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19 September, 2012

Biltmore American Chenin Blanc

Comments : 7 Posted in : Chenin Blanc, White Wine on by : The Gourmez

American Chenin Blanc
The Biltmore Estate
North Carolina

The Biltmore Estate wines are some of the best known ones from North Carolina, but I haven’t found one I enjoy yet. Thus, this purchase was to examine if a new cultivar would make a difference for me. I am not familiar with Chenin Blanc, and I don’t think it usually appears in sweet whites, which I definitely don’t enjoy, so it seemed a risk worth taking.

The wine has a slight rose coloring. It smells like strawberries, lemon, and grass. It is sweet, but my expectations weren’t too high that I’d get a dry wine out of the Biltmore Estate. It’s filmy, and I’d describe it as having more of an olive oil than butter flavor from that film. Cream is the first nontextural note followed by an upswell of sugar. Light strawberry swoops in after a bit, mingling with the cream. Breadfruit and custard apple notes can also be tasted.

It would make a nice ice cream flavor, but it’s too sweet for my drinking preferences. You’ll likely disagree if you’re a fan of sweet whites, and it does have character.

Other Bloggers’ Thoughts:

MIA. Other than a few remarks about buying it for a friend who likes semisweet wines or using it to get courage to clean carpet stains, there were no blogger reviews of the wine.

Reviewed 3 Sept 12.

7s COMMENTS

7 thoughts on : Biltmore American Chenin Blanc

  • September 20, 2012 at 8:30 am

    Try as I might, I am often disappointed with Biltmore wines. I feel bad about it, since it’s NC’s most famous winery! 🙁 IMO, Iron Gate, Old North State and Slightly Askew have much better wines. Shadow Springs also has the amazing chocolate wine!

  • September 20, 2012 at 10:56 am

    Glad I’m not the only one. I’ve had luck with Iron Gate, too, but I haven’t tried the others. I’ll keep my eyes opened for them!

  • Anonymous
    September 20, 2012 at 11:03 am

    Years ago, my mom and I went to Biltmore and enjoyed a tasting there. They had an amazing pepper cabernet sauvignon that I have not seen since. I haven’t liked much of their other wines I have tried in the past, so haven’t even tasted any recently. I might think of this as a gift or company wine option though, for “local” color, since few of my friends like bold reds as much as I do!

    And I have to share a funny moment with you. I just Googled cabernet sauvignon to make sure I correct, and in the row of images that popped up, every one was from you! *grin*

  • Margaret
    September 20, 2012 at 11:04 am

    LOL That Anonymous comment was from me. I didn’t realize it would let me post w/out name etc, and hit Submit Comment too fast.

  • September 20, 2012 at 11:19 am

    The Biltmore wines do have appeal as a local flavor bottle…which is why I stay away! Actually had a discussion about it at a dinner last night–I tried a white based off of another person’s recommendation that everyone he’s rec’d it to has always liked it. Then I learned they were all fans of Southern sweet wines, and he just assumed I would be too! Luckily, the wine was not overly sweet and pretty good in the end. I think it was Evolution? Maybe Revolution?
    I would attribute my dominance of your google images to personalized search, but I can dream that I have such search engine cred. ,)

  • Bobby
    October 26, 2012 at 9:31 am

    The Biltmore Chenin Blanc is my favorite wine…period. I have tried other Chenin Blanc but none compare to the Biltmore. To classify this as a Southern sweet wine is not even fair. It may be more on the sweet side than the dry side, but have you not tried a Muscadine wine? That is a true Southern sweet wine and this Chenin Blanc is nowhere close to those.

    • October 30, 2012 at 4:39 pm

      Hi Bobby, thank you so much for your input! I am glad the Biltmore Chenin Blanc has found an avid fan in you. I agree that it’s not as sweet as the Muscadine and Scuppernong wines that are traditionally considered the southern wine grapes, but for me, it has close to that level of sweetness. It definitely tastes better overall, though, and as my review states, I do think it’s a good bottle for fans of Chenin Blanc and sweet whites. I’m just not one of those! I’d love to know if you enjoy any of the reds that the Biltmore makes.

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