The Top 10 Chenin Blanc go to bottlings according to me

I love Chenin Blanc. I am certified wine geek so it is part of the deal. If I didn't love Chenin Blanc I'd have my wine geek credentials taken away and shipped to a Yellowtail labor camp. Not trying to have that happen. Below is my list of my top 10 Chenin Blancs that are a go to regardless of vintage. Surely you are ready to be mesmerized by my geekiness?

• Francois Chidaine Montlouis "Clos du Breuil" Sec  - Chidaine is a master of Chenin. There is no denying that. The Clos du Breuil Sec is clean as a whistle, delicate and showcases Chidaine's clean, pristine and pure style. It also is, in my not so humble opinion, his most consistent wine and give it 5-7 years of age and it improves so dramatically you won't even believe it. The 2005 is bonkers now.

• Huet "Le Mont" Vouvray Demi-Sec - So hard to choose here but you can't go wrong with Le Mont Demi-Sec. Powerful yet delicate and with the residual sugar adds a crunchy textural component almost like raw honeycomb. It ages for 20-35 years and is less than $40. It is my go to Huet wine in every vintage.

• Franz Saumon Montlouis Mineral + - I'll admit I have only had a few vintages of this, but damn, they have been amazingly consistent. Polar opposite of Chidaine. This is in the "natural" camp so is not as clean as Chidaine but possibly has more character and wildness. This is a bad boy of a wine but oh so delicious and pure. A value as well and seems like has a 10-16 year aging curve.

• Chateau d'Epire Savennieres - A classic. Like the "Nobdy Beats the Biz" of Chenin Blanc. Slightly oxidized, always with tremendous depth and character, funky aromas and still under $20. Totally amazing wine. Not for everybody as some cannot get past the funky oxidative style it is made in.

• Bernard Baudry "La Croix Boissee" Chinon Blanc - A rare bird here, but worth seeking out in every and any vintage. Never been anything except profoundly moved by this bottling. Give it 5-7 years of age and it's like Batard made from Chenin. Incredibly textured wine and truly something you can buy every vintage and feel confident in.

• Foreau "Domaine du Clos Naudin" Vouvray Sec - Austere when young. And I mean really austere, but with cellaring the rewards are tenfold. An intellectual Chenin if there ever was one. More earthy and minerally than fruity but needs 10 years in any vintage. Even the warm ones like 2003, 2006 and 2009. An amazing wine that demands the complete attention of the taster. I'm cool with having some wines like that. There's room for glou-glou and cerebral at the dinner table. 

• Jerome Lenoir Chinon Blanc "Les Roches" - Now this wine is not for everybody. You need to open 2 days in advance. I kid you not. The wait is worth it as this is about as complex and beguiling a wine as you will ever encounter made from Chenin Blanc. Keeps opening, changing, improving in its battle with oxygen once it is opened. Amazing acids, freshness and purity and man this wine is long. I see it aging 40-50 years. A stunner.

• Domaine de Belliviere Jasnieres "Les Rosiers" - The wines of Eric Nicolas are riddled with character and it was really hard choosing this over the Calligrame but Calligrame can be a shit show in the wrong vintage. That is not the case with the "Les Rosiers." Usually dry but in warm vintages they let the wine be what it is going to be. So there could be some RS in 2006, 2009, etc. The 2010 vintage is currently the one that is available and it is a stunner. 

• Huet Pettilant - How can I forget the single greatest non-Champagne sparkling wine in the world? This drinks better than most NV farmer fizz, ages much longer and is much cheaper. It;s crunchy, delicate, fine, honeyed and semi glou-glou. You can NEVER go wrong with this bottling.

• Marc Angeli "La Lune" - Maybe the most controversial wine on this list. Sometimes it is bone dry (2002) and sometimes it is like demi-sec (2006), but it is always funky, deep and interesting. Delicious as well but not for everybody, but for Chenin geeks I had to put it on this list.