You can taste the discarded wine and test for TCA before pouring out the bottle as well. If I tasted an old wine that felt particularly tight, I would decant. But ultimately the test is the taste. It really depends on the wine: Auslesen and old sweet Chenin Blanc can appear really dark and be perfectly fine, for instance.

The equipment is so new and shiny you could see your reflection, and is visible from the tasting room and restaurant so it is very much part of the décor. You will find many varietals at Waterkloof – Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Mouvedre, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, all very balanced and perfectly delicious!

Glen Carlou and Backsberg are neighboring wineries in Paarl who kindly hosted me for a tasting of both wines, then lunch at Backsberg’s lovely al fresco restaurant. The Backsberg tasting room is rather whimsical in design … light and airy and down to earth at the same time. Arco Laamar & Harry Haddon (checked shirt). News S.

During a panel section on Chenin Blanc, I remember how he made a clear point between Chenin Blanc and “Steen” which is what this ubiquitous grape had been called in S. The basic message is that Chenin Blanc is a quality grape in its own right, and deserves respect. Chenin Blanc has been S.

Yet before all that we taste the wines of DeMorgenzon, which in addition to the Syrah include a Chenin Blanc (from the original old vines of the estate), Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. Winemaker Carl Van der Merwe. This Syrah is absolutely incredible!”. Appelbaum's lovely cat Sally! To learn more, click here. News S.

The 2011 London International Wine Fair was fabulous, an extremely well-orchestrated event with many simultaneous tastings, presentations, and lectures that took place in theaters, 'Access Points,' and even 'freestyle' in high-topped chairs within the display of a geographic region or winery. Masterclasses. More Excitement. The "Access Zone".

Matthieu, the jovial, thirty-something son of Bernard who has been with the domaine since 2000, led us in a tasting of the more-or-less current releases and a few back vintages as well. The Domaine makes only wines from cabernet franc, with the exception of a white wine from chenin blanc at the Croix Boisée vineyard.

Tasting Notes for February 21 2010. 2010 Xavier Flouret Chenin Blanc (South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch). Fynbos Louis Roos Winemaker with glasses Tielman Roos Viticulturist Mooiplaas. Nose: ned+ intensity, jammy ripe fruit. palate: dry, acid med+ tannin med= and very juicy, body med alc med+ finish med+. 0 views).

tasted the 2007 Clos du Papillon Savennieres and didn’t find it reduced but it was tight, presumably from youth. also had a 1999 Clos de Saint Yves Savennieres, bottled under cork, that wasn’t showing too much evolution; instead it was rich, layered and deliciously complex as chenin blanc can be. Who knows.

As we sat down I took out the wine I brought along, the 2008 Pierre Gonon St Joseph Blanc Les Oliviers , $32, Fruit of the Vines Imports. This is a phenomenal wine, and one of the interesting things about it is that honestly, served blind, there would be no way to peg it as Sauvignon Blanc. Thai food for the western palate.

Ken Forrester likes Chenin Blanc. His Stellenbosch vineyards, four miles from the ocean, are planted 50% to Chenin Blanc, also known as Steen locally to people other than Ken (he finds the local name too confusing.) In his opinion, the best Chenin needs cool and sunshine, which may sound like a paradox.

And uncorking them can be a walk down memory lane, or, as it was for me tasting some spectacular Madeiras from the 18th and 19th century and German Rieslings spanning the 20th century recently, gorgeous time capsules to glimpse way back in history. Is mature wine relevant? And, most pointedly, why do young people hate mature wine?

It is the apex of Savennières, and some would say, of the potential of the Chenin Blanc grape (although many Huet lovers would argue for Vouvray). I wish I could have tasted it when it was young to understand its progression. We decanted this wine and drank it slowly over the course of the evening. Is it the changing climate?

Wine writers, already about as endangered as the Iberian lynx thanks to the sagging media world (not screwcaps), have something new to fear– automatically generated tasting notes ! Have a taste of what the site spits out: Fully refined almost corpulent Chenin Blanc. Drink now through 2009. It’s very simple.

Last week’s New York Times reviewed some wines from Savennières, the Loire appellation that makes often-stunning, always dry versions of chenin blanc. When has the chenin completed its work is then the question? the excess of one half of a degree to one degree does not mater you do not taste it as such!

Chenin blanc is one of the world’s most underrated grapes. polled them after tasting, and to my amazement, only two people disliked the wine–chenin blanc with such low negatives, it could run for office! But this is chenin through and through. It can tack on decades effortlessly.

"So how would one remark on the differences between a South African Chenin Blanc and a Loire Chenin Blanc during a blind tasting," one participant wanted to know. The question with regard to blind tasting was that the Chenin Blanc from S. As you may known, both in S.

But I kid you not, the calendar has been so reliable that I'm starting to plan dinners and tastings around it. But when was the last time you drank (not tasted) 7 bottles of wine in an evening and every one of them was showed beautifully? I'm starting to believe in the influence of lunar cycles on wine. And there have been exceptions.

And here in Manhattan, this is a special challenge, because in this jaded city most everyone dabbling in the world of wine has tasted pretty much everything the world has to offer. It can smell and taste like hot buttered popcorn, apple pie a la mode, or like mineral water with a squeeze of lime or lemon. Irrigation is mandatory.

Last week I accepted an invitation to the Cape Classics portfolio tasting at Aquavit in midtown; Cape Classics being an importer who represents 25% of all imported (to the US) South African wines. And while I have been to and enjoyed Xai Xai, the South African wine bar in midtown, and am a summertime fan [.].

So grab a glass of wine, throw another log on the fire, grab a sandwich, channel your inner wine geek, and listen to John opine on the topics of natural wines, zero dosage champagne, some pitfalls of collecting, 2007 vintage for Port and in the Rhone, the nobility of chenin blanc, the Piedmont producer Produttori del Barbaresco and more!

Is there room for another blind tasting panel? think it will be interesting to gather bloggers and other people with whom I enjoy sharing wine, taste and discuss together with the goal of being able to say something meaningful about a group of wines. Five - that's pretty manageable for an amateur blind tasting panel. Just mute.

Made from Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Columbard, and Chenin Blanc, this food-specific blend was the finalist in a quest by two Maine wine guys to find the best California white to pair with the Northeast's famed lobster. The result is the perfect compliment for a robust lobster bisque. likey

In discovery, it was found that the lost wine had 20% Chenin Blanc purchased at wholesale at a price way below what labeled grape would have cost. Due to the lot numbers I’ve been able to offer my clients the wines I tasted and selected on my wine buying trips – not only VERSIONS of it.&# They should.

When I write about a wine I tell you where i drank it - I never talk about a wine as if I drank it at home, when in reality I tried a sip of it at a trade tasting. was hosting a wine dinner and I asked him where I could purchase a dry Chenin Blanc with some age on it, and he generously offered this wine as a gift. doubt it.

Many people consider these to be the finest Chenin Blancs from the Loire Valley and in the world. also love the Chenins of Montlouis and Savennieres, but I don't want to quibble - there is no question that the wines of Domaine Huet are among the very best Chenin Blancs in the world. We loved this wine.

The Chenin Blancs from these places have never been as sought after as those from Vouvray, Montlouis, or Savennières. All of this is meaningless, though, if the wines don't taste good. Well, they taste very good, sometimes great. And there hasn't exactly been a plethora of inspired grower/producers either.

The first time I tasted either I thought they were evil. Dry Loire Valley Chenin Blanc. ?Savennieres? Anjou or Chinon Blanc? Raffault or Baudry Chinon Blanc. Nicolas Les Clous Blanc (chard and chenin mix. On the other hand, I am partial to blanc de blancs. ?For Anjou or Chinon Blanc?

The dry wine is an excellent expression of the chenin blanc grape. On a trip this past summer, my family and I got stranded in Chicago overnight because of airline delays. We called a friend who was able to take us in when the airline would not; she put us up even though the delay was entirely their fault (canceled flight).

How do you make a screwcap-sealed wine taste and smell like rotting cabbage or burning rubber- put it in the cellar for a few years. But the damage starts faster than that- were you at the big Penfolds’ tasting here in New York a couple of months ago? German Riesling. And I really don’t understand why. just don’t get it. The Loire.

And because our wine tastes are quite diverse. Recently it was our turn to host wine group and I chose Loire Chenin Blancs as the theme. And this is an interloper, a wine made from the Romorantin grape, not a Chenin Blanc. I'm in a really great wine group now, and great ones are hard to find, trust me. So sue me.

So after the hard and wonderful work of the Terry Theise Portfolio tasting, we rushed over to the east side for Louis/Dressner tasting. There was simply no way to taste everything, even if this were the only tasting of the day. The Italian wines - I didn't taste 'em. Wines of the Savoie - didn't taste 'em.

And the wine tasted better too from this glass, which is no surprise because so much of flavor is tied to aroma. The difference was such that I probably would not have liked the wine if tasted only from the Vinum glass, but I would happily buy the wine in the Sommelier glass. Or so says Riedel , anyway. And shape matters too.

Going out to taste wines, being given samples to taste, speaking with winemakers - some of the coolest people around - let me tell ya, I don't know how I do it. Last night I had the arduous task of tasting through some wines made from Chenin Blanc from the Loire Valley with some contemporaries.

Taste as you go, stop when you like the texture. Most recently, a sec-tendre Chenin Blanc with the McDuff - yes, this is that dish , that time prepared with zucchini and marjoram. So this time I went with a Savennières, a beautiful dry Chenin Blanc from the master of biodynamics, Nicolas Joly. Whaddayagonnado?

Viking's wines surprised me when I tasted them back in April - they were balanced and distinctive, really very good. The Vouvray was just delicious, although I must say that I might not have guessed its age if tasting blind. We thoroughly enjoyed this wine, but I might have guessed it to be a 2002 if tasted blind. Simple.

For about $50 you can sample almost every important wine that Long Island has to offer, meet and talk to the folks who make the wine, taste loads of interesting food, and mingle with the stars. had a problem with most of the reds I tasted. Are these wines being manufactured to suit the broader tastes in the market? Just my.02

Cousin cultivates Gamay, Grolleau, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, and Chenin Blanc - there is something for everyone in this portfolio. first had it at the Jenny & Francois tasting back in March and liked it very much. NV Cousin-Luduc Saumur Brut , $26, Jenny & Francois Selections.

I attended a very informal wine tasting early yesterday evening at Xai Xai, the South African wine bar located in the Hell's Kitchen district of NYC. The 2008 "Lyric" from Nederburg winery is a blend of 51% Sauvignon Blanc, 26% Chenin blanc (a varietal very common in S. Happy non-traditional locale wine tasting WTG

Yeah, American wine hasn't gone up, but I have yet to taste the under $15 American wine that I want to go out and buy for my own home. Ben Hagan, one of the wine buyers at Slope Cellars in Park Slope, Brooklyn recommends (Slope Cellars prices listed) : Whites: 2006 Caves de Saumur Saumur Les Pouches, $13, LVDH Imports (100% Chenin Blanc).

But now, my long overdue summary of the wines I was able to try at the Polaner tasting. Maybe given my "neophyte" status, I try to taste as many wines as possible and miss the point. Either way, while it was overwhelming, I tasted some very fine wines and met some very personable and charming winemakers (or winery proprietors).

If my recent tastes mean anything, this is not hype - the wines are just excellent. I'm guessing that people will eventually look to this as a benchmark for 2005 Loire Valley Chenin Blanc. I'm also eager to try Amirault's other wines, as this was my first taste This is beautiful wine, I've had it a couple of times now.

Like all Vouvray, this wine is made using Chenin Blanc grapes. Unlike some of the other Loire Valley sparkling wine I've tasted recently, this one is actually quite elegant and very dry. Probably because I don't find Chenin Blanc to be as satisfying as Chardonnay or Pinot Noir when acting as the base for a sparkling wine.

I was fine with that as a nice South African Chenin Blanc seemed like a nice wine to start the evening with.  We were offered multiple tastes before ordering.  This past Wednesday I visited two wine bars.  One was with a young woman after work and the other was with yet another young woman somewhat later in the evening.

The white is called Breze and is 100% Chenin Blanc. have never tasted this wine - it retails at over $70 and I just haven't gone there yet on a Chenin. If I were ever to spend that kind of dough on a Chenin, it would be either this wine or a Joly Coul é e de Serrant. This retails for approximately $35. Bordeaux?

This one is a blend of 70/30 Chenin Blanc to Chardonnay. More Loire Sparklers to come, as well as whatever else I taste in the under $20 price range that merits writing about. Feel like Champagne every night? We cannot give in to our every whim though, can we? So instead I'm trying to keep it to a weekly indulgence.

This was the scene last Sunday when I went to the North Fork to meet Lenn and five other good people to taste a case of mature Long Island reds. Lenn decided to put together a tasting of 12 year old wines from the 1995 vintage. Let me begin by telling you how utterly impressed I was with the way Tracy and Jared set up the tasting.

This month Dr. Vino is our host, and he has asked us to taste an indigenous grape variety , something less common perhaps. 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. Whatever, do what you want.

White wines labeled Cheverny may contain Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and Chenin Blanc, but every white Cheverny I have encountered is primarily a Sauvignon Blanc with a bit of Chard blended in. But if your wine does not pass the muster of the INAO's tasting commission, no Cheverny on the label. It costs $13.50

Here are a few more inexpensive sparkling wines I've been enjoying lately: NV Charles de Fere Blanc de Blanc Reserve , $8 (Astor Wine and Spirits). People say that sparkling wines are among the most versatile wines. They pair perfectly with basically any food, from delicate and gossamer smoked salmon slices to rich and saucy BBQ.

It tasted like it had been filtered through cardboard. What was this going to taste like? In the afternoon sun this wine had a nice deep color to it as I poured everyone a little bit to taste. One coolest thing about life in New York City is central park. It is huge. But the best part is Sheep's Meadow. Man, I love New York!

I've tasted a few wines that have been on my "wish list" for a while, others that I've been meaning to try and finally found a good excuse to open, and new releases of yet other wines that I taste each year. Too early to open it, and we knew it, but why not taste a bottle when you get a case at auction? Buy carefully in 2001.

I bet all of you read Eric Asimov's column on Wednesday where he talks about learning about wine at home by having your local wine salesperson pick out a case, taste through it, etc. That means you should go get yours now if you're interested in tasting. Many producers say that demi-sec (off dry) is the best expression of Chenin Blanc.

Lenn at Lenndevours started Wine Blogging Wednesday (WBW) over two years ago, an online tasting and sharing of notes and experiences with wine. But before I get into tasting notes I want to say something quick about Fork and Bottle: this site is a must for foodies who are parents or parents to be. cents. Now.biodynamic wine. Next time.

We nibbled on unsalted almonds and toasted with a bottle of 1998 Pierre Peters Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blanc Brut Millesime. We had 2005 Domaine Roulot Bourgogne Aligote with the soup, and it was exactly as it should be - light, crisp, clean tasting, briny and citrusy acidity. love these old Chenin Blancs.

Cheverny wines are a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, with the Sauvignon Blanc the primary grape at about 70%. Like the great Chenin Blanc grape, also a daughter of the Loire Valley, Romorantin might show best in its demi-sec (off-dry) form. I hesitate to do this, because right now it's still basically a secret.

have mentioned Huet Vouvray before and I love their wines, all made from the chenin blanc grape. The Wine Doctor posted a bunch of tasting notes and plenty of interesting information about Domaine Huet as part of his Loire Profiles series. Again, The Wine Doctor has an informative profile and tasting notes on Chevalier.

The entire back wall is devoted to Loire whites, including many differe t chenin blancs from Savennieres, Vouvray, and somethimes the lesser known Montlouis sur Loire, Coteaux du Loir and Jasnieres. The 2005 vintage is supposed to be so good in many French wine regions, and the Loire Valley is one of them.

Savennieres is one of the great Loire Valley appellations, producing amazing white wines made from the chenin blanc grape. BrooklynLady and I were well into our Loire Valley trip at this point, and she was nearing the end of her well documented patience for wine traveling and tasting. Tasted back in March, 2006.

It was a 1992 Savennieres from a producer whose name I cannot remember now, but I tried it because it seemed like a good opportunity to taste an older Chenin Blanc without breaking the bank - $27 for the bottle. My wife Brooklynlady got me into Loire whites a couple of years ago, and she, as usual, has great taste.

We popped that puppy and poured a tasting amount. Mr. Wolf was enjoying the journey of this wine picking off tasting notes as Gal and sat and thought whether we liked it or not. So it was time to explore France via the east village. One night last week Gal, Mr. Wolf and myself popped two bottles of French wine. It was worth the risk.