The Best Chenins in the World?

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Written by
Jancis Robinson
5 Jul 2004
The Best Chenins in the World?
The second Rendez-vous du Chenin, organised under the auspices of the Union des
Oenologues de France took place 22–25 jun 2004, at the Royal Fontevraud Abbey in the Loire
Valley. See results below, which show just how well Ken Forrester of South Africa, who spent
quite a time in the Loire, has done. In the UK his award winning Forrester-Meinert Chenin Blanc
2002 was available from Waitrose Direct for around £14 a bottle. They now have his much
looser regular Ken Forrester Chenin Blanc 2002 for £6.99. Looks as though it should be worth
looking out for the 2003.
During these four days, the Loire became the world capital of Chenin Blanc, a widely underestimated variety with 9,000 ha planted in its birthplace the Loire, 22,000 in South Africa, 500 in
Australia, 200 in New Zealand, 3,600 in Argentina and 8,000 ha in the United States.
This year 210 Chenin wines were tasted from eight different countries including, France, South
Africa, New Zealand, Australia, the United States, with entries from three new countries – India,
Thailand and Mexico. Entries from wines produced outside France increased by 60%, with a
marked increase in entries from South Africa of 62%.The wines were tasted by 53 international
wine professionals, in panels of 35 tasters per day. Each wine was tasted between eight and
twelve times and never in the same order within a flight, in order to be as objective as possible.
This year's panel (sommeliers, journalists, producers, wine writers, oenologists and other
members of the wine trade) was made up of tasters from 12 different nationalities – French,
South African, American, English, Australian, Japanese, German, Swedish, Belgian, Swiss, Indian
and Greek.
The wines from the nine categories that were judged as outstanding Chenin Blanc wines are
listed below. The aim of the Rendez-vous du Chenin is not to be prescriptive regarding style
(when often the most powerful wines stand out), but to distinguish the array of expressions of
Chenin. With the Rendez-vous du Chenin, all styles can and must express themselves.
Of the 210 entries tasted, 51 wines from 4 countries were selected as 'Great Expressions of
Chenin'. In all 33 of the award-winning wines come from the Loire, 16 from South Africa, and one
each from Australia and the US. The producers who obtained the most awards, with three wines
each being selected, are Ken Forrester Wines in Stellenbosch, South Africa and Alliance Loire in
the Loire, France.
All these wines underline the great variety and range of styles that this multi-faceted variety is
capable of producing. A sensory mapping of all the wines tasted will be established and
published by early November, and will be presented in Paris where the Grandes Expressions de
Chenin will be available for tasting.
Contact: [email protected]
The 'Great Expressions of Chenin':
(Wines are listed by name of estate, then producer, cuvée, appellation and finally country)
Category 1: Sparkling wines100% Chenin Blanc
No wines were deemed worthy.
Category 2: Blend with minimum 60% Chenin
Domaine de la Prévôté, Bonnigal 2001, Crémant de Loire, France
Château de Montgueret, Tête de Cuvée, Saumur Mousseux, France
Veuve Amiot, Réservée, Saumur Mousseux, France
Category 3 : Still wines: 100% Chenin fresh and fruity wine with ≤ 9g/litre
Domaine des Charmes, Max Laurilleux, Cuvée N° 29 2003, Anjou, France
Michel Robineau, Michel Robineau Selection 2002, Anjou, France
Direct Wines Ltd, Les Carielles 2002, Saumur, France
Alliance Loire, Remy Pannier Tastemets 2003, Vin de Pays Jardin de la France, France
Direct Wines Ltd, Marthinus Chenin Blanc 2003, Wellington, South Africa
Coriole Vineyards, Coriole Chenin Blanc 2004, Mc Laren Vale, Australia
Domaine Saint Jean, Jean-Claude Anger, 2002, Saumur, France
Domaine de la Noblaie, Manzagol Billard 2003, Chinon, France
The Winery, Vinum Chenin Blanc 2003, Stellenbosch, South Africa
Porterville cellars, Chenin Blanc 2003, Swartland, South Africa
Category 4 : Still wines: 100% Chenin full-bodied, structured wine with ≤ 9g/l sugar
Château Pierre Bise, Claude Papin, Haut de la Garde 2000, Anjou, France
Distell, Fleur Du Cap Chenin Blanc 2003, Helderberg, South Africa
Kleine Zalze Wines, Vineyard Selection Chenin Blanc 2003, Stellenbosch, South Africa
Swartland Winery, Eagle Crest Chenin Blanc 2004, Swartland, South Africa
Domaine Pierre Chauvin, Chauvin-Cesbron, La Fontaine des Bois 2002, Anjou, France
Domaine de la Renière, Cuvée Alliance 2003, Saumur, France
Dry Creek Vineyard, Dry Chenin Blanc 2003, Clarksburg, United States
Ken Forrester Wines, Ken Forrester Chenin Blanc 2003, Helderberg, South Africa
Château de Chamboureau, Pierre Soulez, Cuvée d'Avant 2001, Savennières, France
Château de Varennes, Vignobles Germain, 2001, Savennières, France
Rijk's Private Cellar, Chenin Blanc 2002,Tulbach, South Africa
Château de Targé, Edouard Pisani-Ferry, Les Fresnettes 2003, Saumur, France
Domaine Laureau du Clos Frémur, Damien Laureau, Les Genêts 2002, Savennières, France
Simonsig Family Vineyards, Simonsig Chenin Blanc 2003, Stellenbosch, South Africa
Domaine Jo Pithon, Jo Pithon, Les Bergères 2002, Anjou, France
Category 5 : Still wines: 80% minimum Chenin fresh and fruity wine with ≤ 9g/l sugar
Kanu Wines, Kanu Chenin Blanc 2003, Stellenbosch, South Africa
Category 6: Still wines: 80% minimum Chenin full-bodied, structured with ≤ 9g/l
sugar
No wine was deemed worthy.
Category 7 : Still wines: 80% minimum Chenin 9,1g/l – 30g/l sugar
Kanu Wines, Kanu Chenin Blanc Wooded 2002, Stellenbosch, South Africa
Cave des Producteurs de Vouvray, Alliance Loire, Confidence 2002, Vouvray, France
Ken Forrester Wines, Forrester Meinert Chenin 2003, Stellenbosch, South Africa
Rudera Wines, Robusto 2002, Stellenbosch, South Africa
Domaine Richou, Didier Richou, Les Rogeries 2002, Anjou, France
Domaine des Béguineries, Du Vent Fleuri 2002, VDT, Loire, France
Château La Trochoire 2002, Touraine, France
Category 8: Still wines: 80% minimum Chenin 30,1g/l – 100g/l sugar
Domaine de la Poterie 2001, Quart de Chaume, France
Domaine Jo Pithon, Jo Pithon 2002, Coteaux du Layon, France
Château Pierre Bise, Claude Papin, Clos de Coulaine 1995, Savennières, France
Cave des Producteurs de Vouvray, Alliance Loire, Réserve des producteurs 2003, Vouvray,
France
Category 9 : Still wines: 80% minimum Chenin >100g/l sugar
Domaine de Montgilet, Les Trois Schistes 2002, Coteaux de l'Aubance, France
Villiera Wines, Inspiration 2003, Stellenbosch, South Africa
Château de Putille, Pierre Carrée 2002, Coteaux de la Loire, France
Domaine du Petit Métris, Joseph Renou et Fils, Les Guerches 2002, Quart de Chaume, France
Ken Forrester Wines, T Noble Late Harvest 2001, Stellenbosch, South Africa
Domaine des Petits Quarts, Jean-Pascal Godineau, Le Malabé 1996, Bonnezeaux, France
Domaine Patrick Baudouin, Patrick Baudouin, Maria Juby 2002, VDT, France
Badsberg Co-op Winery, Badsberg Noble Late Harvest 2003, Worcester, South Africa
Domaine Cady, Philippe Cady, Volupté 2002, Coteaux du Layon-St-Aubin, FranceDomaine de
Mihoudy, Cochard & Fils, Quintessence 2003, Bonnezeaux, France
Domaine de la Bergerie, Yves Gueniard, Fragrance 1997, Coteaux du Layon, France