Value Chenin Surprise: 2017 Mary Taylor Anjou Blanc
Posted on: 09/21/18 12:01 PM
Freshly torn white flowers, a drizzle of honey and orchard fruits crushed on stone are the welcoming notes of the fabulously over-achieving 2017 Mary Taylor Anjou. Lean, refreshing and delicious to boot, you’ll be hard pressed to find another dry Chenin like this for such a tiny price tag.
2017 Mary Taylor Anjou Blanc
More about the Wine
Mary Taylor is the newest wave of upcoming young American importers vying to bring undiscovered French gems back to our shores. Already an uphill battle (legendary figures such as Neal Rosenthal, Kermit Lynch and Becky Wasserman have been scouring these appellations for decades), Ms. Taylor has added another daunting challenge to her already formidable ambitions. Not only must the wines be exceptional and farmed in either a sustainable or completely organic (read: costly) manner, they must also be extremely accessible in price. For those who derive sick pleasure from sadistic business practices, this local woman (she was raised nearby in Concord) is a pure goldmine.
Clearly Ms. Taylor is ambitious and her lofty goals are worthy of heartfelt admiration. But don’t waste time feeling bad for her. Within her first year not only is she beginning to make this impossible goal look attainable, but easy.
We have bought nearly everything we’ve tasted from her selections (a nifty stack of good cheap Bordeaux rouge occupies our Main St. shop, along with her charmingly spicy Costieres de Nimes) and Ms. Taylor’s newest addition, the 2017 Anjou Blanc is her most brilliant discovery yet.
Sourced from Pascal Biotteau, a feisty and talented vigneron based in Saint-Jean-de-Mauvrets, in the Anjou appellation of the Loire Valley, Mr. Biotteau’s Chenin was grown on his family’s estate Château d’Avrillé. Don’t be tricked into thinking this is just juice from young vines, or excess fruit from a forgettable domain seeking to fool a young new American importer. Clearly Ms. Taylor is onto something overlooked because Mr. Biotteau’s 2017 Chenin sings with class and energy. The estate of Château d’Avrillé has been around since 1367. A local cardinal bought the vineyards in 1576, putting up an old Latin sign that translates to “Here by conscience and wisdom, all things are conducted.” You can easily apply those words to Mr. Biotteau’s juice, too. Sustainably grown on a blend of slate, sandstone and schist, his 2017 Chenin was completely fermented in stainless steel and clocks in at a refreshing 12% alcohol. It is focused, refreshing, and perfectly weighted between fruit and acidity. It deserves a far larger price tag.
We’ve very excited to see where Ms. Taylor’s blossoming adventure takes her. Given how good her 2017 Chenin is, we’re sure happy to be part of it. So will you.
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