Domaine de Belliviere, Coteaux du Loir, Vieilles Vignes Eparses

Dark gold. Sweet apple bouquet. Palate similar with round, globular mouthfeel and residual sugar filling out mid-palate. Became flabby with warmer temperatures but did very well when chilled. Complex and balanced, this still has a few years left in the tank.

Dark gold. Fragrant beeswax and lemon curd bouquet with some white flower notes (sureau). Round, heavy entry with a slow burn build to a thick, ever so slightly sweet mid-palate, and a long final. Honeyed orchard fruit profile. Missing perhaps a touch of acidity but this was complex and very enjoyable albeit somewhat heavy. Did pair nicely with a massaman curried lamb.

Decanted half an hour. Dark gold brown. Bouquet a bit restrained - an oxidative note and some baking apples. Palate was also subdued initially but this evolved over an hour or so into a pleasant chenin characterized by ripe, slightly oxidative orchard fruit playing off against a straight line of acidity that becomes more prominent as the final builds. Medium to deep bodied with a degree of residual sweetness building out the mouthfeel. Enjoyable as ever, although I sense this …

Opened half an hour prior. Medium yellow. Beeswax and floral bouquet. This really opened up over a few hours. Round entry with slow burn build to a complex mid-palate of apple and honeyed orchard fruits. Great acidity and lift carrying a long final. This is complex, well balanced and long. Really top class winemaking on display here with very good fruit in evidence. Although this is vinified as a sec bottling, there is a detectable amount of residual sugar that …

Delicious even at this age

Popped and poured. Burnished copper - I had a concern about oxidation initially. Beeswax floral bouquet. Round attack evolving into an expansive mid-palate of honey, grilled toast and orchard fruits. Medium final. A little heavier on its feet than I would have liked but this paired well with bbq salmon. Looking forward to my other bottles over the next 6-7 years.

Much more age than expected, rich deep golden brown. Still some good fruit and acidity, but surprisingly mature. Will see if remaining bottles the same.

This came across as very tight with little change on day 2; plenty of stuffing here so I'd be amazed if it doesn't unwind over the next few years to become a prototypically excellent Belliviere chenin. Love this producer.