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Winemaker Description 

Xavier Flouret Fynbos Chenin Blanc is a vibrant white wine from Stellenbosch, South Africa. Crafted from 100% Chenin Blanc, it offers aromas of ripe pineapple, guava, and mango, with a crisp, clean palate featuring subtle acidity and tropical fruit flavors.

Its refreshing finish makes it an excellent pairing for shellfish, spicy dishes, or mild cheeses.

Warehouse stored item - please allow one to three business days to fulfill.

A fresh and pure unwooded Chenin Blanc, made to express the delicious purity of the grape. A lovely wine to enjoy on its own or even better with a slightly spicy dish.

Ken Forrester Old Vine Reserve Chenin Blanc — Stellenbosch, South Africa 2024

Ken Forrester is widely regarded as the "King of Chenin" — no producer in South Africa has done more to champion the grape or elevate its reputation on the world stage. Founded in 1993 on the slopes of the Helderberg Mountain in Stellenbosch, the estate farms old vines on decomposed granite soils with the benefit of cooling maritime influences from False Bay. The Reserve Chenin Blanc is their benchmark expression: textured, layered, and built to age, yet approachable from release. The 2024 vintage was shaped by a warm, dry summer that concentrated the fruit beautifully, with just 2,000 cases imported to the US.

The wine pours a bright, pale straw. The nose is perfumed and generous — ripe pineapple, honeydew melon, baked apple, nectarine, and subtle floral notes with a whisper of hazelnut. On the palate, it's rich, creamy, and silky with vivid acidity, a subtle streak of chalky sapidity, and layers of tropical and yellow fruit. The finish is long and mineral-driven, with refreshing hints of quinine and grapefruit pith. Drink now through 2030.

"A lovely, silky white, with vivid acidity and a subtle streak of chalky sapidity layered with flavors of yellow apple, pear, lemon meringue and chamomile, plus a rich touch of hazelnut." — Wine Enthusiast, 91 Points

• Producer: Ken Forrester Vineyards, Stellenbosch, South Africa
• Vintage: 2024
• Appellation: Stellenbosch WO
• Varietal: Chenin Blanc (Old Vine)
• Terroir: Decomposed granite, Helderberg Mountain slopes
• Production: 10,000 cases made; 2,000 cases imported
• Size: 750ml
• Accolades: Wine Enthusiast 91 | James Suckling 91
• Drink: Now through 2030
• Tasting Notes: Pineapple, honeydew, baked apple, nectarine, hazelnut, chalky minerality, quinine finish
• Best Paired With: Grilled prawns, scallops, roast chicken with herbs, butternut squash risotto, aged goat cheese

Dual 91-point old vine Chenin Blanc from South Africa's undisputed King of Chenin — textured, mineral, and built for the table.

Warehouse stored item - please allow two to five business days to fulfill.

Complices de Loire La Grande Parcelle Chenin Blanc from Montlouis-sur-Loire, France. This is an elegant white wine made from the Chenin Blanc grape, typical of this Loire region. This wine offers a wonderful balance between freshness and complexity, with aromas of citrus fruits, peach and white flowers, as well as a mineral undertone that reflects the calcareous soils.

The wine has a lively acidity and a soft, refined structure, which provides a refreshing and well-balanced taste. It is an ideal accompaniment to fish dishes, shellfish or goat cheese. La Grande Parcelle is a beautiful representation of the terroir of Montlouis-sur-Loire, with a subtle but present depth.

Warehouse stored item - please allow two to five business days to fulfill.

Vinous 91 Points | The 2021 Chenin Blanc Hope Marguerite works much better than the regular Chenin Blanc. With yellow plum, jasmine and touches of wet wool on the nose, this communicates the variety extremely well. The palate is well balanced with admirable concentration, fine balance and the acidity keeping everything focused. Lovely white peach and pithy fruit linger on the finish. This is worth seeking out.

Herzog Special Reserve Chenin Blanc — Clarksburg, California 2024

Herzog Wine Cellars is California’s most celebrated kosher winery, and the Special Reserve series represents their finest expression — small-lot, artisan winemaking from California’s most regarded wine-growing regions. This Chenin Blanc comes from estate-grown old vines in Clarksburg, a cool Sacramento Delta appellation ideally suited to the variety. Left to ripen late into the season, low yields and botrytis bring about complex, concentrated flavors. Barrel fermented with native yeast and aged 12 months on a blend of 41% new French oak and 59% neutral French oak. Fined and filtered. Kosher.

The nose is aromatic and inviting: quince, baked apple, orange peel, and dried chamomile. On the palate, flavors of persimmon and pear layer with hints of lemon curd and brioche, carrying through to a long, pleasing finish. Rich, textural, and beautifully balanced — a Chenin Blanc that rewards serious attention.

• Producer: Herzog Wine Cellars, Oxnard, California, USA
• Vintage: 2024
• Appellation: Clarksburg, California
• Grape: Chenin Blanc
• Farming: Estate-grown, old vines
• Vinification: Native yeast barrel fermentation; 12 months on 41% new French oak, 59% neutral French oak; fined and filtered
• Certification: Kosher
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: Quince, baked apple, orange peel, chamomile, persimmon, pear, lemon curd, brioche
• Best Paired With: Lobster, scallops, roasted poultry, creamy pasta, spicy Asian cuisine

California Chenin Blanc at its most serious — Herzog’s Special Reserve is old-vine complexity and kosher craftsmanship in every glass.

Mary Taylor Anjou Blanc — Pascal Biotteau, Loire Valley 2024

If no wine region on earth can rival the stylistic diversity of France's Loire Valley, the appellation of Anjou offers the perfect microcosm of the region as a whole. This gorgeously subtle Chenin Blanc comes from fourth-generation winemaker Pascal Biotteau in the village of Saint-Jean-de-Mauvrets — situated on the old Roman road from Angers to Poitiers, along the border of Anjou's two sub-regions. Imported by Mary Taylor, whose mission is to bring honest, terroir-driven wines from small European producers to American tables at fair prices, this is Loire Chenin Blanc at its most pure and unpretentious.

The nose is bright and inviting: crisp green apple, ripe pear, white peach, and delicate floral notes with hints of honey and citrus zest. On the palate, it is vibrant and well-balanced with refreshing acidity, a clean mineral-driven finish, and the quiet confidence that only old-vine Chenin Blanc from Anjou can deliver. Drink now through 2027.

"The perfect microcosm of the Loire — fresh, mineral, and utterly honest." — Mary Taylor Wines

• Producer: Pascal Biotteau, Saint-Jean-de-Mauvrets, Anjou, Loire Valley, France
• Importer: Mary Taylor Wines
• Vintage: 2024
• Appellation: Anjou Blanc AOC
• Varietal: 100% Chenin Blanc
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: Green apple, pear, white peach, honey, citrus zest, mineral finish
• Drink: Now through 2027
• Best Paired With: Grilled white fish, oysters, lobster bisque, soft cheeses, fresh goat cheese, light poultry, spring vegetable risotto

A textbook Anjou Blanc at a price that makes it an everyday essential — this Chenin Blanc is the Loire in a glass.

François & Julien Pinon | Vouvray Blanc Sec — Buvez du Bon Pinon | Loire Valley, France | 2023

François and Julien Pinon are a father-and-son team working exclusively with Chenin Blanc on their 15-hectare estate in the Vallée de Cousse, in the heart of Vouvray. Certified organic by Ecocert since 2003, their work in the vineyard is in complete harmony with nature — a philosophy that translates directly into wines of exceptional purity, energy, and terroir expression.

Vouvray is one of the Loire Valley's most celebrated appellations, producing Chenin Blanc of extraordinary range and longevity. The region's tufa limestone soils and continental climate — tempered by the moderating influence of the Loire River — give Vouvray Chenin Blanc its signature combination of vibrant acidity, mineral precision, and generous aromatic complexity. Chenin Blanc is a grape that flies under the radar, which is baffling given its charming character and remarkable versatility.

The 2023 Buvez du Bon Pinon sports a gorgeous bouquet reminiscent of a walk through an orchard in spring blossom. Aromas of white stone fruits, peach, pear, wildflower honey, and quince emerge from the glass with lively fanfare. On the palate, energetic and effortless with refreshing lift, steely mineral intensity, and beautifully balanced vibrant acidity. The finish is long, tangy, chalky, and utterly delicious. Drink now through 2030.

A wine that adds cheerful accompaniment to roast chicken, grilled seafood, fresh salads, vegetable dishes, goat cheese, and herb-driven cuisine.

• Producer: François & Julien Pinon
• Cuvée: Buvez du Bon Pinon
• Appellation: Vouvray AOC, Loire Valley, France
• Grape: Chenin Blanc
• Style: Dry (Sec)
• Vintage: 2023
• Farming: Certified Organic (Ecocert since 2003)
• Drink: Now through 2030
• Bottle Size: 750ml

Critical Acclaim — Vintage 2023

• Wine Spectator — 90 pts: A steely, mineral-intense style that starts out austere and then fills in with crunchy apple, pear and dried herbs. Chalky feel to the finish, which is racy and pure. Drink now through 2030.

67Wine Buyer's Note

Bart Hopkins, 67Wine — "Energetic and effortless in the mouth with refreshing lift and well-balanced vibrant acidity, with a long and tangy, delicious finish."

Domaine Champalou | Vouvray Sec | Loire Valley | 2024

Vouvray is Chenin Blanc’s spiritual home — a small appellation on the Loire’s right bank where the grape has been grown for centuries in the region’s distinctive tuffeau limestone soils. Domaine Champalou, run by Céline and Didier Champalou, is one of the appellation’s most beloved estates: biodynamically farmed, meticulous in the cellar, and utterly consistent in producing Vouvray of purity and grace. The Sec (dry) is the entry point into their range and it is a masterclass in what Chenin Blanc can do when the terroir is right and the winemaking gets out of the way. Stony minerality from the limestone, luscious almost-honeyed fruit, and delicate floral notes combine on a palate that is simultaneously fresh and textural — the kind of wine that seems effortless but is anything but. Serve cold, drink often.

• Appellation: Vouvray AOC, Loire Valley, France
• Varietal: 100% Chenin Blanc
• Style: Sec (dry)
• Vintage: 2024
• Format: 750ml
• Soils: Tuffeau limestone
• Farming: Biodynamic
• Drink Window: Now – 2032

Tasting Notes

Stony minerality, luscious honeyed fruit, and delicate floral notes. Fresh, pure, and textural with a long, clean finish.

67 Wine Picks

"Céline Champalou’s Vouvray is always a joy to drink. The wine seems so pure, as if it bubbled up out of the limestone into a cool, limpid pool tended by nymphs and satyrs who pour it into the mouths of weary souls. That’s what I feel, anyway, when I grab a bottle from the fridge." 

Pairing Suggestions

• Seafood: Grilled white fish, shellfish, or scallops with a light cream sauce.
• Poultry: Roasted chicken, turkey, or grilled meats with herb butter.
• Global: Japanese cuisine, Thai dishes with lemongrass, or roasted vegetables.
• Aperitif: An ideal pre-dinner pour on its own.

Réserve du Naufraget | Vouvray AOC | Loire Valley, France | 2024

From Maison Pierre Chainier, a family-owned négociant based in Amboise on the banks of the Loire, this Vouvray is a textbook expression of Chenin Blanc from one of France's most storied appellations. Grown on the chalky Tuffeau soils upstream from Tours, the grapes are handpicked in October — some with a touch of noble rot (botrytis) that concentrates natural sugars and adds aromatic complexity. A slow, month-long fermentation yields a beautifully off-dry style: a sweet, generous entry that resolves into a clean, refreshing finish.

Rich and aromatic on the nose with orange peel, honeysuckle, ripe quince, and a whisper of beeswax. The palate is round and textured, with flavors of honey, poached pear, and candied citrus carried by bright Chenin acidity. The finish lingers with a gentle honeyed note. One of the most food-versatile whites available at this price.

• Producer: Maison Pierre Chainier
• Appellation: Vouvray AOC, Loire Valley, France
• Grape: 100% Chenin Blanc
• Style: Off-Dry
• Vintage: 2024
• Closure: Screwcap
• Serve: 46–50°F
• Pairings: Thai green curry, Szechuan dishes, spicy tuna rolls, pork with apple sauce, honey-glazed ham, fruit tarts, almond pastries
• Size: 750ml

Domaine Huet Vouvray Bundle — Sec, Demi-Sec & Moelleux

Domaine Huet is the undisputed reference point for Vouvray — and arguably for Chenin Blanc anywhere on earth. Founded in 1928 by Victor Huet and brought to international renown by his son Gaston Huet, the domaine has been farmed biodynamically since 1990 under the stewardship of Noël Pinguet and, more recently, Anthony Hwang. With three distinct vineyard sites — Le Mont, Le Haut-Lieu, and Clos du Bourg — and a full range of sweetness levels from bone-dry Sec to luscious Moelleux, Huet offers an unparalleled window into the complexity and longevity of Vouvray Chenin Blanc.

This bundle brings together three expressions that showcase the full stylistic range of the domaine — a rare opportunity to taste Huet’s Chenin Blanc across the entire spectrum of ripeness and texture, side by side.

What’s in the Bundle

• Domaine Huet Le Mont Sec Vouvray Biodynamic 2024 750ml — Bone-dry, mineral, and precise. Le Mont is Huet’s most structured vineyard site, producing Sec of remarkable tension and aging potential. The 2024 is crisp and focused, with green apple, citrus zest, white flower, and a long, saline finish.
• Domaine Huet Clos du Bourg Demi-Sec Vouvray 750ml — The Clos du Bourg is Huet’s most celebrated single vineyard — a walled enclosure of old vines producing Chenin of extraordinary depth. The Demi-Sec strikes a perfect balance between richness and acidity: honeyed stone fruit, quince, and beeswax with a refreshing, vibrant finish.
• Domaine Huet Vouvray Le Mont Moelleux 2023 750ml — The pinnacle of the range. Moelleux is produced only in the finest vintages from late-harvested, botrytis-affected grapes. Rich, complex, and built for decades of aging — apricot, honey, saffron, and candied citrus peel with a finish of extraordinary length.

Three vineyards. Three sweetness levels. One of the Loire’s greatest estates — Domaine Huet in full.

• Producer: Domaine Huet, Vouvray, Loire Valley, France (est. 1928)
• Appellation: Vouvray AOC
• Varietal: 100% Chenin Blanc (all three bottles)
• Farming: Certified Biodynamic
• Bundle Contents: Le Mont Sec 2024 + Clos du Bourg Demi-Sec + Le Mont Moelleux 2023
• Format: 3 x 750ml
• Bundle Price: $126.17 (15% off retail $148.43)
• Best Paired With: Sec — oysters, grilled fish, goat cheese; Demi-Sec — foie gras, roast pork, blue cheese; Moelleux — fruit tarts, crème brûlée, Roquefort

The definitive introduction to Domaine Huet — three bottles that tell the complete story of Vouvray Chenin Blanc.

Producer Description 

A nectar from one end of the tasting to the other! An intensely golden adornment, a nose of perfectly over-ripe Chenin, underlined by great elegance, a note of almond cream, quince, very ripe peach skin.

The palate is very straight, freshness, tension and sweetness so well integrated, a finish of candy sugar crystals but also the fine bitterness of the schists, it is a very beautiful vintage, a wine built to last and already so pleasant to taste now. It is the cuvée representative of the estate's terroir, i.e. almost five vines.

Expert Review - Vintage 2023 

Vinous 95 Points | The 2023 Vouvray Sec Le Mont is precise, upright and flinty. It's less immediately charming than the styles we've seen in recent warmer vintages, but it was only tasted three weeks after bottling—this is one to revisit. There's just the right amount of juicy, peachy flesh within this light-bodied yet concentrated wine. It has the potential to charm but does so without showing off. Flinty and tightly sewn together, it has curves in the right places, but you're just going to have to wait for it to take shape.

Winemaker Description 

Le Mont wines are often the estate's most reticent, but develop the strongest perfume with age. Mineral-driven with a crystalline purity, this is the precision we've come to rely on with Le Mont.

Sylvain Bailly Sancerre Chêne Marchand — Loire Valley 2024

Sylvain Bailly is a family domaine with deep roots in Sancerre, farming Kimmeridgian marl and caillottes (stony limestone) soils across some of the appellation’s most prized sites. Chêne Marchand is one of Sancerre’s most prestigious crus, located in the village of Bué and renowned for its caillottes soils — a stony limestone that produces wines of greater power, richness, and longevity than your average Sancerre. This is not a simple, zesty Loire white: it is a structured, mineral-driven Sauvignon Blanc with the depth and precision to age. The Bailly family’s commitment to sustainable viticulture and meticulous winemaking ensures the purity and terroir expression that Chêne Marchand demands.

The nose bursts with grapefruit, white flowers, and a distinctive flinty minerality that is the unmistakable signature of the appellation. On the palate, lemon zest, green apple, and a refreshing, lively acidity carry through to a long, stony, mineral finish. Precise, focused, and built for the table.

• Producer: Sylvain Bailly, Sancerre, Loire Valley, France
• Vintage: 2024
• Appellation: Sancerre AOC
• Vineyard: Chêne Marchand, Bué — caillottes (stony limestone) soils
• Varietal: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
• Farming: Sustainable
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: Grapefruit, white flowers, lemon zest, green apple, flinty minerality, stony finish
• Best Paired With: Goat cheese, oysters, grilled asparagus, seafood, light salads, sushi

A structured, mineral-driven Sancerre from one of the appellation’s most prestigious crus — Sylvain Bailly Chêne Marchand is the Loire white that punches above its weight.

95 Points Wine Spectator | This voluptuous, full-bodied, off-dry white shows a lot of power, offering round pear, mango and honeycomb flavors that take a salty turn on the palate, with brine, crushed flint and bitter almond skin, backed by a subtle hint of brioche on the finish. Opening up in the glass, this gorgeous wine offers loads of immediate charm, but should have a long life ahead in the cellar as well.

Taking its roots deep into the chalk soils of Vouvray, this off-dry wine resonates beautifully in the mouth. Its natural sugar and refreshing acidity blend harmoniously. Aerial and complex, this fruity wine is to be appreciated young, but can reveal itself graciously to the ones who wait. Winemaker Description. 

Winemaker Description 

Illimis is a small project made by young winemaker, Lucinda Heynes. With roots as a viticulturist, she crafts honest, minimal intervention wines showcasing particular talent with Chenin Blanc and Cinsault. Her Transparency range expresses the wines’ origin with clarity, finesse and complexity. This red blend boasts expressive aromas of red fruit and floral perfume. Lively purity and acidity on the palette, chalky tannin followed by a long finish. Serve slightly chilled.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2023 

Kristen Bieler writes:  For a demi-sec, this leans toward the dry, savory end of the spectrum. There are a lot of layers and substance to this, with a savory thread of green herbs and bitter white tea weaving through elderflower, quince and apple flavors, while gentle tannins provide a solid frame. Cool river stone and pink peppercorn notes line the finish, encased in smoke and salt, with length and a lot of depth. The toasty cedar notes will integrate with more time in bottle. Drink now through 2037. 740 cases made.  - Wine Spectator 93

Stuart Pigott Writes:  This off-dry Vouvray has terrific depth and a lovely creaminess that’s hard to resist, but it’s tightly wound and needs some time for the aromas to unfurl. With some aeration, red apple and honeysuckle notes emerge. Long, very clean finish that’s pretty dry thanks to the bright acidity. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold.  - James Suckling 93

Rebecca Gibb MW writes:  The 2023 Vouvray Demi-Sec Le Mont boasts a residual sweetness (20g/l) that brings a sense of tenderness and amplitude to a terroir that's big on precision and tension. The flint component in the soil and the natural freshness of the 2023 vintage provide persistence and momentum. Pure and tender, there’s a distinctive spearmint-like cooling sensation on the long finish.  Drinking 2024 to 2038.  - Vinous 94

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2023

James Suckling 96 Points -  #13 in Top 100 Wines of France, 2024 |  It’s hard to imagine a dessert wine that’s better balanced than this, because the acidity and richness seem to dance across your palate. It’s dense and complex, with myriad aromas of dried fruit, candied citrus, floral honey and fresh garden herbs, but the final impression is of incredible clarity and precision. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold.

Jeb Dunnuck 96 Points | Pouring a youthful yellow/golden hue, the 2023 Vouvray Moelleux Le Mont offers spicy notes of ginger, yellow flowers, poached golden apples, hay, and freshly rained-on asphalt. Medium-bodied, it excels and takes things to the next level with its texture, and its sweetness feels both luxurious and weightless. This exceptional offering has tremendous potential for aging and pairings. Drink over the coming 15 years or more.

Vinous Media 95 Points | The 2023 Vouvray Moelleux Le Mont is a ripe, round, serious, suit-wearing wine style that's upright and conservative. It’s sweet (74g/l) but never feels luscious, and yet there's a tropical character to the fruit that gives richness to this reserved style. The effect of the flint is clear in the 2023’s sense of freshness. It's textured, pure, balanced and harmonious.

Memo Summary Notes

Domaine Huet is the spiritual home of Chenin Blanc in Vouvray, and their "Le Mont" Moelleux 2023 is a masterclass in balance. While "Moelleux" denotes a sweet wine, Huet’s style is never syrupy; it relies on the electric acidity of the Chenin grape and the flinty "perron" soils of the Le Mont vineyard to create a wine that feels energetic and precise.

The 2023 vintage was a challenging but rewarding year. A rigorous selection process was required (rejecting 25% of the crop) to ensure only the cleanest, most concentrated fruit made it into the Moelleux bottlings.

Pair with 

he "Classic": Pan-seared foie gras with a quince reduction or a traditional Tarte Tatin.

Savory: Spicy Thai or Szechuan cuisine (the sugar tames the heat, while the acidity cleanses the palate).

Cheese: Matured Roquefort or a long-aged Comté.

Robin and Andréa McBride grew up on opposite sides of the world — Robin in Monterey, California, Andréa in New Zealand — and only discovered each other as adults, two half-sisters connected by their shared father and a shared passion for wine. In 2005 they founded McBride Sisters Collection, becoming the largest Black-owned wine company in the United States. The Black Girl Magic label is their love letter to celebration: wines crafted to bring people together, named for the joy and power of Black women everywhere.

The California Sparkling Brut is a luminous lemon-gold with soft lush bubbles and an immediately expressive nose of fresh pear, pineapple, and ripe melon lifted by lily florals. On the palate it is bright and juicy — crisp apple, white peach, and citrus zest come alive with a gentle effervescence that keeps every sip refreshing. The finish is clean and lingering, with just enough weight to hold its own at the brunch table or the celebration toast. A blend of Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Gris from California, it is as versatile as it is joyful.

• Producer: McBride Sisters Collection
• Label: Black Girl Magic
• Style: California Sparkling Brut NV
• Appellation: California, USA
• Blend: Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: Fresh pear, pineapple, ripe melon, lily florals, crisp apple, white peach, citrus zest
• Food Pairings: Savory cheese board, smoked salmon, brunch dishes, oysters, fruit tarts

Founded by two sisters, built for celebration — Black Girl Magic Sparkling Brut is joy in every bubble.

Ken Forrester Reserve Sauvignon Blanc — Stellenbosch, South Africa 2022

Ken Forrester is one of South Africa's most celebrated winemakers — a passionate advocate for Chenin Blanc and the broader potential of Stellenbosch as a world-class wine region. His Stellenbosch farm, situated on the cool slopes of the Helderberg, benefits from the maritime influence of False Bay and long, slow ripening conditions that produce wines of genuine complexity and freshness. The Reserve Sauvignon Blanc is crafted from grapes grown in this cool-climate environment, where extended hang time allows the fruit to develop layered aromatic character while retaining the brisk, mineral-driven acidity that defines the style.

The nose shows lovely complexity: a mix of tangy grassy notes and fig leaf intertwined with peach and nectarine nuances — aromatic, fresh, and inviting. On the palate, brisk acidity and minerality take center stage, a direct reflection of the long hang time in this cool coastal region. Clean, focused, and refreshing — a Sauvignon Blanc that is equally at home at the aperitivo hour or at the table.

"Lovely complexity with a mix of tangy grassy notes, fig leaf, peach and nectarine nuances. Brisk acidity with minerality on the palate — typical of the long hang time in our cool region." — Ken Forrester, Winemaker

• Producer: Ken Forrester Wines, Stellenbosch, South Africa
• Vintage: 2022
• Appellation: Stellenbosch, South Africa
• Varietal: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
• Closure: Screwcap
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: Grassy, fig leaf, peach, nectarine, brisk acidity, mineral finish
• Style: Light-bodied, crisp, aromatic
• Drink: Now through 2025
• Best Paired With: Grilled fish, chicken, seafood pasta, goat cheese, light salads, aperitivo

Cool-climate Stellenbosch Sauvignon Blanc at its most expressive — Ken Forrester Reserve is fresh, mineral, and made for the table.

Warehouse stored item - please allow two to five business days to fulfill.

The Melon hails from the decomposed granite and limestone soils of the Chalone appellation, on a high elevation south-facing site planted in 1985 by the legendary DIck Graff. Overlooking Monterey from the east side of Salinas Valley, the site benefits from diurnal swings of warm days, cool nights, and a balanced coastal influence. This unique terroir offers excellent drainage and mineral-rich soils, ideal for producing wines of freshness, focus, and minerality. The fruit was whole-cluster pressed, settled, and transferred to concrete eggs and stainless steel for fermentation before aging for 6-months on lees in concrete eggs. The ‘24 Melon shows aromas of white flowers, pear, and lemon zest with a distinct saline character and marked acidity. - Distributor

The 2024 labels feature the work of Sandra Fontenas, a French visual artist and photographer based in La Rochelle, FR. 

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2023

James Suckling 96 Points | The density and balance are so attractive here, with sliced apples, white pineapple and crushed stones. Hints of dried flowers, too, such as white roses and lilacs, as well as almonds. Medium-bodied with focus and subtle strength. Seemingly endless, with a bitter-lemon edge and nice reduction in the aftertaste of gun metal. Drink and enjoy.

Decanter 94 Points | Drouhin's Clos des Mouches 2023 exemplifies the vintage's potential for delicious whites. The wine has lush, forward aromas of Mirabelle plums and quince with hints of marzipan, butter and a suggestion of stylishly smoky reduction. The texture is supple and dense, but the richness is kept in balance and the extract carries the wine to a lingering finish. Parts of the 7ha vineyard have been replanted; the old vines that produce this bottling have delivered a wine of great character.

The Wine Advocate 93-94 Points | The 2023 Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Mouches Blanc (Domaine) is another strong performance, delivering aromas of sweet pear, peach and mandarin mingled with buttered toast and mint. Full-bodied, rich and ample, it's layered and unctuous, with a seamless, satiny, textural profile and a long, lusty finish.

The Wine Spectator 92 Points | Stylish and graceful, this white evokes lemon, apple, white flower and honey aromas and flavors. Almost seamless in its texture and balance, with finely meshed acidity providing lift and freshness. Excellent length.

Winemaker Notes

An outstanding wine. Pale yellow color. Complex floral nose of white lilac and white rose. Once open, fruity aromas come to the fore, evolving towards grilled hazelnut and almond. When the wine is more mature, the nose is surprisingly strong and fifteen minutes of aeration produce wonderful notes of white truffle, citron (cedrat), honey and nutmeg, elegantly meshed together. Very lively on the palate. Its rich texture is in evidence, but also its structure and minerality. It is round, but never heavy. Harmonious fullness in the aftertaste. This wine allies remarkably the complexity and elegance of a Bâtard-Montrachet with the power of a Corton-Charlemagne.