 2010 So perfect was the weather leading up to the 2010 harvest that for the first time in 4 years and only the second time ever, we were not able to produce a Botrytis Chenin: the Grey Witch did not arrive! Every cloud has its silver lining however and the flip side is that we have made a larger than normal volume of varietal Chenin - great news for all the loyal fans out there! Dave Dobbyn recently lamented “Out, here on the edge, the Empire is fading by the day…” yet this most British of all the noble grape varieties still maintains a strong outpost at Margrain. The tradition of long-lived, punchy Chenin continues although due in part to the warm evenings during autumn, the acidity is a little softer than normal and whilst still an unctuous 21g/L, the residual sugar has been reduced slightly to match. It’s all in the balance! The usual vibrant green edge catches the eye moments before the fresh and slightly gawky vinous aromas of the young wine strike the nose. Stewed sweet-apple and elderflower lead the way, buoyed immediately by an inflatable raft of mandarin skin, honeydew melon and evening primrose. Waxy honeycomb and freshly grated nutmeg provide early hints of complexity, which will build over time. In the mouth the wine is alive and buzzing and strikes like a stiff uppercut landed on a square jaw. In the classic age old struggle between good and evil, light and dark, and richer or poorer, the sweetness and acidity vie for dominance amidst a sea of reverberating phenolics. Like a well made short black, the wine is textural rather than structural and has the palate buzzing like the announcement of the office Christmas party. Brown skinned pear dominates sticky grapefruit conserve and combines with gingered crystals to give a tangy Generation-Y finish, which will be going strong long after the Baby Boomers have hit the hay.
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We believe our Chenin Blanc is best served at approximately 11 degrees Celsius. |
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