styles,’ said our panel of Jim Budd, Chris Kissack and Ben Llewelyn
Summary
With 169 wines entered, we had the opportunity to assess Chenin Blanc from across the Loire, writes Jim Budd in Decanter’s February 2017 issue. It was also very positive that there was such a good entry despite the recent short vintages and the effects of 2016’s late April frost on stock.
Results are rather mixed, with a number of very good wines but only one Outstanding one. It would have been nice to have had more Highly Recommended wines. Sadly 11 were Poor or Faulty.
Almost all the wines entered came from the fine 2014 and 2015 vintages. With its higher acidity, 2014 is more a year for Loire aficionados, while the softer 2015s may well have broader appeal.
Of our top 49 wines, 21 came from 2014 and 26 from 2015 – a pretty even split. It will be fascinating to see how these two vintages age. My hunch is that 2014 will last longer. There were not enough 2013s and ’12s entered to draw any real conclusions, except that the few 2013s we tasted were ageing quickly.
Our tasting demonstrated that Chenin Blanc in the Loire has a keen sense of place, with the styles of wine markedly different. Jasnières, for example, is more austere and racy than the rounder Anjou Chenins.
Our top 49 wines (those achieving Outstanding or Highly Recommended) show a wide spread of regions, with 13 different appellations along with one Vin de France.
Anjou, with 12 wines, was easily the standout region, greatly assisted by 10 Savennières in that top 49, which made this AP the most successful, underlining its reputation for making the finest Loire Chenin. Domaine des Baumard’s Clos du Papillon 2007 is a pointer to Savennières’ ageing potential.
Coulée de Serrant from biodynamic champion Nicolas Joly in Savennières remains a controversial wine. His 2014 (which scored an average 86 points) divided the panel with scores of 93, 79 and 86.
Château de Passavant gets less media attention than some more high-profile Loire Chenin producers, so it is good to see its 2014 Jarret de Monchenin emerging as our only Outstanding wine.
Montlouis had four in our top 49, again pointing out the dynamism of this small appellation. By contrast Vouvray, its much larger cousin, only had three – including one from Foreau – long one of that appellation’s best producers. There would have been four Vouvrays but for the ludicrous rule that bars François Chidaine from using the Vouvray appellation because he vinifies in neighbouring Montlouis. Ironically, his Vin de France-labelled Baudoin cuvée comes from one of Vouvray’s most famous sites.
The scores
169 wines tasted
Entry criteria: Producers and UK agents were invited to submit their latest-release still, dry (less than 9g/l residual sugar) 100% Chenin Blancs. Wines could come from anywhere in the Loire Valley but must be AP or Vin de France (no IGP wines).
Exceptional 0
Outstanding 1
Highly Recommended 48
Recommended 65
Commended 23
Fair 21
Poor 4
Faulty 7
The results
There’s a Loire Chenin for everyone, said our panel, impressed with the diversity, quality and great value on offer from this regional tasting. Christelle Guibert reports…
With such a large and diverse selection of dry Loire Chenin Blanc from across the region, our experts were set for a fascinating tasting. They found some great, some good and some less-good wines but still, with 67% Recommended or more – and very few priced above £25 – they left very satisfied with the level of quality on offer.
The tasters didn’t agree on any one appellation standing head and shoulders above the rest; instead they found a spread of quality within each.
Ben Llewelyn acknowledged ‘how reassuring it is that Chenin, which has its own unique characteristics, is also quite an egotistical grape variety: it saps up its place and terroir’.
Our experts found Anjou gave a richer style of Chenin with notes of baked apple, while Saumur was racier with fresh, limey, mineral notes. Chinon emerged as a great surprise, as Chris Kissack explained: ‘It’s not the first appellation you’d go to for whites, but some wines were really attractive – right up there at the top of the pile.’
Ben Llewelyn agreed: ‘The wines were fantastic, no messing around, just drinkability, class and real interest.’
Montlouis was another highlight and the panel found more charm here than in its neighbouring appellation of Vouvray.
Savennières, the king of Chenin Blanc, was probably the most diverse in terms of quality. Kissack noted that ‘some wines had bright fruit, nice structure and fresh acidity, which seemed true to the appellation, but others showed an oxidised style that lacked purity’.
As for the seven Vin de France entries, Jim Budd said: ‘Our top wines could have potentially come from this category as some of the most interesting producers also make a Vin de France. However, these wines are often produced in tiny quantities and hard to get hold of, which probably explains why we had so few represented here.’
Budd was pleased that Chenin finally has the recognition among consumers it deserves, admitting this is partly due to South Africa: ‘The Cape has played the Chenin Blanc card and if the Loire is wise, it will jump on that bandwagon.’
But Llewelyn disagreed: ‘South Africa has taken Chenin and made a particular style of wine, which it presents beautifully. Where the Loire wins every time though is in its synergy of the grape and the terroir. The Loire is not just Chenin Blanc – it’s Vouvray, Savennières, Montlouis etc, and that’s so important.’
As you’d expect, there was vintage diversity, with the 2015s and 2014s (which dominated the tasting) showing best. ‘Both vintages were very good across much of the Loire, but very different in style,’ said Kissack. ‘2014 was fresher and tougher with more acidity, energy and life, while 2015 was richer with more exotic fruit character.’
Budd found some of the 2013s to be ageing very quickly but said the best of these and other vintages still had ‘terrific ageing ability – at least 20 to 30 years, with some being virtually immortal’.
The panel also found broad winemaking differences, as Llewelyn explained: ‘Like anywhere, some producers want to be more progressive and others stick to traditional routes; there were some biodynamic styles, and others that were straight and classic. While this makes buying wine confusing for the general consumer, it makes it fascinating to an interested wine lover as there are so many different styles.’
Llewelyn suggested Decanter readers look at ‘the inherent characters of each of these Chenin appellations, and then at the producers within them that match your taste – whether that be biodynamic, oxidative styles or lean, taut and precise wines. There’s something for everyone here.’
Our tasters each pick their top 3 wines from the tasting:
Jim Budd
Budd is the DWWA Regional Chair for Loire and has contributed to Decanter since 1989. He writes the award-winning Jimsloire.blogspot.com, is one of the members of the blog Les5duvin.wordpress.com and was the editor of the Circle of Wine Writers’ newsletter from 1991-2015. He also exposes the dangers of drinks investment on his sites Investdrinks.org and Investdrinks-blog.blogspot.com
Domaine Ogereau, L’Enthousiasme, Savennières 2014
I discovered this estate in 1990 when Vincent and Catherine were part of the new generation restoring Anjou. Now their son Emmanuel is taking it to the next level. This is brilliant: austere but with rich fruit. 97 Drink 2017-2030
Domaine de Juchepie, Le Clos de Juchepie, Anjou 2014
This Belgian couple moved to Anjou in 2001. Best known for their sweet wines, they also make interesting dry whites. Le Clos has rich texture, power and length balanced with ’14’s racy acidity. 96 Drink 2017-2031
Château de Passavant, Jarret de Montchenin, Anjou 2014
I have long admired this property, now run by Oliver Lecomte, the fourth generation of his family to own Passavant. It needs more time to show its best. 95 Drink 2018-2027
Chris Kissack
Kissack is author of TheWinedoctor.com, a subscription website which he has published since 2000. He has focused on the Loire for many years, and has made regular trips since 1993, visiting domaines and vineyards, and meeting the winemakers and reporting on their wines throughout the year.
Michel Chevré, Clos de L’Ecotard, Saumur 2015
A little-known, underrated domaine run by Chevré, who often works with his friend Thierry Germain of Domaine des Roches Neuves. I loved the energy and vibrancy here. 94 Drink 2017-2020
Domaine de Bellivière, Vieilles Vignes Eparses, Coteaux du Loir 2014
Nicolas is one of the most talented vignerons in the Loire, so it was no surprise to see his other 2014 Calligramme also ranked highly. But I liked this just as much, and it is a bit cheaper. 94 Drink 2017-2025
Château Pierre Bise, Savennières-Roche aux Moines 2014
Claude Papin is a master of Chenin, and of Savennières, and this cuvée, from the hallowed Roches aux Moines vineyard which has its own AC, is perhaps his greatest dry white. I loved it! 93 Drink 2017-2025
Ben Llewelyn
Llewelyn has worked in the UK wine trade since 1997, starting at Oddbins, and then at Enotria. He moved his family to France in 2007 to experience the life of a winemaker while studying for his Master of Wine, and in 2008 set up the wholesale wine agency and importer Carte Blanche, which leans towards producers who make wine as naturally as possible.
Domaine de Bellivière, Calligramme, Jasnières 2014
What a wine! Calligrame is a parcel selection of 55-year-old vines from flinty clay soil on limestone and is naturally fermented in old wood. This will age but is so utterly delicious now it would be hard to leave it. 94 Drink 2017-2030
Château de la Roche aux Moines, Clos de la Coulée de Serrant, Savennières-Coulée de Serrant 2014
Joly has been one of the mainstays of the biodynamic movement and a godfather to the natural winemakers of today. This split us as judges but for me it was fascinating and carried so much energy and detail that it could not be ignored. 93 Drink 2017-2032
Clos de L’Elu, Ephata, Anjou 2014
Charlotte and Thomas Carsin started here in 2008 and work several old plots – this one over 60 years old, planted on sandy shale. It’s one of Anjou’s most exciting estates and this wine exudes the charm of Chenin. 92 Drink 2017-2020
About Loire Chenin Blanc
Chenin is a multifaceted grape, thanks to its spread across this valley, and the differing styles made from its various terroirs. And that’s what makes it exciting, says Jim Budd…
Chenin Blanc is undoubtedly the Loire’s most fascinating and diverse grape variety, capable of making a remarkable range of styles from bone-dry through to lusciously sweet as well as still and sparkling.
Recent DNA analysis suggests that Chenin is an offspring of Jura’s Savagnin and so related to Sauvignon Blanc and Trousseau. The first historical reference to Chenin comes from the 9th century at Bouchemaine, the small town at the eastern end of Savennières. Much later, in 1496, some Chenin was planted at Château de Chenonceau in eastern Touraine.
Chenin Blanc is largely confined to Anjou-Saumur and Touraine with outposts in Coteaux du Loir, in particular Jasnières, as well as the Fiefs Vendéens close to the Atlantic Coast. There is now a little planted way south in the Upper Loire in the Roannaise and Forez, where leading producers are experimenting with a range of white grapes. These wines will appear as IGP.
As Chenin is a mid- to late-ripening variety, it is not well suited to the Pays Nantais with its increased chance of wet weather in late September and October. Chenin’s eastern limit is around Amboise – spring arrives 10 to 14 days later here than it does in Anjou due to the distance from the Atlantic, thus it is hard to get Chenin to ripen properly here. Instead Sauvignon Blanc is largely the chosen white variety in the Loire’s eastern part.
Apart from the schist and slate of Anjou, Loire Chenin does best planted on limestone – the bedrock from Saumur eastwards. Chenin from limestone tends to have slightly higher acidity than those from Anjou.
Ageing
While there is a tradition in Vouvray and elsewhere in the Loire for fermenting and ageing wines in old wood, increasingly top Loire Chenin Blanc producers use newer wood, usually with a small proportion of new oak. There is a tendency to use 400-, 500- and 600-litre barrels with a medium toast rather than 225- or 228-litre barriques, so as to lessen oak flavour. There are also limited experiments using amphorae and concrete eggs.
Sweet Loire Chenin can be almost immortal, especially in great vintages. Dry Loire Chenin can also age brilliantly, although the opportunities to taste these older wines are considerably less than their sweet counterparts as there is less of a tradition – apart from in Vouvray and Savennières – of ageing dry wines. However, dry Vouvrays that are 40 years old or more are still certainly drinkable and enjoyable.
It is worth considering decanting Loire Chenin Blanc, especially from a recent vintage or if the wine appears closed. Also they should not be served too cold, otherwise their complexity will be masked.
Loire Chenin Blanc: the facts
Also known as Pineau de Loire, but use of this name is dying out
Chenin plantings in Loire 9,240ha (2014)
Chenin plantings in South Africa, by comparison 17,933ha (2014)
Dry white Loire appellations that can only use Chenin Montlouis, Chinon Blanc, Coteaux du Loir, Savennières, Touraine Amboise, Touraine Azay-le-Rideau, Jasnières (in Vouvray, 5% Arbois is permitted)
Dry Loire Chenin Blanc: know your vintages
2016 April frost, complicated year, good autumn means fine wines in tiny quantities. Too early to assess.
2015 Good vintage despite September rain. Rounder wines than ’14. Drink 2017-2035.
2014 Very good vintage saved by hot September. Classic wines with high acidity. 2018-2050.
2013 Late, small vintage saved by hot summer. Lean wines that may be ageing quickly. 2017-2025.
2012 April frost, small vintage, good wines with quite high acidity. 2017-2030.
2011 Early vintage, rot a problem. Drink these before your 2008s and 2010s.
2010 Long, hot autumn. Classic, with higher acidity than ’09.
2009 Hot year, rich wines. Not as ageworthy as ’08 or ’10. 2017-2030.
2008 Saved by Indian summer. Precise, balanced and long lived. 2017-2040.
Top dry Loire Chenin Blanc from the panel tasting:
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