Mabileau Anjou Chenin Blanc.

2012 Frederic Mabileau Anjou Les Rouilleres

Small plot, known as a good Bourgueil producer, 12% alc, good cork.
Verging on a light gold color. Wet wool for sure on the nose, apple, pear, no honey.
Initial entry thought is lacks some vibrancy and not a great finish. Did I hold on to this too long? Seems to lack balance generally, some sweetness on the finish but overall just so-so.

Bob, I have enjoyed this cuvée in the past and would snap up a bottle if I saw one around, but just one experimentally at first given your experience. I wouldn't have expected 2012 to be too old already.

Anjou wines can go through some funny stages, more difficult to track than the chenins from further east in Touraine.

Plus, if I remember correctly, it was not the best year for whites in Anjou, a tad on the lighter side. Which can of course make for some delicious drinking wines (and I had a few over the years) but can also leave wines vulnerable to lacking vibrancy and having weak finishes.

I mostly had a small stash of the Pierre Bise wines and decided to finish them off. For better or worse.

In short, who knows!

Thanks Tim and Rahsaan who has given us a fair account of 2012. I agree with Tim that this white should hold up nicely but it appears this did not happen. Guess we give Malibeau the benefit of the doubt.