Name: Domaine de Bablut - Domaine de Bablut Vineyards - Selection
Variety: 100% Chenin Blanc
Region: Côteaux de l'Aubance
Country: France
Year: 2013
Price: $17
Vivino Tasting Notes: Medium body between light and bold, mostly dry, with mild sugars, and high acidity encompass the tasting characteristics. People describe notes of honey, wax, minerals, peaches, pear, almond, dried fig, caramel, vanilla, cream, and rhubarb. Of 459 ratings, this wine sits at a 4.0 out of 5.0. - Vivino Comments and Tasting Notes
Wine Folly: pg 230 Loire Valley Chenin Blanc - This varietal is made into an immense amount of styles from dry, sparkling, sweet, and even still. The grape grows primarily in Touraine and Anjou-Saumur, and can be found in Cremant de Loire. Notable regions include Vouvray, Montlouis sur Loire, Saven-nieres, and Quarts de Chaume. Notes of pear, honeysuckle, quince, apple, and beeswax are typical of this grape, from this region.
My review: As you can probably tell from the label, this is a wine that came directly from France, not through typical means - the label is completely in french with no english what so ever. Over this past summer I spent about a month in France, quite a bit of time down in the south, and quite a bit of time in the north. As I'm sure you all would probably come to the assumption of "Oh, well then you must have visited quite a number of wineries, as you were right smack dab in the middle of some of the best wine country in the world!" - and, well, I hate to disappoint, but this particular winery was truly the only one I managed to visit. The tasting room was set up in the old wind mill on the winery's property, where a petite, and lovely, woman greeted myself and my two friends, before happily sharing, what felt like, every wine they had to offer! I'm serious, we went through over 10 different wines, she was so nice, so willing to share, so informative about the wines, but also had commented on the fact that this particular bottle was one that american's didn't like. To her surprise, it was the favorite amongst my friends and I!
Needless to say, we bought nearly a case of wine from her, a mix of several different bottles, two of which were this particular bottle. I 'smuggled' these bottles back in my suitcase and till recently thought I had consumed all of them - but much to my surprise, this little bottle has been sitting in the back of the fridge ever since. It has a mild to full body, that is dry, acidic, and lightly sweet in the front of the palate. The aroma is ripe with minerals, fresh pears, peach skins, honey, vanilla, and even some red berry notes. The flavors, oh yes, the flavors, it tingles across your palate as the acidity dances, while the white fluid glides down your throat - but before that, you are met with crushed gravel, wax, nuts, a tart raspberries, lychee, and pear. This bottle, and that visit, truly were one of the highlights of my travels to France, and a single glass really does bring back lovely memories... now to figure out how I can get more.
No food was had, while tasting this wine - just a glass, and some good music.
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