Amaze Yourself!

Sometimes you come across a wine that you have been looking for over a year or two then out of nowhere... BAM...the love of your life shows up on your front door. Sorry Megan, I still love you. Even Megan was really impressed with this gem of a wine. Little history lesson then we can start drinking. I wish that was the case in college. Oh yeah, that was the case, we went JMU!

Chinon is on the left bank of the Loire river and along the Vienne river, at the heart of the Loire Valley. Chinon is know for thier Red Wines, mainly Cabernet Franc, which makes up 99% of the regions wine production. What makes up the other 1% you may ask. Chenin Blanc makes up the other 1%. About 1500 cases make its way to the States and most of that goes to NYC and Cali High-End Restaurants with snobby owners and insane prices. Treat yourself and find this wine!

2008 Couly Dutheil "Les Chanteaux" Chinon Blanc ($18 Kroger) This Dry Style Chenin Blanc has a beautiful Pale Yellow color with clear edges. The nose punches you in the face with flavors of melons, white flowers, herbs, minerals. It's like you made a Aroma Smoothie with Honeydew, Basil, Grass, Roses, and a sack of dimes. Buy the wine and you will understand my madness. The palate is fruity, delicate and soft, and fresh and bright in the extreme. No wood, but this wine does see extended lees contact with batonnage to further its complexity and power. The lees (pronounced like the jeans) are the dead yeast cells, grape seeds, pulp, stems, skins, and tartrates that separate from the juice during wine making and aging. The great Champagnes of the world spend lots of time in the lees to add complexity to the wine without using oak. 97pts of Refined Herbal Dimes (Great Band Name)