Hurray #Vouvray with @LoireValleyWine

Hello Friends,

I recently had an opportunity to participate in Hurray #Vouvray; an enlightening and enjoyable Twitter tasting event put on by the good folks at @TasteLive and @LoireValleyWine. This tasting was designed to celebrate the classic Chenin Blanc wines of Vouvray. Located in the central part of the Loire Valley, this classic wine region has been growing Chenin Blanc, almost exclusively, since the 4th century. Unfortunately, Vouvray, in my opinion, is an under-appreciated white wine that’s not well known to the average consumer. But, given the region’s potential to express the many pleasant faces of Chenin Blanc in the glass, its food-friendly nature, and overall good price-to-quality ratio – it deserves to be appreciated and better known.

 Hurray #Vouvray Tasting Line-Up

The Chenin Blanc grape variety, in some ways, reminds me of Riesling; not so much in flavor/aroma profile, but both are naturally high in acidity and capable of producing a wide range of styles from crisp and dry, lightly sweet and balanced, to rich and complex dessert wines. Also, like a well-made Riesling, Vouvray is one of the few white wines, in large part due to its firm acid structure, that can age well (i.e., get more interesting in the bottle, not just holding on). Besides still wines, in especially cooler years, Vouvray is known for its sparkling wines which are generally reasonably priced, quite tasty, and made using the méthode traditionelle process (developed in Champagne).

Domaine Bourillon Dorleans Vouvray Sec 2010

Vouvray has four levels of sweetness – which you won’t always find on the label. Even the driest can come off as lightly sweet, but is usually nicely balanced by Chenin Blanc’s high acid levels. From dry to sweet the levels are: Sec, Demi-Sec, Moelleux, and Doux. Whether you’re in the mood for something dry and refreshing, lightly sweet and balanced or dessert in the glass – your homework for this post is to get familiar with this wine region and try some of the wine it produces.

Domaine des Aubuisieres Vouvray Sec ‘’Cuvée Silex’’ 2011

While South Africa, California, Washington State, and others do a respectable job with Chenin Blanc, it has been the gem of Vouvray for centuries and the region does a nice job expressing the grape’s charm and diversity. See my tweets (aka brief notes) about the wines we tasted below -- all showed well and expressed the grape's diversity. And, be sure to visit the Loire Valley Wines’ website to learn more about Vouvray and some of the area’s other classic [and ancient] wine regions. Happy Sipping, my friends!

 Fall splendor along my walking trail ...

Tip: For you “Grape Hunters” … you likely won’t find Chenin Blanc on the label; just seek out Vouvray [the region] – Chenin Blanc is all they really do! Cheers!

Click here to visit Loire Valley Wines website and learn more about Vouvray.

1) Marc Bredif Sec Vouvray 2010: Waxy texture, fig, earthy mineral flavors, nice depth and focus, lasting finish - as much interesting as it is enjoyable. (SRP $17)

2) Domaine Bourillon Dorleans Vouvray Sec ‘’Coulée d’Argent’’ 2010: Pear, ginger and scents of hay and white flowers w/ a perceptible sweetness that’s nicely balanced by vibrant acidity. (SRP $18)

3) Domaine des Aubuisieres Vouvray Sec ‘’Cuvée Silex’’ 2011: Pleasing tree fruit and white stone fruit flavors w/ a touch of honey and mineral undertones that’s nicely textured and well-balanced. (SRP $18)

4) François Chidaine Vouvray Sec ‘’Argiles’’ 2011: Fresh and well-balanced with a nice acid core; waxy texture with ginger and citrus flavors and a pleasing honeysuckle edge. (SRP $18)

5) Domaine Champalou 2010 Vouvray [Sec] Drier style with tree fruit and slight mineral accents w/ fresh, tangy acidity and a clean med length finish. (SRP $16.99)

Have a question about this post, friends? Feel free to leave a comment or send me an e-mail at myvinespot@yahoo.com, and as always, Happy Sipping! Stay tuned ...more to come. Disclosure: This wine was received as a media sample. Thoughts are my own.

Live, Love, Laugh, Tweet, Sip, Enjoy!

• Please Click Here to vote Dezel's My Vine Spot as your favorite wine blog - You can vote 1x per day!

• Click Here to follow me on Twitter.

• Friend me up on Face-Book here.

Happy Sipping Friends - Tell your friends about the blog and thanks for your support and kind emails !