Chenin Blanc: Wait a Sec

BY REBECCA GIBB MW | SEPTEMBER 06, 2022  

Despite the commercial success of sickly-sweet Zinfandel, dry wines are far easier to sell today than off-dry and sweet wines, as winemakers of the Mosel, Tokaji and Sauternes know only too well. The sweet wine community has grudgingly had to accept that these special wine styles cannot be sustained without producers evolving their business models to meet market demand. It’s no different in the Loire Valley. In last year’s report, Interpreting Chenin Blanc, I discussed the dizzying array of Chenin Blancs produced in the Loire Valley and the move towards drier styles.

At Domaine d'Orfeuilles, in the north of the Vouvray appellation, 90% of the crop was lost to hail in June 2021.

Before global warming came along, this late-ripening variety’s high acidity levels required the sweet lick of residual sugar to achieve balance in much the same way that stewed rhubarb needs a generous sprinkling of sugar to stop your eyes from watering. It was hard to ripen grapes, and thus sweet wines were prized for their rarity value. But the general trend towards warmer seasons has increased ripeness levels and reduced startling acidity levels, allowing producers to make sweet wines more easily as well as ripe, dry whites. While recent years have often resulted in warmer summers and rapid ripening of the harvest, no two seasons are alike, and that’s illustrated in the contrasting 2020 and 2021 vintages.

The 2020 Growing Season

Although the Loire largely escaped damaging spring frosts, there was no shortage of warmth in the summer of 2020. According to Météo France, the national meteorological service, 2020 marked a new record high for average temperatures across the country. Very dry conditions in July and heatwaves in early August meant that not only were the berries very small, losing weight through both heat and aridity, the vines suffered hydric stress, preventing maturity from progressing. While rains toward the end of summer gave the vines some much needed refreshment and allowed them to move towards maturity, they also heightened the risk of rot, and pickers had to be selective about their fruit choices. Harvest came early for most, but September was unusually warm, with a heatwave between September 13-17. Inevitably, sugar levels accelerated rapidly, leaving those who hadn’t picked early enough with some audacious potential alcohol levels.

In the north-east of the Vouvray appellation, Julien Pinon's vineyards were hard hit by frost in 2021.