Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A giant of a sweet Loire chenin blanc that is incredibly powerful and vibrant. So dynamic, dancing across the medium- to full-bodied palate. Stacks of dried apricot, creme brulee, toasted walnut and maple syrup aromas. This is still full of life and probably has decades ahead of it. Such beautiful balance, and in combination with the aging you barely think about the sweetness. From biodynamically grown grapes.
Unquestionably one of the most diverse grape varieties, Chenin Blanc can do it all. It shines in every style from bone dry to unctuously sweet, oaked or unoaked, still or sparkling and even as the base for fortified wines and spirits. Perhaps Chenin Blanc’s greatest asset is its ever-present acidity, maintained even under warm growing conditions. Somm Secret—Landing in South Africa in the mid 1800s, today the country has double the acreage of Chenin Blanc planted compared to France. There is also a new wave of dedicated producers committed to restoring old Chenin vines.
Stretching east along the steep banks of the Loire River, Touraine is a major part of the Middle Loire. Soil variations of clay, sand, tuffeau and gravel throughout its subregions support both white and red varieties. Chinon and Bourgueil remain the source of Loire’s finest Cabernet Franc; various styles of the most outstanding Chenin blanc come from Vouvray and Montlouis.