Chenin Blanc, Loire Valley, France 

A rare prize of a creamy, structured and outrageously flawless chenin blanc from the chenin blanc promise land. Chemist-turned-stonemason-turned-biodynamic-winemaking luminary, Mark Angeli has the type of inspirational clout that people build shrines to (not US of course… but some people), boasting ancient pruning methods, ungrafted vines & experimentation with regenerative farming. FUN FACT! Angeli uses small amounts of SO2 that are naturally sourced from a nearby volcano when needed! The intricate, voracious chenin is sourced from younger vines planted on clay with phtanites (a dark, layered rock, composed of microcrystalline quarts, often loaded with flakes of graphite), that promote zippy, citric acid in the grapes. Mark’s son, and co-winemaker, Martial Angeli shared, “in the 90s my father had to prove to the administration with analysis that he did not add citric acid in this wine, it is all natural thanks to this special terroir”. Like a mythical chenin flower bloomed, we are hungry Calliope hummingbirds, and ‘Les Blanderies’ is the nectar. Gunslinger gunpowder, climbing jasmine blooms, whipping sweet cream, overripe apricot turning scarlet, acidity wafered between minerality & dense tarte tatin. Enjoy while playing ‘Criterion Quickdraw’, aka turning on Criterion 24/7 and guessing the year, country and filmmaker of whatever happens to be on within the first five minutes of viewing.