Lieu Dit Chenin Blanc

The Beerhive Verified independent store

→

A California take on Chenin Blanc from Santa Ynez Valley (Santa Barbara County), made by the Lieu Dit project, a collaboration focused on Loire-inspired varieties, but expressed th rough a warmer, coastal Californian lens. In the glass it’s pale straw with a slight green edge, and the nose walks a really nice line between classic and New World. You get pear, quince and citrus peel, alongside softer aromatics like honeysuckle and chamomile, plus a faint waxy note that’s very typical of Chenin. On the palate it’s bright, dry and energetic, driven by Chenin’s natural acidity. The fruit leans toward green apple, lemon and underripe stone fruit, but there’s also a subtle richness underneath, a kind of beeswax, almond and light creaminess coming from time in neutral oak rather than heavy winemaking. What makes it stand out is the balance. It’s not as razor-sharp and mineral as Loire examples, but it’s also far from soft or tropical. Instead it sits in a middle ground: fresh and zippy, but with a slightly rounded Californian texture. Show more