words: If Sauvignon Blanc is the best-known white variety in France’s vast Loire Valley, with Sancerre the most famous example, the Chenin Blanc grape also gives us some of the region’s most beautiful wines Chenin Blanc is the dominant white variety in the Middle Loire producing wines that range from dry to sweet to sparkling and the most important appellation here is the world-renowned Vouvray near the city of Tours Lesser known but equally exciting is the small appellation of Mountlouis-sur-Loire which lies just across the Loire River from Vouvray It is here that Lise and Bertrand Jousset farm 27 acres and produce some of the best Chenin Blancs I have tasted Their newest Chenin Blanc release is the 2017 “Premier Rendez-vous.” I’m not sure of the significance of the name (first meeting) but if this happens to be your first taste of Chenin from the Loire I think you’ll find it a stunning introduction The grapes are from very old and newer vines that grow in clayey flint and sandy soils and are farmed biodynamically. Fermentation takes place in large oak barrels followed by aging in stainless steel tanks The result is a bright and nuanced $35 wine dominated by stone fruit and lively citrus aromas and tastes “Like biting into a ripe white peach,” I wrote in my notes There’s a good deal of orange along with some tropical fruit notes This is a lovely wine to sip with appetizers and to pair with all kinds of lighter dishes in spring You don't have permission to access the page you requested What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed a super flower blood moon lit up the night sky overnight on May 16 — see stunning photos from around the world of the moon glowing red  drawings courtesy of local + suphasidh studio local + suphasidh studio‘s ‘100% wooden house’ links the historic location of château de la bourdaisière with contemporary life the residential prototype generates a progressive field of vision towards the surrounding forest integrating itself into the external environment natural light and glimpses of the surrounding landscape enter through two thin openings which are cut out of the monolithic volume of the house enclosed within the thick shell of the exterior a fluid interior space offers a variety of spatial configurations to reinvent everyday living the home’s materiality makes it possible to negotiate the boundary between the inside and the outside forming a continuous space that can be inhabited in many different ways the building remains anchored to the ground thanks to the rough structural trunks piercing the floor architect: local + suphasidh studio status: competition 1st prize – under construction client: château de la bourdaisière – france bois forêt – caisse des dépôts local executive architect: isabelle poulain architecte photography: © vincent hecht AXOR presents three bathroom concepts that are not merely places of function but destinations in themselves — sanctuaries of style CHENIN BLANC IS undoubtedly the Loire’s most fascinating and diverse grape variety capable of making a remarkable range of styles from bone-dry through to lusciously sweet as well as still and sparkling Recent DNA analysis suggests that Chenin is an offspring of Jura’s Savagnin and so related to Sauvignon Blanc and Trousseau The first historical reference to Chenin comes from the 9th century at Bouchemaine the small town at the eastern end of Savennières some Chenin was planted at Château de Chenonceau in eastern Touraine Chenin Blanc is largely confined to Anjou-Saumur and Touraine with outposts in Coteaux du Loir as well as the Fiefs Vendéens close to the Atlantic Coast There is now a little planted way south in the Upper Loire in the Roannaise and Forez where leading producers are experimenting with a range of white grapes As Chenin is a mid- to late-ripening variety it is not well suited to the Pays Nantais with its increased chance of wet weather in late September and October Chenin’s eastern limit is around Amboise – spring arrives 10 to 14 days later here than it does in Anjou due to the distance from the Atlantic thus it is hard to get Chenin to ripen properly here Instead Sauvignon Blanc is largely the chosen white variety in the Loire’s eastern part Loire Chenin does best planted on limestone – the bedrock from Saumur eastwards Chenin from limestone tends to have slightly higher acidity than those from Anjou While there is a tradition in Vouvray and elsewhere in the Loire for fermenting and ageing wines in old wood increasingly top Loire Chenin Blanc producers use newer wood usually with a small proportion of new oak 500- and 600-litre barrels with a medium toast rather than 225- or 228-litre barriques There are also limited experiments using amphorae and concrete eggs although the opportunities to taste these older wines are considerably less than their sweet counterparts as there is less of a tradition – apart from in Vouvray and Savennières – of ageing dry wines dry Vouvrays that are 40 years old or more are still certainly drinkable and enjoyable It is worth considering decanting Loire Chenin Blanc especially from a recent vintage or if the wine appears closed good autumn means fine wines in tiny quantities Not as ageworthy as ’08 or ’10 Jim Budd is the DWWA Regional Chair for Loire 2017-2040 writes the award-winning Jimsloire.blogspot.com but use of this name is dying out Chenin plantings in Loire 9,240ha (2014) Dry white Loire appellations that can only use Chenin Montlouis quality and great value on offer from this regional tasting Waxy notes and tones of baked apple with the weight of youthful fruit The finish is laden with grip and fine acidity that lasts for ever This is a great wine which needs time in bottle to evolve Caramel oak on the palate gives over onto lavender to form a wine redolent of terroir and variety richly sewn with luscious honey and dried apricot fruit not a refreshing wine but one that has merits in texture and length The oxidative style is saved by 2014s racy acidity A fairly mute nose but hinting at some spice and red apple fruit A creamy mid-palate melds with sappy acidity and finishes long composed of compact fruit and a mineral texture A touch of that lanolin style comes through the floral notes; richly textured but at the same time attractively restrained There is lightly polished fruit that is sandy and lightly desiccated It is richly textured with racy undertones and a delightful balance and harmony The flavours show the same confidence with a touch of ginger spice and honey in a supple An engaging wine full of charm and seductive balance honey suckle and apricots unfold onto an intense palate in a pretty and perfumed style with baked apple and biscuit notes There is a confident Chenin pith and a breezy interesting finish polished citrus fruit and white peach that has great elegance infused with greengage and wild flower There is plenty of alcohol here but with impressive pithy substance which is setup very well for the cellar There’s a lovely nature to this wine; a well-defined nose followed by acid freshness and fruit concentration It finishes in a classy style and has all the hallmarks of a great Anjou wine Italy’s sparkling wines are the perfect match for the celebratory gatherings that abound at this time of year and the breadth of their food pairing possibilities might just surprise you Half a century of passion and commitment for a project that set a new benchmark in Rioja.. Good wine is something to celebrate but as any wine lover knows Search for the Decanter China translation for the popular wine regions an incredible 18,244 wines were judged at the 2022 Decanter World Wine Awards – with just 163 wines awarded a Platinum medal ‘Winning a Platinum medal is something really exceptional’ said Decanter World Wine Awards Co-Chair Sarah Jane Evans MW ‘Platinum is like the stratospheric level’ she commented ‘so it’s really saying to the winemaker: this is a great wine.’ Making up just 0.89% of the total wines tasted at the 2022 competition, Platinum medal winners – alongside the Best in Show – represent the best of the best wines at the Decanter World Wine Awards Scroll down to discover the full list of DWWA 2022 Platinum medal winners well worth seeking out, all of which have been awarded 97 points and tasted at least four times across the competition’s meticulous judging process. Championing the most Best in Show medals France also scored highest on the Platinum table with 38 wines awarded the accolade across nine regions Burgundy and Champagne were awarded seven Platinum medals each Noteworthy highlights from France include second-ever Platinum medals awarded to Jura for Domaine Badoz Côtes du Jura 2015 and to a Loire sparkling wine for Cave de Montlouis Italy was awarded 24 Platinum medals with Montepulciano proving its worth with two medals awarded to wines from Abruzzo and Marche Vere Novo Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2020 and Moncaro Marche saw a second Platinum awarded to Velenosi Lacrima di Morro d’Alba Superiore 2021 a wine produced with the indigenous and aromatic red grape variety Emilia Romana also impressed with three Platinum medals awarded – a first for the region – including a Value Platinum for Cantina Sociale di Gualtieri’s Il Ligabue The first Lambrusco to receive such a prestigious accolade in the competition the judges noted its ‘rich and full body with plenty of dark berry fruits with floral notes Delicious with the right sorts of food and a great example at this price.’ 22 Platinum medals were awarded with 13 regions represented including a first-ever Platinum for Vino Espumoso de Calidad (Quality Sparkling Wine) to Torelló Corpinnat Collectión Brut Nature 2011 – one of the nine sparkling wine producers in Penedès Catalunya to quit the Cava denomination in 2019 and bottle under the fairly new Intriguing Platinum results can be found across the globe with 21 countries making the list saw the most Platinum medals awarded with 15 and 13 medals respectively Chile and Switzerland received five medals each a large majority were awarded to white wines from benchmark examples of Chardonnay Chenin Blanc and Pinot Gris to lesser-known Savagnin White wines also impressed from Austria with all three of its Platinum medals awarded to cool-climate white varieties and again in Croatia for its three Platinums This skin-contact wine is the first orange wine to receive a Platinum medal at the competition with the judges noting its ‘interesting herbal details broad spicy tannins and charming creamy texture.’ North Macedonia and Slovenia made the Platinum list too Japan was awarded a Platinum medal with a first-ever win from the country’s south island Kyushu for Sanwa Shurui the nation also won a first-ever Platinum from Essex for Vagabond Winery’s Chardonnay 2020 Canada was awarded one Platinum for its world-renowned Icewine and in the United States California topped charts for its internationally recognised red wines from Napa Valley with four Platinum medals awarded to wines from Rutherford On judging at the 2022 competition, Co-Chair Michael Hill Smith MW said ‘There’re a lot of wine competitions in the world so winning a Platinum at Decanter is quite important because it’s not just a Gold medal-winning wine ‘It’s one of the very best of the Golds in the competition So I think if you win Platinum it shows that wine is of exceptional quality.’ See below for the full list of DWWA 2022 Platinum medal winners. Search all results at awards.decanter.com Go to DWWA homepage Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker