Miriam Alexandra 2014 California Chenin Blanc. This wine, my Valentines D
ay present to my readers, comes from a real up and coming winemaker Alexandra Faber, a graduate of the UC Davis wine making program, who worked for a while for a big name winery before she struck out on her own to see what she could create that didn’t fit in to the big box wine mold. She also spends time working for Naked Wines helping manage their now stable of about eighty (80) plus winemakers while she works on creating her own special wines.
Her 2014 California Chenin Blanc made a huge hit with the Naked Wines 100,000 plus strong angel network and she just released her 2015 vintage which portends to be just as good or better though I have not tried it yet. I must say, I am a Chenin Blanc devote as I like my white wines crisp and on the dry side. This offering represents a different palate sensation for me. It’s crisp, fruity and dry. Alex has crafted a wine that offers the dryness I like but more definite fruitiness (sweet sensation) than most and when chilled properly, presents as crisp (bite my tongue) as you can get. I am really looking forward to comparing it to the 2015 and really awaiting her next new creation. I posted my review and tasting notes to the wine reviews and will do a follow up for the 2015 vintage.
Bottle Ink
Poor Robert
Poor Robert's (Wine) Almanac 
Well, now I want to run down to the local wine store and see if they can get me a bottle. I do enjoy a dry wine.
Robert, re the Finding Our Features bit, perhaps the tags are case-sensitive. Try using the tag exactly as Ann created it: Finding_Our_Features. That might help.
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Robert, searching for your finding our Features posts I’m very glad I found it! Chenin Blanc, one of my favourite white wines, lovely to hear your thoughts and recommendations ..sadly I’m still not finding you when I search in tag Finding-our-Features…is it the underscore in your tag?
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I thought it was supposed to be the _ not the -. I’ll try it with the -. Let me know if you see it then.
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Robert asked that I copy a post I made on NakedWines regarding this lovely wine. Most of my small bit of wine knowledge has come from Robert and others like him who were willing to take the time to help the rest of us feel comfortable expressing our thoughts. It has made the experience infinitely more fun. And, that’s how it should be:
In an earlier thread, we discussed comparing Miriam Alexandra Chenin Blanc California 2015 to Miriam Alexandra Chenin Blanc 2014. Both are available on the site (but, probably won’t be for long!). I was lucky enough to land the job of doing just that. I have never really done anything in the line of a vertical wine tasting, even though this is a pretty small endeavor, so I hope Alex will feel free to jump in and correct or expand on anything I say. But, here goes:
I poured a small glass of each and grabbed a couple soda crackers and a glass of water. I began with the 2014 and tried really hard to remember what it was like when it first came out. That proved to be pretty difficult, as I’ve been enjoying it on a fairly regular basis since my first bottle. Those subtle changes didn’t jump out at me along the way, so I had to really pay attention this time. The color hadn’t changed. It is still a beautiful, clear, pale yellow. Sniffing brought an almost tropical aroma to mind with possibly a hint of honey? But, it was just a hint. Maybe. But, it did seem to lean a bit toward the stone fruits, which is not what I remember on the very first bottle. There is a bit of lemon in the finish, but the tropical nature was still there. And, I’m pretty sure I found grapefruit somewhere.
After a bite of cracker and drink of water, I waited a couple of minutes and tried the 2015. Clean, crisp, lemony zest! The finish is almost a creamy lemon. Wow. The color is the same as the beautiful 2014. This is an incredibly bright and citrus-filled CB. Refreshing is an understatement.
I then paired the two with a dinner of potato-crusted cod, baked potato with roasted garlic and sour cream, and a broccoli, quinoa and cheese side. Seriously? I really had to concentrate on which glass I was picking up to notice much difference while eating. The citrus of the 2015 was a bit more distinct, but not as noticeable as it was without food.
So, after all this, my thoughts go in the direction of how much more complex this wine became over a one-year period. It was hard for me to pinpoint how it had changed, so your expertise, Alex, will be greatly appreciated and used as a learning experience. Which one do I like better? Another hard one. Truly, I love them both. If you have a chance to order some of each, I’d love to hear your thoughts on the same comparison. It really was a fun exercise and an eye opener on how even white wines can change over time. Thanks, again, Alex, for providing us with this incredible CB. We are one grateful group.
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