2022 Pinon Buvez du Bon Pinon Vouvray is fresh, juicy, chalky, lively and linear. Fun and easy but also enough elegance to add lift to the aperitif mode on a hot day. Nice!
On the other hand, with 2021 Domaine de Bellivière Coteaux du Loir L’Effraie we have the ‘rustic’ pungent side of chenin, with the darker-hued flavors (sometimes pear, sometimes jellied kumquat, sometimes dried apricot, take your pick). Have been opening a few bottles and each time I preferred them on day 2, which is rare for me. The wine had more grip, more structure to the layers, better integration. That made me more positive than the day 1 experiences, but still not sure I need to buy a bunch.
2017 Louis Claude Desvignes Morgon Côte du Py is yet another in a baffling series of Desvignes bottles. I never seem to get the timing right with these. I thought this might be in a good zone, but it was dark hot (14%!) tannic and far removed from what I want in Morgon, or frankly from what I want in wine period. I’m sure Desvignes makes great wines. Unfortunately, I never seem to buy/open them when they’re ready to show that!
Therefore, a quick replacement for Desvignes came from 2022 Wirsching Iphöfer Julius-Echter-Berg Silvaner Erste Lage, which was reliable zesty herbal silvaner with a good amount of body in the middle to work well with food, and enough nimbleness to refresh the palate. I don’t get passionate enough about Wirsching to chase them down, but nice to drink and no complaints.
On the other hand, with 2021 Domaine de Bellivière Coteaux du Loir L’Effraie we have the ‘rustic’ pungent side of chenin, with the darker-hued flavors (sometimes pear, sometimes jellied kumquat, sometimes dried apricot, take your pick). Have been opening a few bottles and each time I preferred them on day 2, which is rare for me. The wine had more grip, more structure to the layers, better integration. That made me more positive than the day 1 experiences, but still not sure I need to buy a bunch.
2017 Louis Claude Desvignes Morgon Côte du Py is yet another in a baffling series of Desvignes bottles. I never seem to get the timing right with these. I thought this might be in a good zone, but it was dark hot (14%!) tannic and far removed from what I want in Morgon, or frankly from what I want in wine period. I’m sure Desvignes makes great wines. Unfortunately, I never seem to buy/open them when they’re ready to show that!
Therefore, a quick replacement for Desvignes came from 2022 Wirsching Iphöfer Julius-Echter-Berg Silvaner Erste Lage, which was reliable zesty herbal silvaner with a good amount of body in the middle to work well with food, and enough nimbleness to refresh the palate. I don’t get passionate enough about Wirsching to chase them down, but nice to drink and no complaints.
