Freddy R. Troya

9.0

Château de Fesles – La Chapelle Vieilles Vignes Chenin Sec 2010. Anjou, Loire Valley – France 🇫🇷

Overview
A limited-edition bottling from one of Anjou’s most historic estates, this Chenin Blanc comes from old vines (“vieilles vignes”) rooted in schist soils surrounding the chapel of the domaine. Château de Fesles is renowned for producing some of the Loire’s most age-worthy Chenins, and this 2010 shows just how gracefully the grape can evolve.

Aromas & Flavors
Complex layers of baked quince, dried apricot, acacia honey, chamomile, and lanolin, underpinned by beeswax and a mineral flintiness. Secondary notes of almond and brioche hint at its decade-plus of bottle age.

Mouthfeel
Dry (“sec”) yet textured, with a medium+ body, bright acidity still intact, and a long, savory finish. The balance between freshness and maturity is remarkable, showing both vitality and evolution.

Winemaking Notes
Fermented in oak and matured patiently, with low yields from old vines contributing depth and concentration. Loire Chenin’s natural high acidity is what makes wines like this so age-defiant.

Food Pairing
Perfect alongside roasted chicken with herbs, veal in cream sauce, or rich seafood like lobster and scallops. A natural match also for aged goat cheese (think Valençay or Crottin de Chavignol).

Verdict
A stunning example of aged Loire Chenin Blanc: vibrant, layered, and endlessly complex. Proof of why Anjou and Loire whites belong among the world’s most cellar-worthy wines. — 5 days ago

Darin See

9.2

When everyone says something is amazing, I'm incredulous. No, it's more like I'm defiant and arrogant, a lot like most teenagers you know; "X must overwhelm with mass appeal where X otherwise lacks character and distiction." Well, this bottle is much loved by friends and strangers, and rightly so. Stinging black pepper backed by rich (but not overwhelmingly so) berries. I wish I had a case of the stuff and an equal number of occasions to share it. — 10 years ago

Norman

9.3

Nice wine that I’ve never heard of but am enjoying. Appreciate the person who brought it over. — a year ago

Bob Benson

9.1

Great fruit forward. Low tannins. Very enjoyable. 2015 — 7 years ago

Hamish Hains

8.9

Light for a Pinot, good flavours, airy, easy to match. — 8 years ago

AEL

9.0

Outstanding American whisky. Slightly lower alcohol than the norm - better drinkability. A definite buy. — 10 years ago

Blair Campomizzi

9.2

Lots of dark berry flavors with initially tight tannins that relaxed over a few hours. Defiant and strain. — 7 years ago

with Marilea

Dan Higginson

9.1

Fruits, pine, bitter, strong — 8 years ago

Bruce Homer

9.1

Fantastic craft Rye! Pepper and vanilla notes - nice burn. — 8 years ago

David Kline

9.1

Big nose of slatey, volcanic burnt rubber and slate upon opening. Turns to white and yellow roses pears and apple blossoms with the whisper of volcanic smoke. Really minerally intro on the palate, without exposing too much fruit. Real depth here, and an acidic corset of complex earthiness that just winds and winds until it becomes slender and defiant of gravity. Comely, but natural and splendidly understated until the flexed muscle of its essence belies its grace! Held its own against whole yellow fin snapper, whole radish, stinky Deutsche Rougette Bavarian Red cheese. — 10 years ago

with Courtney and Oliver