WBW #24: Wines of the Loire

Tuesday I was utterly surprised when my Outlook calendar quite noisily reminded me that I needed a white wine from the Loire for the evening. I've opted to come out of my self-imposed exile for Wine Blogging Wednesday. However, I went into a slight panic when I realized I needed to hunt down the appropriate wine. On a whim, I checked our various wine racks and there it was, a 2004 Yves Bruessin Vouvray Demi-Sec. We purchased it for around $13 at Bin 36 in Chicago in June.

We purchased this wine at the end of a long night of tasting. Our friends were actually the ones who ordered the flight that included this Vouvray. I seem to recall being fairly hung up on Bordeaux that night. But I shared a pour of this Vouvray with my best friend and at the end of the night we both wandered out with a bottle.

The wine is straw colored, and it looks lighter than it tastes. It doesn't overwhelm your nose either, and I tend to shove my nose pretty far in the glass, like a sheepdog. What scents you do pick up, whether sheepdog or human, are light and floral, with some apples and honey. Oh, how does it taste? We'll definitely buy it again. It actually seems heavier on the tongue than you might expect. I think that might be the psychological reaction to the honey taste in the wine. Don't get me wrong - this is not a mead-like, super sweet wine. The honey is almost like the wallpaper in the room that improves the decoration but doesn't focus your attention. What draws your attention, in this case, are the floral notes. I preferred to believe that the flavors I was picking out were daisies and violets. (Leave me alone - it helps me visualize.) Savoring the wine a bit in the back of the throat rewards you with some lemon and other citrus.

The temperature here was 94 degrees day, with a heat index of 105. This nicely chilled chenin blanc was the perfect antidote, especially as it was enjoyed in the air conditioning.

Our score:

Thanks, Alder, for hosting!

For the brief life update, I'm still in self-imposed blogging exile due to work. My deadline slipped and will wrap up Wednesday. I can honestly say I've worked non-stop since the end of June, including nights and weekends. Feast or famine.
I'm out of the office pretty much until August 21 as well, between weddings on sandy beaches and business travel. It's all crazy. Kevin, the dear husband, is attempting to fill in the gaps with guest blogging, but he's not in the habit. He doesn't have the blog guilt I get ... He does have two posts, I believe, that are "in development."
I promise that the blog will kick into high gear again for Fall.