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. — 21 days ago

Gilbert Van Hassel

9.7

Incredible nose.still all fruit forward. — 2 months ago

Peter van den Besselaar

8.9

Vintage 2023 | grenache cinsault syrah — 3 months ago

David Valenti

9.0

Mocha, tobacco and black cherry. Gentle tannins supporting a strong thick body, albeit a pinch of dry on the palate. — 12 days ago

Ron Siegel

9.3

Showing lots of dark fruits, smoke, meat, savory spice, mineral & violets. — a month ago

Michael Walker

9.9

PJW 6 pack for his visit - this is OTH, definitely some funk, Paul says wasn’t kept well, but great bones, it really grew on me as it opened - smoky, a bit of cobwebs, love it. Should seek out a ‘16 — 2 months ago

Seiichi Kurumizawa

9.3

こうぞうかい、カサさんワイン　シャンベルたん — 3 months ago

Alan Factor

9.0

Meaty and spiced start with rich combination of red and black cherry. Slightly firm in the middle, but otherwise very well balanced with a dense, intense finish. I’ve been on a good roll lately of 2014s that have retained their precocious fruit yumminess, and this is another example. — a day ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.6

This is a superstar wine in 22 and now 23. They also could not be more different. Stunning nose of ripe mid to late season cherry and a hit of kirsch. Stunning fruit clarity. Gorgeous stoniness and elegant herbs. Terrific tiny berry fruit intensity. Elite finesse and shows the silkiness of this brilliant site. The tannins are stoney and big but ripe and sweet. This doesn’t have the decadence of the 2022. Great freshness and has that chord progression fruit that is a signature of 2023. Unreal silkiness. Gorgeous wine but will be better with a few more hours of air. Oh it’s getting opulent like this site does and wow the energy is off the charts. Tannins melting into fruit. After 5-6 hours this is just insane. The energy of 23 and the opulence of 22. Genius!
— a month ago

Aura Novembre

9.7

Sunday burger grilling with Mimi — 3 months ago