I have long counted myself a fan of dry Chenin Blanc and of Loire Valley Chenin Blanc in particular. However, my experiences with the grape have largely been limited to its most prominent incarnations: the wines of Vouvray and Savennières in particular, with lesser exposure to Saumur Blanc.
That experience quite notably leaves out one of the grape’s main homelands, the rolling green hills of Anjou. So imagine my delight when, on my recent press trip to the Loire Valley, our hosts arranged an afternoon’s tasting of Anjou Blanc held in the courtyard of the beautiful Château de Passavant, a stone castle built in the 10th century (whose walls are shown at top and below).
The Birthplace of Chenin
Because they emerge from mutations, which then must be propagated by humans who appreciate their unique qualities, determining the birth date of a grape variety proves largely impossible. The best we can manage involves using insights from DNA in combination with historical records to define a range of time in which a grape variety might have been selected and established.
For Chenin Blanc, this range is apparently sometime between the middle of the 9th Century and the beginning of the 16th Century, when we have a definitive mention of the grape’s names (both Chenin and its local moniker of Pineau de la Loire) in historical texts.
Beyond any doubt, however, is the place of Chenin’s birth, and that is in the region we now call Anjou, or more frequently Anjou-Saumur, though each side of that hyphen should be considered a distinct region in its own right.
Situated south of the city of Angers, the Anjou region first became famous for its sweet wines made from Chenin Blanc, which were much celebrated in the 17th and 18th Centuries.
The Light Side and the Dark Side of the Soil
Anjou sits just at the edge of a major geological transition in France. Most of the region is characterized by the metamorphic dark schist rocks of the Amorican Massif, the eroded remains of an uplifted Paleozoic mountain chain ground down by time and weather to the point that it barely makes a ripple across the face of France these days.
Where the dark soils of the Amorican Massif end, they are replaced by the white, sedimentary limestone soils and tuffeau of the Paris Basin, the remains of an ancient shallow sea.
The wandering border between these two formations zigzags through eastern Anjou and is responsible for the two most common soil types in the region, confusingly referred to as “Anjou Blanc” and “Anjou Noir.” It takes some effort to remember that the wine Anjou Blanc is grown on both types of soils, each of which has its proponents among Anjou winegrowers, perhaps with the majority believing that the darker schist soils make for more complex wines.
For a long while, the dry wines of the Anjou region were mostly an afterthought, both for producers (who made them with grapes that weren’t good enough for their sweet wines), and for consumers.
Indeed, the humble dry white wines of the region still rarely get a mention in any wine textbook, guidebook, or reference volume. That may be because these wines have been, to quote their brief reference on Jancis Robinson’s website, “distinctly variable.”
But things are changing.
Hipster Dry White
As in many lesser-known wine regions around the world, younger independent producers have managed to find vineyards in Anjou that they can buy or rent without breaking the bank. These young aspirants have set up shop and started to make some very interesting wines, many of them with sustainable and/or low-intervention approaches. Likewise, many historical family estates have seen their younger generations make a distinct shift towards quality and away from quantity.
The result of this evolution can be tasted.
Anjou Blanc now represents a dependably tasty source of dry Chenin Blanc, and the producers in the region are moving on to explore a more detailed conversation about their terroir.
Or, to put it a little more bluntly, producers in this somewhat generic winegrowing region are grappling with questions of their identity and relevance.
Some have proposed the definition of “crus” within the roughly 1200 hectares of Chenin that are grown in the Anjou appellation. In fact, the tasting I experienced on my recent trip was designed to showcase these crus, which are not enshrined yet in wine law, but which apparently have local, anecdotal support.
The wines we tasted were grouped together under the following crus: Montchenin, Ronceray, Saint Lambert dont Bonnes Blanches, Secteur Ardenay, Faye d’Anjou, Bonnezeaux-Burnizellius, Saint Aubin de Luigné, Pierre Bise, Aubance Calcaire, Aubance, Martigné Briand, la Tuffière, Huillé, Le Coudereau, Les Rouillères, and Le Puy de Mont.
Unfortunately, far too few wines were available to taste from each of the crus (in some cases a cru was represented only by a single wine), and we weren’t provided enough information about the nature of each of these sites to assist in drawing any distinctions among them. We weren’t, for instance, even provided with the insights as to whether the soils of each cru were of the blanc or noir variety, though the inclusion of words like “calcaire” (the French word for limestone) or “blanches” (i.e. white) in some of the cru names provided something of a hint.
My evaluation of these wines from the perspective of quality and taste resulted in no clear thematic winners or losers among these crus or presumed soil types, which led me to believe that it would be of little help to you in organizing my notes below by cru. I’ve instead just listed the wines that I thought were worth paying attention to, and as I often do, I have not bothered to share with you the wines that scored below 8.5 on my approximate scale.
The ideas for how to make distinctions among the white wines of Anjou clearly need some further definition, but in the meantime, it’s safe to say that Anjou Blanc is better than it has ever been, and still improving. The best examples have the vibrancy and energy (though perhaps not the richness) of Vouvray, and some offer the complexity and cut of good Savennières.
Anjou Blanc offers good value for the money at the moment, especially in Europe, where bottles often sell for 12 to 18 Euros. With transportation costs, import duties, and Three-tier markups, they seem slightly less affordable here in the US, though compared to top-end Savennières, which now can top $80 a bottle, they are a relative bargain.
I encourage you to seek them out. I certainly will be.
Tasting Notes
Many of these wines are hard to find online, but I have provided buying links for those few I was able to track down.
2014 Chateau de Passavant “Montchenin” Anjou Blanc, Loire Valley, France
Light yellow gold in the glass, this wine smells of struck match, butterscotch, and lemon. In the mouth, extremely saline flavors of lemon pith, candied lemon rind, and a touch of butterscotch have a very nice bright acidity and a stony underbelly. There’s a hint of chalkiness in the finish. Farmed and made biodynamically, Demeter certified. Score: between 9 and 9.5. Cost: $34. click to buy.
2020 Château de Plaisance “Ronceray Zerzilles” Anjou Blanc, Loire Valley, France
Pale greenish gold in color, this wine smells of struck match and sweet yellow flowers, with a hint of vanilla. Bright candied lemon and wet pavement flavors have a bright floral quality and deep stony backdrop. Good acidity and length. Farmed and made biodynamically, Demeter certified. Score: between 9 and 9.5. Cost: $36. click to buy.
2020 Raymond Morin “Ronceray Château Bellerive” Anjou Blanc, Loire Valley, France
Pale greenish gold in the glass, this wine smells of struck match, yellow flowers, and lemon zest. In the mouth, bright zesty lemon juice and pith dominate, with excellent acidity and softer, but still-present underlying minerality. I love this wine’s salinity. Score: between 9 and 9.5. Cost: $??
2018 Domaine Patrick Baudouin “Le Cornillard” Anjou Blanc, Loire Valley, France
pale gold in the glass, this wine smells beautifully of acacia blossoms. in the mouth, bright and juicy lemon rind and acacia blossom flavors are alive with intense acidity and gorgeous minerality. Very bright, delicious, and suffused with what I can only describe as “yellow” flavors. Organically farmed. Score: between 9 and 9.5. Cost: $48. click to buy.
2020 Domaine des Fontaines “Cuvée Landry” Anjou Blanc, Loire Valley, France
Pale gold in color, this wine smells of salty lemon and white flowers. In the mouth, salty lemon pith and grapefruit flavors mix with a hint of Asian pear and a light tannic grip. Excellent acidity and brightness, with that saline quality lingering in the finish, make for a totally mouthwatering package. Score: between 9 and 9.5. Cost: $30.
2020 Domaine des Forges “L’Audace” Anjou Blanc, Loire Valley, France
Pale greenish gold in the glass, this wine smells of struck flint and lemon rind and wet stone. In the mouth, lovely saline flavors of candied lemon rind, grapefruit, sweet flowers, and deep stony minerality swirl and tingle across the palate. Bright with acidity and totally mouthwatering. Outstanding. Score: between 9 and 9.5. Cost: $30.
2020 Domaine de la Clartière “Terres De Paillé” Anjou Blanc, Loire Valley, France
Palest greenish gold in the glass, this wine smells of acacia blossoms, citrus zest, and wet stones. In the mouth, bright citrus pith and candied citrus flavors have a nice salinity, bright, juicy acidity, and a wonderful stony minerality. Score: around 9. Cost: $25.
2020 Domaine des Hardières “Les Petits Gars” Anjou Blanc, Loire Valley, France
Palest greenish gold in color, this wine smells of wet stones and citrus pith. In the mouth, zippy lemon and lime juice mix with citrus peel and a touch of pear. Excellent acidity. Organically farmed. Score: around 9. Cost: $30.
2018 Chateau de Fesles “La Chapelle” Anjou Blanc, Loire Valley, France
Palest greenish gold in the glass, this wine smells of wet stones and white flowers, with hints of lime zest and pomelo. In the mouth, pomelo and green apple flavors mix with pear and citrus zest. Excellent acidity and a hint of tannic grip. In organic conversion. Very tasty. Score: around 9. Cost: $40.
2019 Domaine Drost “Franc De Pied” Anjou Blanc, Loire Valley, France
Pale gold in the glass, this wine smells of wintersweet blossoms and candied lemon. In the mouth, bright lemon and wet stone flavors mix with floral notes over top of a nice stony underbelly. Good acidity and length. Delicious. Farmed and made biodynamically, Demeter certified. Score: around 9. Cost: $??
2018 Château Pierre-Bise “Les Rouannières” Anjou Blanc, Loire Valley, France
Light yellow gold in the glass, this wine smells of struck match and candied lemon. In the mouth, bright lemon rind, candied lemon, acacia blossom, and stony minerality make for a delicious package. Good acidity and a nice silky texture, plus a hint of tropical fruit. In organic conversion. Score: around 9. Cost: $??
2018 Domaine de Huillé Anjou Blanc, Loire Valley, France
Pale greenish gold in color, this wine smells of honey, wet stones, and buckwheat. In the mouth, softer, filigreed acidity enlivens flavors of citrus pith and zest with some nice floral overtones. Very nice minerality. Pretty. Score: around 9. Cost: $??
2020 Domaine du Belvédère “Le Puy De Mont” Anjou Blanc, Loire Valley, France
Pale greenish gold in the glass, this wine smells of honeysuckle and citrus pith. In the mouth bright citrusy flavors mix with wet stones and vibrate with excellent acidity. There’s a light tannic grip to this wine as well. Very tasty. Score: around 9. Cost: $50.
2019 Chateau de Brossay “Les Neprons” Anjou Blanc, Loire Valley, France
Palest gold in the glass, this wine smells of white flowers, guava, and a hint of vanilla. In the mouth, the wine is round with sweet aromatics. Softer acidity, with hints of nougat lingering in the finish. Score: between 8.5 and 9. Cost: $??
2020 Domaine Ogereau “Bonnes Blanches Sec” Anjou Blanc, Loire Valley, France
Pale greenish gold in the glass, this wine smells of green apple and citrus zest. In the mouth, bright citrus and apple flavors have a nice zippy brightness thanks to very good acidity. There’s a nice citrus tang through the finish. Organically farmed. Score: between 8.5 and 9. Cost: $??
2018 Le Clos Galerne “Moulin Brûlé” Anjou Blanc, Loire Valley, France
Pale greenish gold in color, this wine smells of pineapple and some tropical fruits and blossoms. In the mouth, bright lemon and pineapple flavors have a nice bright acidity and minerality behind them. The Pineapple flavors bring with them a hint of that pineapple tingle on the tongue along with a touch of bitterness and a hint of alcohol. In organic conversion. Score: between 8.5 and 9. Cost: $60.
2017 Château de Bois-Brinçon “Les Saules De Montbenault” Anjou Blanc, Loire Valley, France
Pale greenish gold in the glass, this wine smells of lime and green apple and a hint of oak. In the mouth, lime zest and grapefruit mix with Asian pear and wet stones. Nice minerality along with a hint of chalky texture and very good acidity. Farmed organically. Score: between 8.5 and 9. Cost: $45. click to buy.
2018 Domaine Bodineau “Héritage” Anjou Blanc, Loire Valley, France
Pale greenish gold in the glass, this wine smells of oak and nougat. In the mouth, vanilla and crème anglaise mix with pear and wet stones and a touch of bitterness. Good acidity, but some heat in the finish. Score: around 8.5. Cost: $??
2020 Château du Fresne “Chevalier Le Bascle” Anjou Blanc, Loire Valley, France
Pale gold in the glass, this wine smells of citrus and sweet cream. In the mouth, soft and round citrus and sweet cream flavors have a nice zesty citrus finish. Decent acidity but on the softer side. I’d like this to have more cut. Score: around 8.5. Cost: $35.
2020 Domaine de Saint Maur “845” Anjou Blanc, Loire Valley, France
Pale greenish gold in the glass, this wine smells of lime blossom, wet stones, and honey. In the mouth, round lime and lime blossom flavors mix with Asian pear and grapefruit. Softer acidity. Surprisingly greenish in character. Score: around 8.5. Cost: $??
