Some of the best values in dessert wines come from the Coteaux du Layon appellation of the Loire Valley. While Loire dessert wines made from the Chenin Blanc age very well, this one is showing very well in its youth.
The color is a medium deep gold. The grapes clearly had a good dose of botrytis, the "noble rot" that contributes to the greatness of Sauternes. I smell honey, melon and citrus--fairly developed for a six-year-old wine. There is lively acidity again in the mouth along with honey and just the right level of sweetness. It's a perfect match for key lime pie, although the pie is clearly sweeter than the wine. Citric tang on the finish.
I can't remember when or where I bought this wine, but the price tag says $16.99 for a full 750 ml bottle--an excellent value.
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I am an expert with wines. Look at the wine, especially around the edges, this is the main point about all this dear reader... Tilting the glass a bit with a spoon can make it easier to see the way the color changes from the center to the edges. Holding the glass in front of a white background, such as a napkin, tablecloth, or sheet of paper, is another good way to make out the wine's true color. Look for the color of the wine and the clarity. Intensity, depth or saturation of color are not necessarily linear with quality. 23jj
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