I have to admit, I was quite excited to taste this Chenin Blanc! Before the holidays, I tried a white wine blend that was Viognier and Chenin Blanc and I absolutely loved it! So, I was curious to deconstruct the wine and taste the varietals independently to learn the characteristics of each. I’ve employed this same concept for the 52 Weeks of Wine Training Program for the month of March: we’re deconstructing GSM’s (Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre) and tasting the respective varietals independently to learn more about what builds such a smooth and luxurious wine!
My husband has been away at military training for the month of January, so I’ve found that wine tasting has become an independent occasion this month. This isn’t always bad because (1) a bottle of wine lasts a couple days and (2) I find when I’m tasting by myself, I really take the time to soak in all the aspects of a wine. The only problem in this circumstance is that I was so excited by the features of this Chenin Blanc that I had no one to share it with! I’m telling you…so excited that I attempted to do an Instagram Live session just to share my excitement which lasted about 15 seconds before my kids started screaming.
I have found my excitement with tasting new wines is not just in the flavor and appreciation of the wines, but in recognizing the growth in my wine palate. This Chenin Blanc was so unique and somewhat indescribably different from any other white wine I had tasted, that my growth in tasting wines was really apparent!
I don’t point out this information to brag. I am sharing this because I genuinely want you to grow in your understanding and appreciation of wines just as I have (assuming you want to do so) and it really excites me that a wine in the 52 Weeks of Wine Training Program could expose someone else to a new varietal that they may have a new love for as well!
This French Chenin Blanc, the 2017 Domaine Pichot Vouvray, varies in price from $14.99-$19.99. The color is gold – and I will say, without knowing anything about the wine before tasting it, I genuinely thought to myself, “is this a sign?”. It was – this wine is gold! The aromas are of pear, canteloupe, and honey. The flavors were phenomenal: the starfruit and pineapple gave the flavor a subtle tang which was balanced with honey. The honey did not give it a sweetness but thickened the viscosity and lightly flavored the wine. This wine is incredibly smooth. I recommend pairing this wine with strongly flavored cheeses such as goat cheese, aged cheddar or blue cheese.