93 2008 Francois Chidaine Clos Habert Montlouis sur Loire 12/22/10 ($23)13%alc 100% CheninBlanc
Color: Pretty medium gold. (3.0) Bouquet: Intense mineral and pear with a little botrytus and a touch of sulfur. (3.0) Body: Outstanding acidity, minerals and fruit. Comes off as an elegantly-styled, solid middleweight, but has the concentration of a heavyweight. (3.5) Flavor: More elegant than the bouquet with sweet pear, a little residual sugur and intense minerality supported by lively acidity. (3.5) Finish: Parallels flavor, but not quite as intense. Still very long and tasty. (3.5)
Overall: This is a beauty! Intense minerality and acidity propel sweet pear fruit. Has the residual sugar of an off-dry white, but it's balanced so well by the acidity that no sweetness is evident. This should gain complexity with age (next 10 years), but already shows impressive complexity and elegance intertwined with the minerals. (16.5)
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