Domaine d’Orfeuilles 2004 Vouvray Silex

Silex: The selection of the grape.

Vouvray is a white wine made from the Chenin Blanc grape which I had never had before and was eager to try. Chenin Blanc I am willing to give a second chance but I don’t believe I will be attempting this label’s Vouvray anytime soon again.

The very weak, lemon juice color – although quite radiant – put off a medium-intensity level aroma of fresh cut grass, green peppers, a bit of melon, some almond and an overwhelming mineral sensation I came to find out was flint. Of course, there’s flint in this wine! Who’s able to pick out that stone, honestly?

The Loire Valley seems to have a plush supply of flint in their soils which results in a “flinty” flavor characteristic presumed to be a famous delicacy… My taste buds severely disagreed. Tomato, tomato (that doesn’t have the same effect when you’re just typing it…).

My taste buds did find medium acidity, a dry and crisp wine that left my mouth watering but not because I wanted more. It was definitely from an excess of alcohol (not that the overall percentage of 13% was too much, it just lacked balance) and was borderline sour. However, I was able to search for fruits with success – lime, lemon, apricot and fairly plain and simple. And flint. I wasn’t too impressed.

Maybe this 2004 was too young – this wine is said to be best when aged 5-25 years and I was only 4 into its development.

Don’t take this the wrong way – I am far from shunning one of my first attempts at French wine. I’ve had many brilliant wines from France that are to die for. This was not one of them.

Score: 3.5