Freddy R. Troya

9.0

Château de Fesles – La Chapelle Vieilles Vignes Chenin Sec 2010. Anjou, Loire Valley – France 🇫🇷

Overview
A limited-edition bottling from one of Anjou’s most historic estates, this Chenin Blanc comes from old vines (“vieilles vignes”) rooted in schist soils surrounding the chapel of the domaine. Château de Fesles is renowned for producing some of the Loire’s most age-worthy Chenins, and this 2010 shows just how gracefully the grape can evolve.

Aromas & Flavors
Complex layers of baked quince, dried apricot, acacia honey, chamomile, and lanolin, underpinned by beeswax and a mineral flintiness. Secondary notes of almond and brioche hint at its decade-plus of bottle age.

Mouthfeel
Dry (“sec”) yet textured, with a medium+ body, bright acidity still intact, and a long, savory finish. The balance between freshness and maturity is remarkable, showing both vitality and evolution.

Winemaking Notes
Fermented in oak and matured patiently, with low yields from old vines contributing depth and concentration. Loire Chenin’s natural high acidity is what makes wines like this so age-defiant.

Food Pairing
Perfect alongside roasted chicken with herbs, veal in cream sauce, or rich seafood like lobster and scallops. A natural match also for aged goat cheese (think Valençay or Crottin de Chavignol).

Verdict
A stunning example of aged Loire Chenin Blanc: vibrant, layered, and endlessly complex. Proof of why Anjou and Loire whites belong among the world’s most cellar-worthy wines. — 9 months ago

Peter van den Besselaar

9.3

Vintage 2009 - marsepan and honey, good balance #cheninblanc #loirewine — 9 years ago

Doctor No

9.0

Nice acidity. Nose lacks complexity but fine overall — 10 years ago

with Berg and Alicia

Justin Recktenwald

9.4

honey and caramel — 12 years ago

Nick Brandon

9.3

Shorter finish than I was expecting.
Cranberry notes, with some spice.
Really good. — 5 years ago

Daniel M

9.1

Prior notes apply, this is a great white wine and an outstanding value at less than 10 euro. Great chenin. We paired it with trout and fresh pasta in leek sauce and it went perfectly well. — 6 years ago

Manuel Calzada

8.9

Linda velada en Paris... — 9 years ago

Eric Hwang

8.9

It's a summer fruit salad in a glass. Pleasant and easy drinking. — 11 years ago

Byron Fuller

9.9

Unexpectedly subtle, long, and balanced. At La Coupole. — 12 years ago

Orr Reches

9.1

Delicious. — 13 years ago

Peter Valkenburg

9.6

Its the Les Deux Allees. Awesome ! — 5 years ago

Ryan Colthorp

9.0

Great wine. Honey. Hints of lime. Crisp. Complex. — 5 years ago

Susan Stribling

8.9

An earthy rosé. Quiet unique. — 6 years ago

Patrick Owens

9.5

Petrol and flint immediately. After a little gassing off there is apparent stone fruit and tropical fruit with a heavy undertone of minerality. The petrol is very aggressive throughout the wine and wonderfully embraced, a very unique and value driven botrytis wine worth the purchase. — 10 years ago

John Micklethwaite

10

Very smooth wine, ages well too — 11 years ago

David Burkitt

8.9

Rich full intense and showing some aged character - drink up — 12 years ago