Bobinet - 'Californie' - Chenin Blanc, White Blend - Loire Valley, FR - 2025

Notes from the Winery/Importer

"This year, with a copious harvest of white grapes, Seb sent us the first edition of Californie Blanche, an incidental play on words for white sage in the French botanical lexicon. It is composed of Chenin Blanc with a dash of his newly planted Pinot Gris. A bottle for the table or the zinc counter, it's the perfect wine for September in California" -Percy Wines Import

Notes on the Producer

The domaine is situated outside Saumur, in the village of Beaulieu. Most of the vines are within walking distance of the cellar, on the slopes of Saumur (in the Hauts de Dampierre), some are a little further, between Dampierre and Souzay.

The terroir in Saumur is distinguished by the ubiquitous tuffeau, the soft, white limestone rock that was used to build the famous castles of the Loire Valley. The tuffeau’s distinctive characteristic is its ability to restore the water reserves to the vines’ roots, which are able to dig deep down due to the softness of the stone. As limestone has a basic PH, wines from vines anchored in this type of soil are characterised by a wonderful acidity.

But terroir isn’t only about soil. The topography, the climate and the cultural practices of the winemaker are also factors which form the identity of the terroir.
The landscape in Saumur is characterised by the Loire, the great and wild river overlooked by our plots on the slopes. The region is green and lush, many forests and groves having been preserved. Our vineyards aren’t lost in a sea of endless vines. As a result, the ecosystem is abundant and very diversified.

We have a temperate, mainly oceanic climate, sunny and not too rainy except in exceptional cases (2012 and 2013).

Grapes & Style

Chenin Blanc

Chenin Blanc is the great white grape of the Loire, especially Anjou, Savennières, Vouvray, and Montlouis, and it’s also deeply important in South Africa, where it has long been known as Steen. It’s one of the most versatile white grapes in the world, capable of dry, off-dry, sparkling, and sweet wines with real longevity.

In the vineyard, Chenin buds early and ripens late enough that site and season matter. It keeps acidity naturally well, which is a major part of its usefulness across styles. In the right conditions, it can also develop noble rot, making some of the world’s great sweet wines without losing freshness.

In the glass, Chenin can show apple, pear, quince, citrus, honey, wool, lanolin, chamomile, and a stony, savory edge. The best dry versions have tension and texture at the same time; the sweeter versions can be rich without feeling heavy. Chenin is one of those grapes that can look simple on paper but becomes deeply expressive in the hands of thoughtful growers.