A Monument of the Vintage
2008 Chidaine Vouvray Le Bouchet Demi-Sec
Chidaine Stakes a Claim to Greatness
"You have to look to the historical collections of regional leaders Foreau and Huet to find comparable consistently high quality, making it clear that Chidaine is one of the world's finest craftsmen in the medium of white wine."-David Schildknecht
Long revered in France, Francois Chidaine is finally getting his due here in the States.Â
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The outrageous quality of his 2008s has certainly helped his cause. They combine all the zip and complex citrus elements of the vintage with an extra dimension of richness - "that multi-faceted quality" that Schildknecht speaks of.
If Vouvray is so often reduced to Huet and Foreau (and we're as guilty of that as anyone), it really is time to add Chidaine to this very short list. In 2008, the best of this collection are truly the wines of the vintage.Â
And today we focus on the best of the best: Chidaine's 2008 Vouvray Le Bouchet Demi-Sec. This is a wine David Schildknecht has simply raved about (read below), it is ludicrously inexpensive and in short supply.
In other words, fans of Vouvray: Do not miss.
Of all the Chidaines, Le Bouchet marries, perfectly, a roundness and an ample texture with the nervosity of the 08 vintage.
Certainly this is more than just the perfect marriage of vintage and vineyard. Le Bouchet is undoubtly a top Vouvray site with the requisite high profile neighbors, namely Huet's Clos de Bourg and the famous Clos Baudoin.
This is one of the best buys for the cellar I've come across in quite some time. Schildknecht, with all his eloquence, sums it up perfectly: "This amazingly multi-faceted triumph for its vintage - not to mention phenomenal value - will almost certainly be worth cherishing and wondering at for the next 25 years."
Given the potential here, you're well advised to pick up a 3-pack and consider the very small amount of mags we have on offer. We've mentioned this many times before, but it's worth repeating: along with Riesling, Chenin Blanc is one of world's most noble grapes - boasting great longevity and evolution in the cellar.
We've done our best to secure as much of this as possible, but our quantities are relatively modest. As usual, please give us your maximum order and we'll do our best - all orders subject to confirmation.
To order, please email us offers@crushwineco.com or call the store at (212) 980-9463.
Joe Salamone
Wine Buyer
Crush Wine & Spirits
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David Schildknecht, Wine Advocate: The most white truffle-scented of the lot of Chidaine wines of its vintage, his 2008 Vouvray Le Bouchet also delivers deep, slightly torrified low-tones as counterpoint to the vintage-typical sense of citrus. Toasted almond and hazelnut; malt and honey; luscious, rind-tinged lime, pineapple, and tangerine, play on a palate of slickly oily richness, while truffle, musk, and otherwise ineffable forest floor and animal scents play in the background. At only 19 grams residual sugar, if this had the spiny, electric personality of the corresponding Clos Habert Montlouis (or, indeed, that possessed by most of Chidaine's 2008s) it would probably taste totally dry, and as it is the sense of sweetness here is subtly integrated and hence highly discreet. This amazingly multi-faceted triumph for its vintage - not to mention phenomenal value - will almost certainly be worth cherishing and wondering at for the next 25 years.
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