The best Chenin Blancs are noteworthy for their texture. Some are solidly built, like they would stand up without the glass. Some are ethereal, seemingly made more out of air than liquid. The acidity in the wine seems to float along the palate, illuminating flavors along the way. Le Clos Galerne’s Balade en Chenin, brought to life by Cedric & Myrtille Bourez, has this quality. Their domaine is on a curiously mineral rich form of basalt called spilite in the very heart of Anjou’s wine country, the village of Chaume, with additional parcels in Savennieres. The 2023 edition of this wine has an even tempered quality to it; there's a lot going on but it's never overwhelming. Aromas come in layers: pear, white strawberry, Cara Cara orange, camomile, honeysuckle, beeswax, lime zest, and salt. The palate is defined by a resonant core of orange surrounded by honeycomb, lemon curd, candied pineapple and lime zest. That textural quality referenced above is difficult to fully capture in words, but there is a seamless intensity to it, like the scenes with the obelisk in 2001 Space Odyssey, or a Mozart Concerto. There’s plenty of acidity in here, but there’s so much going on that it never feels out of place. This is a wine that belongs to rich foods with strong flavors. Crab from the sea, pork from the land or duck from the air.