BIN905
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2006 Chateau Pierre Bise
Chateau Pierre Bise Anjou White
$33
Until recently I hadn’t had the pleasure of indulging in some of the delicious offerings from Chateau Pierre Bise (Owned and operated by Claude Papin). Here at Bin905 we carry three of his wines, but it’s his ‘Le Haut De La Garde’ Anjou White which I can’t get out of my head. If you haven’t tried any, or all, of the wines we carry from Chateau Pierre Bise then you are missing out on some of the best wine the Loire Valley has to offer.
There is so much more to know about Claude Papin than I’m able to write here but suffice it to say he makes his wines to express the ‘terroir’ where the grapes are grown rather than the ‘varieté’ from which the wine is made. Chateau Pierre Bise ‘Le Haut De La Garde’ Anjou White is made from 100% Chenin Blanc and is sourced from a north to north-west facing vineyard on the south bank of the Loire with a mixed terroir of schist, sandstone and rhyolite, an igneous rock with high silica content. Botrytis is also a factor in Anjou and a large part of Claude Papin’s wines. The Chenin Blanc grapes are allowed to fully ripen and at that point Claude hopes for a rapid onset of Botrytis to concentrate the flavors and preserve the ‘terroir’ characteristics.
As for the wine itself it pours a rich, almost amber color into the glass, an indication of how concentrated it is. On the nose you will smell rich apple, pear and honey notes all of which are well polished and very attractive. The palate has a big and impressive structure with the characteristic oiliness of Chenin Blanc as well as lots of minerality, despite the aromatic plushness, and lots of acidity to boot. Overall the wine comes together extremely well delivering a rich and complex nose, great balance and mouth feel, then caps everything off with a delicious and lingering finish to complete the experience.
I hope everyone gets the chance you try this wonderful wine. If your experience is anything like mine I know you will be coming back for another bottle soon after finish the first.
Region: Anjou, Loire, France
