I have a love and hate relationship with natural wines. It is hard to pin them down and make a general statement, but when they are good, they are truly very good. However, they also change drastically in the glass. Initially, I was almost annoyed with myself, as I found it difficult to articulate its qualities. I could not put my inchoate thought process into words. It remained hard to distill into a single description. Blind, it could have easily been mistaken for a Cantalapiedra or a similar wine. The nose and the slightly fuller palate were not very well defined. There was a certain fuzziness that was simply hard to pin down.
As it sat in the glass, and perhaps benefiting from being decanted, it became much more delineated. I can confidently say that it is an excellent wine. It is a living wine, full of energy. As it opened up, the nose became increasingly interesting. It possesses a certain minerality, though it is not slatey, stony, or salty. Rather, it is a hard to describe mineral element accompanied by a multitude of citrus notes. The exact fruits are difficult to define, but the effects of maceration are quite evident in notes of orange peel, green peel, and citrus peel. Over time, it developed a slightly more caramel character. It started almost lean, yet precise, showing excellent tension.
The acidity is noticeable in the background, but the wine eventually filled out beautifully. As time passed, it became rounder, culminating in a remarkably long finish while still evolving in the glass. At this stage, its true identity as a Chenin Blanc emerges, revealing that characteristic honeyed texture supported by very beautiful acidity. Richard Leroy has not always made great wines. In his early years, perhaps the 1990s or early 2000s, his wines could be a little fuzzy. He is now, however, producing exceptional bottles. The 2014, 2016, and 2017 vintages were great. This 2020 is a very good vintage, though it remains an excellent wine still in the making.
