Michel Redde Pouilly Fume La Moynerie 2004

Michel Redde and his son, Thierry, are the fifth and sixth generations of a family which has since early in the last century been grower-producers in a beautiful corner of the Loire Valley. The Redde estate of "La Moynerie" covers 85 acres just north of the town of Pouilly-sur-Loire, which has been extended piece by piece over the past few decades from the original 15 acres owned when Michel Redde took control of the property.

The estate's vineyards are situated in the heart of the appellation on the crest of a hillside overlooking the Loire River exposed directly to the south. The soils supporting the Sauvignon Blanc vines in which the vineyard is planted vary, checkerboard fashion, between two types: chalky clay soils, which yield wines of elegance, harmony, concentration and longevity; and clay and silica soils, tending in color from red to blue- black, which produce nervy, vibrant wines with the "gunflint" character typical of Pouilly-Fumé.

A resolute insistence on absolute quality has earned Michel Redde a place among the top five or six producers in the Pouilly and Sancerre regions, with a reputation for excellence and consistency second to none.