2025 Pax "Helios" California Chenin Blanc

Chenin Blanc is one of those varietals that makes me feel dumb, like I just don't get it, but then I realize that for my palate there's just a lot of mid Chenin Blanc in the world. Whenever I'm presented with an excellent example I find myself enjoying the heck out of and I mean obviously I'm talking about this wine, c'mon. There's a pretty yellow apple on the front, some crushed stones, lemon candy, white and yellow flowers, and a kind of very lightly herbal thing in the far background. The palate is clean and just a toucher richer than I thought it would be, but I'm not mad about it, there's more yellow apple, a little hint of peach, some bright lemon curd, a little bit of dried herbs, and then just a little bit of like the memory of honey on the totally dry finish, it's just got this kind of honey echo there that reminds me after I've had like a big spoonful of honey right out of the jar, as we all do from time to time, but like a half an hour later. Either way, for this price, this wine is absolutely amazing and I like Chenin Blanc and it all makes sense to me now.