WBW 37 - Indigenous Grape Varieties

And with this installment of Wine Blogging Wednesday, we enter the fourth year of monthly community wine blogging, a tradition Lenn thoughtfully brought to the wine blogging world. This month Dr. Vino is our host, and he has asked us to taste an indigenous grape variety, something less common perhaps.

I love French wine, but the good doctor ruled out what he called "the big six grapes" from France, namely Riesling, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Pinot Noir. That rules out a lot of wine. Aha, but one of my absolute favorites grapes (behind only my beloved Pinot Noir) is not on that list.

Chenin Blanc is, in my opinion, the superstar white grape of the Loire Valley. Yes, Sancerre and Pouilly Fume produce highly regarded Sauvignon Blanc. But it's the Chenin Blanc wines that are so shattering to me. Amazing dry and off-dry wines from famous ouvray and Savennieres, and upstart appellations such as Montlouis sur Loire, Anjou, Jasnieres, and Coteaux du Loir. Sweet wines equal to any in the world from Quarts de Chaume and Bonnezeaux. And almost always a good value, too.

So in honor of WBW 37 I tasted wine made from France's Chenin Blanc. Three from Savennieres, each a dry wine made entirely of Chenin Blanc, each of them made by one of my favorite producers, Domaine du Closel. Closel produces three cuvees each year (that make it to the US): La Jalousie (a mineral driven wine that tends to be approachable at a young age), Les Caillardieres (usually off-dry, also hits its stride while young), and Clos du Papillon, the majestic wine from the butterfly shaped vineyard. Wines from Clos du Papillon can be enjoyed while young - they are always complex and tense, with unusual and thrilling flavors, but they are most impressive with age. In most vintages, Closel's Clos du Papillon improves with upwards of 10-15 years in the cellar, and in better vintages the wine can age like a vampire - it just will not die.

I tasted two new releases and one mature wine, but probably too mature, as we shall soon see.

2005 Domaine du Closel Savennieres La Jalousie, $20 (Chambers Street Wines).
Aromas of yellow apples and flowers, quinine (like in tonic water), and honey, with definite minerality. Yes, this is not your typical white wine nose - this is dry Chenin Blanc from Savennieres baby, and you should check it out! The palate is pure fresh rainwater, with a light texture, somewhat tense mouth feel. There are stone fruit flavors and also more quinine and minerals, and the finish is a bit spicy. This improved in the glass, so it might benefit from a year or so of aging, but that certainly is not imperative - this is beautiful right now. You could pair this wine with hearty fish dishes, like blackfish roasted in parchment paper with tarragon and market cherry tomatoes. Or lighter, simpler chicken dishes - maybe whole roast chicken with lemon, let's say. I personally think that if it's your first time with Savennieres, it's more fun to sip this on its own, as you get the full Savennieres effect, unfettered by the distraction of food. See what it's about, then have it with dinner another time. Whatever, do what you want. Who am I to tell you how to drink your wine?

2005 Domaine du Closel Savennieres Clos du Papillon, $33 (Chambers Street Wines).
Pumping it up about five notches. Darker gold in color, shimmering. Waxy nose, with lanolin (like in baby diaper gel) and roasted nuts. An amazing nose, and this is just a baby! When the flowers come, I can't even imagine how interesting this wine is going to smell. Melon and citrus fruit flits in and out. Weighty on the palate, but in a good way, firm and dense. There are apricots, quinine, and lanolin flavors, and hints of citrus, but it's really too young to tell what's going on with this wine - it needs more time. So pure and clean though, and so interesting already. Thankfully I have several bottles that will sleep for an extended period.

Pairing food with a Clos du Papillon is easy in that it is almost impossible to overwhelm the wine. This particular wine is the only one I have come across that I would serve with steak - it's got that kind of power. It might overwhelm lighter shellfish dishes, but other than that - chicken, pork...just give it a shot.

1995 Domaine du Closel Savennieres La Jalousie, $29 (Astor Place Wines).
What? A 12 year old Jalousie? Isn't that meant for young drinking? And from a middling vintage at that? Age the 2005 Jalousie if you want as an experiment, but why the 1995? Because they can - that's my only guess. All that notwithstanding, I had high hopes for this wine because great producers make great wine, even in middling vintages. And Chenin Blanc tends to age well, so let's see.

Nope, this was just too old, the color of honey, with a sherry-like smell. BrooklynLady couldn't go near it, and she'll drink Closel wines instead of orange juice in the morning, if you let her. Not corked or otherwise flawed, just over the hill and essentially undrinkable. And Astor should have tasted it and come to the same conclusion before choosing to sell it. After much argument, they gave me a store credit, I am happy to say.

So that's it - another installment of Wine Blogging Wednesday. I am excited to read the round-up on Dr. Vino's site when it appears. Until next time...