2016 “Premier Nez” Touraine Azay-Le-Rideau - Domaine Marie Thibault

Dried lemon wedge, herbal tea, crunchy golden apple. Orange peel, walnut shell, tart yellow pear. White rose and fragrant honeysuckle, pine sap and bee pollen. Ginger, chamomile, and citrus zest explode with remarkably high-toned aromatics, boldly balancing pronounced florals and bright fruit with lovely citrus-infused spice. Walnut shell and wool inject just a tinge of phenolic texture cut by sharp flinty minerality and a wonderful honeyed tone. Medium bodied and dry on the palate with searingly high acidity that pings with electricity in each sip. Complex, nuanced, and showing just the slightest hint of age. This 2016 "Premier Nez" Touraine Azay-Le-Rideau by Domaine Marie Thibault is an expressive, intense, and exciting Chenin Blanc from the Loire Valley.

Chenin Blanc is one of the most versatile yet underappreciated wine grape varieties on the planet. In its homeland of Central France it is made into wines of nearly every imaginable style including dry, sparkling, and dessert bottlings, but it has not enjoyed anywhere near the same level of fame as similar white grapes like Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay. This bottling, crafted by Domaine Marie Thibault using Chenin Blanc grown in the commune of Touraine Azay-Le-Rideau and vinified dry, is an outstanding example of the characterful profundity well-executed Chenin is capable of. While quite fresh, tart, and acid-driven this wine does not relegate itself to serve as a simple refreshment, rather it booms with depth and complexity to match its delicious drinkability. Minerality manages to reign supreme throughout the zippy and driving attack without ever masking its beautiful floral edge. Truly an exceptional bottle of wine we discovered with the help of our friends at Rae Vino.