October 23rd - October 26th, 2025 | | |
THIS WEEK'S TASTING FLIGHT:
Chenin Blanc from Around the World
| | Three Expressions of a Noble Grape | | |
Back by popular demand, this week we are celebrating one of the world’s most versatile and expressive white grapes: Chenin Blanc. Born in France’s Loire Valley, Chenin has found remarkable new voices in places as far-flung as California and South Africa. Each glass tells a story of terroir, climate, and craftsmanship... all united by the grape’s hallmark balance of brightness, texture, and charm.
Our $23 tasting flight features three distinctive Chenins that showcase the grape’s incredible range:
2024 Pascal Janvier Jasnières (Loire Valley, France)
- A pure and mineral-driven Chenin from the northern reaches of the Loire. Tense, aromatic, and beautifully precise, the variety in its most classic form.
2023 Jaimee Motley ‘Massa Vineyard’ Chenin Blanc (Carmel Valley, California)
- From one of California’s most thoughtful artisans, this bottling bridges Old and New World styles. Golden fruit, floral lift, and a subtle texture that lingers.
2024 Rall Wines ‘Ava’ Chenin Blanc (Swartland, South Africa)
- Rich and expressive, with ripe stone fruit, honey, and saline minerality. A benchmark example of South Africa’s mastery with the grape.
Together, these wines trace Chenin Blanc’s global journey from its ancestral home in France to its inspired expressions abroad.
Join us in the Tasting Room today through Sunday and explore how one of our favorite grapes can speak so many languages of terroir.
Cheers,
Mark & the Petit Philippe Team
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Can't make the tasting, but don't want to miss out on these Chenin Blanc wines?
Take the Flight Home
Experience the full journey of Chenin Blanc with our exclusive 3-bottle flight pack, featuring one wine from each featured region: France, California, and South Africa.
A perfect way to revisit the tasting room experience at home or share with fellow wine lovers.
$121.00
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Saturday, October 25th @ 3-5 p.m.
October Wine Club Tasting & Pickup Party
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🍷 Taste exciting new selections curated for next month's offering while picking up your Club wine
🍷 Learn about our 2025 Club de Vin membership perks & exclusive events
🍷 Enjoy a complimentary tasting as a Club Member (or join us for just $15 if you're not yet a member).
*Tasting fee is waived when you sign up for a new club membership.
📍 Drop in anytime between 3pm - 5pm for a relaxed and welcoming experience!
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| Are you coming to the October Pickup Party? | | 10/25/25 3:00pm - 10/25/25 5:00pm US/Eastern | | Taste some of the contenders for next month's Club offering and learn more about joining Club du Vin if you're not a member! | | | | | | |
Wine Dinner | Saturday, Nov. 8th
Limerick Lane Wine Dinner
w/ owner, Karen DeGolia
Join us for an elegant evening with Limerick Lane Cellars, featuring special guest Karen DeGolia, owner of the estate. Nestled in the heart of Sonoma’s Russian River Valley, Limerick Lane is celebrated for its expressive, vineyard-driven wines: particularly Zinfandels and Rhone-inspired wines that capture the energy and nuance of this storied region.
Over a multi-course dinner, guests will enjoy a curated selection of Limerick Lane’s acclaimed wines, thoughtfully paired with seasonal dishes from Chef Charlie Reid. Throughout the evening, Karen will share the estate’s history, its meticulous approach to farming, and the passion that defines Limerick Lane’s pursuit of excellence.
SAVE THE DATE!
Tickets will be released soon.
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5:00 - 9:00pm Thursday
5:00 - 9:00pm Friday
1:00 - 9:00pm Saturday
1:00 - 7:00pm Sunday
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Domaine Pascal Janvier Jasnières Chenin Blanc 2024
Loire Valley, France
PURCHASE ONLINE HERE
$32 retail
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Pascal Janvier farms small, family-owned parcels in Jasnières, one of the Loire Valley’s most esteemed Chenin Blanc appellations. His approach emphasizes gentle handling in the vineyard and minimal intervention in the cellar, allowing the unique limestone soils and cool-climate conditions to express themselves fully in the wine.
Varietal: 100% Chenin Blanc from Jasnières, Loire Valley, France. Grapes are hand-harvested, gently pressed, and fermented with native yeasts in neutral vessels. The wine is aged briefly on fine lees to enhance texture while preserving the varietal’s signature freshness and minerality.
Tasting Notes: A bright, mineral-driven Chenin with aromas of green apple, white flowers, and wet stone. The palate is lean and focused, offering crisp citrus, a hint of quince, and a chalky, saline finish. Elegant and precise, it’s a textbook example of Loire Valley Chenin.
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Jaimee Motley Wines 'Massa Vineyard' Chenin Blanc 2024
Carmel Valley, California
PURCHASE ONLINE HERE
$44 retail
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Jaimee Motley’s work in Monterey’s Massa Vineyard highlights her commitment to site-driven winemaking. The vineyard’s cool, foggy mornings and warm afternoons produce Chenin Blanc with both vibrancy and richness, while careful vineyard practices preserve the grape’s natural acidity and aromatic complexity.
Varietal: 100% Chenin Blanc from Massa Vineyard, Carmel Valley, California. Grapes are whole-cluster pressed, fermented with native yeasts in neutral vessels, and aged briefly on lees for added texture and weight without diminishing freshness.
Tasting Notes: Golden apple, chamomile, and subtle stone fruit aromas introduce a medium-bodied, textured wine. The palate is layered with delicate spice, gentle minerality, and bright acidity, creating a Chenin that bridges Old World restraint and New World generosity.
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RALL Wines 'Ava' Chenin Blanc 2024
Swartland, South Africa
PURCHASE ONLINE HERE
$45 retail
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Rall Wines sources fruit from select Swartland vineyards, where the combination of granite soils, intense sunlight, and coastal breezes produces Chenin Blanc of remarkable depth and character. Winemaker Caleb Rall emphasizes minimal intervention, highlighting the vineyard’s natural expression while maintaining balance and vibrancy.
Varietal: 100% Chenin Blanc from Swartland, South Africa. Grapes are hand-harvested, fermented with native yeasts, and partially aged on lees to add weight and complexity while preserving freshness and energy.
Tasting Notes: Ripe stone fruit, peach blossom, and honeyed notes are framed by saline minerality and bright acidity. Medium- to full-bodied, with a layered, textural mouthfeel and a long, expressive finish that reflects the intensity of the Swartland terroir.
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Chenin Blanc
Chenin Blanc was grown in the Loire Valley for centuries before it was officially documented in the 1490s. Descended from the wild Savagnin grape it is closely related to Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Cabernet Franc among many other varietals.
For many centuries the grape languished and was uprooted or replaced by varietals that were easier to cultivate. While it was still grown around France (particularly in the Loire Valley) to make still and sparkling white wines, it was on a serious decline. But in the 1980s and 1990s Chenin Blanc experienced a massive resurgence in popularity in response to the growing desire for alternatives to the expensive Sauternes.
Today you can find great examples of Chenin Blanc around the world with distinctive profiles that vary by winemaker and country of origin.
FRANCE:
The Loire Valley is the home of the Chenin Blanc grape, with the Middle Loire around Anjou-Saumur and Touraine representing the most plantings.
The versatility of Chenin Blanc is highly prized and can be clearly seen across appellations in the Loire. For example, Vouvray and Montlouis are two small villages that sit directly across the Loire river from one another and present contrasting views winemaking style of each vintage. Montlouis is typically dry, Vouvray is typically sweet, but the weather ultimately dictates what both will end up producing. In regions where there is less inclement weather like Savennières the winemakers focus on dry Chenin Blanc. Chenin Blanc is also used alongside Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc as one of the grapes in Crémant de Loire.
SOUTH AFRICA:
South Africa produces amazing old vine Chenin Blancs which are commonly referred to as "Steen." Examples from Stellenbosch and Swartland are what made South African Chenin Blanc famous.
Chenin Blanc is the most grown grape in South Africa, and for many years it was used almost exclusively to make brandy.
UNITED STATES:
There is a lot of Chenin Blanc grown in the United States. The main concentration of Chenin Blanc comes from the Central Valley of California, and especially the Clarksburg region, but Napa Valley and warmer appellations have the occasional standout Chenin Blanc.
Chenin Blanc’s bright, crisp acidity, which is why these wines are not often aged in oak(and when they are, it’s generally older oak, which imparts fewer additional flavors). Sparkling and dry non-sparkling Chenin Blanc are best served chilled, though the wine will become more complex as some of the chill diminishes in the glass. Chenin Blanc is best enjoyed from a Sauvignon Blanc-style or universal wine glass.
MAIN TASTING PROFILE:
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As a white grape, Chenin Blanc can produce a wide range of flavors. Part of the reason for this has a lot to do with the winemaking style. From sparkling, to oaked and unoaked dry white wines, and even sweet wines you’ll find a range of flavors. However, all the wines made from Chenin will have similarities.
On the nose, Chenin Blanc has a distinctive quince and apple, or apple skin aroma. Depending on if the grapes are picked later in the season, or even if they undergo Noble Rot then you can expect to find ripe pineapple, orange peel, honey and dried chamomile.
On the palate, Chenin Blanc delivers high levels of zingy acidity no matter the style. It’s like the acidity of Riesling meets the body and texture of Chardonnay. Wines range from bone dry to lusciously sweet, and can range from light bodied to unctuous and creamy. There are few grapes that have such an expanse of flavors and styles as Chenin Blanc.
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mark@petitphilippe.com | www.petitphilippe.com
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