Decided to open a bottle of Chateau la Varière last night to go with pan-fried pork chops, roasted carrots and mash with spring onions and olive oil. It's a dry white wine made by Jacques Beaujeau who is based in Brissac close to the chateau. Chateau la Varière makes wine under several different appellations (Rosé de Loire, Coteaux du Layon, Bonnezeaux, Anjou Villages) but this particular one is an Anjou Blanc 'Clos de la Division'. Harvested from land in the Coteaux de l'Aubance, 2002 was a classic year with fine weather towards the end of the season. The wine is aged in oak barriques on its fine lees for a period of 18 months (using a mixture of new, 1 and 2 year old wood). Ageing Chenin Blanc in oak is not widely practised in the region but certainly adds a different dimension to the wine and one that we like. It has a full, rich nose with hints of quince, pear and wax with a vanilla background coming from the oak. The colour is rich and golden and the wine full, well balanced with good minerality on the palate. We thought it had lost a little fruit since we last tasted it but nonetheless it went extremely well with the dish.
Monday, 9 March 2009
Chateau la Varière 2002, Anjou Blanc
Decided to open a bottle of Chateau la Varière last night to go with pan-fried pork chops, roasted carrots and mash with spring onions and olive oil. It's a dry white wine made by Jacques Beaujeau who is based in Brissac close to the chateau. Chateau la Varière makes wine under several different appellations (Rosé de Loire, Coteaux du Layon, Bonnezeaux, Anjou Villages) but this particular one is an Anjou Blanc 'Clos de la Division'. Harvested from land in the Coteaux de l'Aubance, 2002 was a classic year with fine weather towards the end of the season. The wine is aged in oak barriques on its fine lees for a period of 18 months (using a mixture of new, 1 and 2 year old wood). Ageing Chenin Blanc in oak is not widely practised in the region but certainly adds a different dimension to the wine and one that we like. It has a full, rich nose with hints of quince, pear and wax with a vanilla background coming from the oak. The colour is rich and golden and the wine full, well balanced with good minerality on the palate. We thought it had lost a little fruit since we last tasted it but nonetheless it went extremely well with the dish.
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