2021 Chateau de Plaisance Anjou Blanc

Revolutionary winemaker, Vanessa Cherruau, is making waves in this area of the Loire – moving away from Anjou’s sweet and sticky reputation, and instead towards more serious whites, with body and texture in abundance. These characteristics make this Anjou Blanc a lovely alternative to white Burgundy at the Christmas table. A rising star in the region, Vanessa’s whites are textured, bright and generously weighty, giving lovers of rich Chardonnay more than enough to chew on.

The Chenin grapes for this wine are selected from a variety of parcels, predominantly from relatively young vines (only 10-12 years old), and yet the resulting texture and complexity of the wine belies their youth. It will also come as a surprise on tasting what appears to be quite a rich and generous white, that it spends no time in oak, and spends all its time in stainless steel. Fermentation is kicked off with wild yeast, and richness develops thanks to a short period of Malolactic Fermentation.

This is not your average Anjou Blanc – expressive on the nose, full of white blossom aromas with a vibrant palate of lemon, peach, and honey. There is a precise zip of acidity and mineral notes; this sure is a classy wine and would be perfect with your roast turkey or goose, and of course, all the trimmings. It would even work rather well with any rich, earthy vegetarian options you may have, such as Nut Roast.