Good food and wine at Erte. They were swamped, made for a very leisurely pace. Our new agreement with them is to pay one or two fifteen dollar corkage fees for the table. Very reasonable IMNSHO. THE CHRONICLE WINE SELECTIONS Loire Valley Chenin Blanc Lynne Char Bennett, Chronicle Staff Writer Friday, July 11, 2008 While wines made from Chenin Blanc can be found throughout the world, those from Northern France's cool Loire Valley may be the best known. Also called Pineau de la Loire, Chenin Blanc is produced mainly in the middle of the Loire Valley, which includes the appellations controlee (name-controlled regions) Jasnieres, Montlouis, Savennieres and Vouvray. French wines are labeled with vintage and the appellation but do not display the name of the varietal, as is the custom on New World wine labels. French wine laws specify which grapes can be grown in which regions, so any wines from Jasnieres, Montlouis, Savennieres and Vouvray are made from Chenin Blanc. Middle Loire producers vinify Chenin Blanc in several different ways, including sparkling and still, and the sugar levels range from dry to sweet. The term "sec" refers to wines with 0.4 percent residual sugar or less. Though "sec" is occasionally on the label, wines not otherwise labeled are usually "sec," or dry. Other French terms that indicate sweetness include "demi-sec" (off-dry) with 0.5 to 1.2 percent residual sugar, "moelleux" (semi-sweet) with 1.2 to 4.5 percent, and "doux" (sweet) with more than 4.5 percent. "Sec tendre" is between sec and demi-sec. Most of the Loire's Chenin Blanc is dry with distinctive high acidity that almost makes your mouth water. This vivacious acidity, combined with tree fruit, citrus and sometimes earthy aromas and flavors, complements complex notes of minerality that are often found in these wines. Some - particularly the sweeter styles - exhibit striking richness with distinctive themes of honey and flowers in both scent and taste. Domestic Chenin Blanc - especially from warm climates - is more fruit-focused and usually lacks its Old World sibling's high acidity and vitality. The panel tasted 26 Loire Valley Chenin Blancs, representing several regions, with almost half from Vouvray; all but a few were dry. We loved the brightness, intensity, minerality and balance of our recommended wines. Rating: TWO AND A HALF STARS 2006 Champalou La Cuvee des Fondraux Vouvray Demi Sec ($19) Catherine and Didier Champalou's La Cuvee des Fondraux - made with fruit from 50-year-old vines - has an off-dry sweetness level and 12.5 percent alcohol. A floral nose of damp stone, honey, ripe fig and apricot with hints of petrol and forest floor. Sweet tree fruit surrounds a core of gray mineral; increased acid is balanced with concentrated fruit and a sweet, clean finish. (Importer: Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant) Rating: THREE STARS 2004 Domaine Aux Moines Roche Aux Moines Savennieres ($24) Mother-daughter proprietors Monique and Tessa Laroche give their wines some bottle age before release. This still-fresh bottling has mossy, honey spice, pear and warm, bright apricot aromas. An almost-truffle note on the nose; the palate is rich with fruit and has a hint of pithiness and mineral. A Chenin Blanc with spectacular balance and expression. (Importer: Winewise) Rating: TWO AND A HALF STARS 2004 Domaine de Belliviere Les Rosiers Jasnieres ($44) Eric and Christine Nicolas purchased their estate and fixer-upper vineyards in 1995. This bottling was made of fruit from 50-year-old vines and fermented in oak barrels, 25 percent of which were new. A nose of honeyed horehound, honeycomb, Bosc pear, browned spiced apple, maitake and intense pine needle. Slightly sweet on the front end with a ripe honeyed fruit base. (Importer: Louis/Dressner Selections/LDM Wines) Rating: THREE STARS 2005 Domaine Deletang Les Batisses Montlouis Sur Loire Demi-Sec ($21) A fourth-generation member of the Deletang family - Olivier Deletang - has 50 acres of vineyards, including some on limestone and flint soil; Les Batisses is considered by many to be Deletang's most famous vineyard. Marzipan, fresh and honeyed poached pear, dry mint and wet moss on the nose. Dense, stony palate with pineapple, increased acidity and mineral on the finish. (Importer: Winewise) Rating: TWO AND A HALF STARS 2004 Domaine des Baumard Clos du Papillon Savennieres ($35) Winemaker-owner Florent Baumard's wine is from a 25-acre vineyard - named for its butterfly shape - located on a steep, southeast-facing slope of old schist. The wine has a soft beginning then becomes lean and taut with a steely mineral presence that overlies high-toned citrus, fern and Meyer lemon peel. Almost a razor's edge leanness that is focused; has a lingering, mineral-driven finish. Among the first wine estates in France to bottle under screwcap. (Importer: Ex Cellars Wine Agencies) Rating: TWO STARS 2005 Domaine du Closel Chateau des Vaults La Jalousie Savennieres($27) Michele de Jessy - great-great-great-granddaughter of Napoleon Bonaparte's chamberlain - inherited this estate in 1961, which has 30 acres of Chenin Blanc. This cuvee is made from both young- and old-vine fruit, which is fermented in stainless steel. Aromas of citrus, ripe candy apple and a bit of earthiness combine with lemony-herb notes. A lean, stony palate with lime pith and a honeyed note on the long finish. (Louis/Dressner Selections/LDM Wines) Rating: TWO STARS 2006 Domaine la Grange Tiphaine Les Grenouilleres Montlouis Demi Sec ($20) Winemaker Damien Delecheneau - who worked for a time at Clos Pegase - makes this demi-sec from 80-year-old vines. A distant waxy, oak note lingers above the ripe, honeyed apple and allspice aromas. Dark mineral lingers on palate, with a slightly woodsy, astringent grip on the finish, which provides texture. Young and stylish with a subtle sweetness. (Importer: Premier Wine Co.) Rating: TWO AND A HALF STARS 2005 Domaine Jo Pithon Les Pepinieres Anjou Blanc ($20) Founded in 1978, this domaine has 37 organically farmed acres that are all planted to Chenin Blanc; the wines are fermented 12 to 24 months in oak barrels. Reticent nose but overall, the wine has tart Granny Smith apple, ripe pear and damp loam with a taut mineral profile. Bright Meyer lemon surrounds a zippy, mineral palate that has more texture than flavor. A bit hard-edged. (Importer: Veritas Imports) Rating: TWO AND A HALF STARS 2006 Francois Chidaine Clos du Breuil Montlouis ($24) Winemaker Francois Chidaine farms biodynamically, producing several styles of Chenin Blanc, including this sec, or dry, bottling. A delicate nose of honeyed flower, pear, beeswax, dried apricot, bark and effusive mineral with a slight celery leaf back note. Flavors of lime, honey, with a fruity sweetness that is well cloaked in zippy acidity and structure that might age a bit. Rich and refreshing with terrific length. (Importer: Beaune Imports) Rating: TWO AND A HALF STARS 2006 Francois Pinon Cuvee Tradition Vouvray ($23) This wine - certified organic - is a sec tendre, with a sweetness between a sec and demi-sec. Exotic quince, papaya and honeyed notes surround undertones of slight petrol and wet pine. Juicy, up-front flavors of ripe Bartlett pear, rambutan and lime become delicate with the hints of petrol and mineral then become a little green on the finish. Young and bright but might express beautifully down the road. (Importer: Louis/Dressner Selections/LDM Wines) Rating: TWO STARS 2004 J. Gigou Domaine de la Charriere Cuvee du Paradis Jasnieres ($19) Joel Gigou bought Clos du Paradis for his son, Ludovic, who is being trained to take the reins of this domaine. Big, full, dense aromas of earth and fern; on the verge of medicinal. Minty menthol spice, petrol and almost hard-edged mineral on the palate. This fresh, austere wine is clean and precise, but its fruit needs to emerge to balance the leanness. (Importer: Winewise) Rating: THREE STARS 2005 Huet Clos du Bourg Vouvray Sec($40) The Gaston Huet estate encompasses 100 acres of Chenin Blanc, including this vineyard, Clos du Bourg - which has shallow, limestone soil. Honey and flowers, bruleed Bosc pear, broad apple notes and wet pine needle aromas with underlying green herb. A fuller, richer style with a touch of residual sugar and acid core but retains its outstanding richness, bright balance and zip. A honeyed note comes out on the finish. (Importer: Robert Chadderdon Selections) Rating: TWO STARS 2006 Huet Le Mont Vouvray Sec ($40) This 20-acre vineyard has biodynamically farmed, 30- to 45-year-old vines. Aromas of honeycomb/beeswax with clover honey, lavender simple syrup and mineral. Effusive white mineral and wet stone precedes the ripe grapefruit, with lingering lemon-lime on the finish. A touch pinched but has a little bit of an edge. (Importer: Robert Chadderdon Selections) Rating: TWO AND A HALF STARS 2005 Regis Cruchet Sec Vouvray ($17) Exotic in an almost slightly funky, wild, raw way, with mineral, honey, fresh cedar and pine aromas. Stony palate with pear, beeswax and citrus highlights; a bit of spiciness, tenseness and grip that will be even better with food. (Importer: North Berkeley Imports) Rating: TWO STARS 2005 Vincent Raimbault Sec Vouvray ($17) Vincent Raimbault produces several wines, including a single vineyard, a dessert and this sec, which is slightly on the sweet side of dry. Earth and mineral overlay the slight green character, pine, waxy ripe apple and cinnamon hints. Dense, rich and fresh on the palate, the lean mineral focus lingers on the finish. (Importer: Winewise) Panelists include: Lynne Char Bennett, Chronicle staff writer and wine coordinator; Jon BonnéChronicle wine editor; Ben Jordan, buyer, the Wine House. For additional recommended wines, go to sfgate.com/wine . Key: Rating: FOUR STARS Extraordinary Rating: THREE STARS Excellent Rating: TWO STARS Good http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/07/11/WINM11C6V8.DTL This article appeared on page F - 3 of the San Francisco Chronicle -- ------------------------------ * Dr. James Ellingson, jellings(a)me.umn.edu * * University of Minnesota, mobile : 651/645-0753 * * Great Lakes Brewing News, 1569 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 *