Jasnieres and Montlouis - the Chenin ring of confidence

Why do I love Chenin so much? I have written about this grape more often than any other, highlighting its versatility. Whilst the biberati rhapsodise about Riesling ( a grape that I both enjoy and respect) I have a greater sneaky regard for a variety that constantly keeps me guessing. It can be raw and untamed or silky and honeyed; it can burst with all the fruits of the orchard or have an unyielding stony purity combined with shivery acidity. Here are a couple of examples that I’ve drunk over the last four nights. Each wine blossomed on the second night.

2008 Jasnieres Kharakter, Domaine Le Briseau
Christian Chaussard and Nathalie Gaubichet are natural wine practitioners, Apart from biodynamic viticulture, everything is done by hand with nothing added (except a tiny dose of sulphur at bottling). Their white wines have a common trait: namely bruised apple fruit bolted down by firm acidity.

There’s warmth, waxiness and those almond notes typical of Chenin, some sly sherry aromatics and pulped-pear-mingled with-flint-fruit. The Kharakter is a delicate golden wine with inviting nose of warm pearskin, sweet hay and fine honey. It has a smooth, taffeta-textured mouth, no bitterness, just ripe autumnal fruits laced with swathes of beautifully sinewy-yet-soothing acidity. On the first night this wine is tauter than new knicker elastic, on the second a mellower animal with stone-fruit and thrillingly pure acidity.

2006 Montlouis Le Volagre, Stephane Cossais
Stephane Cossais will be sorely missed. His wines stand as eloquent testament to a grower who understood and was able to realise the full potential of Chenin on the particular vineyard terroirs that he owned. Le Volagre has always required time for the components to meld into one. It is shiny gold, with beautiful poised citrus notes, yes, ripe citrus, honeysuckle and vanilla butter. The initial nose of white flowers gives way to fleshier parts of such fruits as quince, apple and pear with a suggestion of fig, honey and cinnamon brioche. Chenin is vintage sensitive and the extra acidity of the 06 brings balance and confers length to the wine. The harmony between fruit and oak reminds one of Burgundy and this Montlouis has the structure and complexity of a great Beaune wine.