Self Isolation : Day # 27

2012 Domaine du Collier Saumur Blanc ‘La Charpentrie’

CHENIN BLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANC! I think this would be the place to have those hand-clap emojis in between each of the following: I LOVE CHENIN BLANC! Ok. Calm down, Grant. If you couldn’t tell, Chenin Blanc is an incredible version of vitis vinifera thanks to its ability to come in all shapes and sizes. From light, simple sparklers to full-bodied, complex beasts and crisp, bone-dry styles all the way to rich, sweet ones, Chenin Blanc has the ability to fit in anywhere.

This 2012 bottling from Domaine du Collier (run by the nephew of the Foucault family, of former Clos Rougeard fame) is a delight after at least an hour in the decanter. A beautiful medium-gold in the glass, it offers rich aromas of stone fruit, melon, yellow squash, citrus, and wet wool. Those same flavors continue onto the palate where they are draped over a backbone of laser-like acidity, coating the tongue and lingering throughout the lengthy finish. Keep an eye out for these bottles at a shop near you as they still represent great value and will definitely improve with cellaring, if possible.