Chenin Blanc from Savennieres, Loire valley
Vintage: 2018
Volume: 750ml
 
Known locally as an “unofficial Premier Cru”, this small superbly sited vineyard lies in the centre of the appellation just above the village of Savennieres. Here the terroir is sand over layers of black schist (which can be seen clearly from the road below the vineyard where the small foot-bridge leads from the garden of Chateau des Vaults into the Clos du Papillon vineyard). Average age of vines here is 35yo and harvest is made in successive tries or passes through the vineyard. Whole bunch pressed straight into vat and a long slow ferment at low temperature with ageing on fine lees for 9 months. This wine generally finishes dry with alcohol around 13% and with notable acidity that enables long slow evolution with the wine starting to show its best around 8 years age.