Champions of Chenin: Domaine Bellivière, Domaine Vincent Carême, Domaine Pinon!
Some truly exciting Chenin Blanc's have just arrived, from established domains that practice impecccable Biodynamic and organic farming and natural vinifications, creating white wines at the highest levels of quality from superb limestone/clay/silex terroirs. These are indeed three of the world's greatest producers of Chenin Blanc!
Domaine Bellivière Eric and Christine Nicolas, wih their son Clement, make some of the worlds most elegant Chenin Blancs on their 14 hectares, scattered over 65 parcels within 6 villages, on hillsides of clay over limestone in the cool climates of Jasnieres and Coteaux du Loir north of Tours. They use sélection massale vines rather than clones, and plant at a density of 9,300 vines per hectare. Though organic from the start, the Nicolas came to be firm believers in biodynamic viticulture and have been certified since 2011. Fermentations are always done with native yeasts, and often they will not finish all of the grapes' sugars. The Nicolas have chosen to embrace this reality, letting the vintage decide how dry each cuvée will be. Occasionally the wines can be demi-sec, but more often they are off-dry, with perceptible sugars that integrate seamlessly and add complexity.
The incredibly delicious Bellivière 2022 Jasnières Prémices has just arrived!
"Prémices" is a selection of the most fruit-forward barrels and is the first release in any given vintage. The fruit comes from vines ranging from 10-40 years old, planted on variations of flinty clay soils over tuffeau (soft limestone). The wine ferments with native yeasts and minimal sulfur, then ages in barrel for about a year. There is usually residual sugar, as fermentation is never pushed and stops short of dryness in this cool cellar and clime. The 2022 Prémices finished at a sec-tendre level of sweetness with 10 grams/liter of residual sugar (and 3.82 grams/liter of acidity).
Here is the domain's description: 2022, finally a vintage that rewards all our efforts! The vines developed peacefully in weather very favorable for the flowering. Good management of the cover crops and good aeration of the soil the previous fall and in the spring permitted the vines to flourish even in the heat and dryness of the summer. Thus we obtained an ample harvest of beautiful grapes." Indeed, the wine is simply beautiful! Grab a case or two of this gorgeous wine, to drink over the next 8 to 10 years...
The 2021 Jasnières "Les Rosiers" and Coteaux du Loir "L'Effraie" The cool, low yielding 2021 vintage produced wines that are lighter and brighter, with firm acidities and great terroir expression. The 2021 L'Effraie finished dry and is "absolutely enchanting" says Wine Doctor, while the Jasnières "Les Rosiers" finished at 21 grams of RS per liter - sec tendre or demi-sec in style - beautiful as always and a great pairing for richer seafood and white meat dishes.
Domaine Vincent Carême
Vincent Carême grew up among the vines of Vouvray, but spent many years working in other regions and in South Africa before returning to the family's 5 hectares in 1999. The farming was converted to orgainic in 2002 and Vincent added important new vineyards, bringing the total to the current 17 hectares. the most prized possessions are three vineyards on the premiere cote, principally the beautiful "Le Clos" on a steep slope in Vernou with shallow clay soils over the Turonian limestone, "Clos de la Roche Vouvray," adjacent to "Le Clos" and "Le Peu Morier."
The 2021 Carême Vouvray "Le Clos" is a brilliant dry Chenin from this difficult vintage, showing firm acidity under vibrant fruit and superb saline mineral flavors. The wine is beautiful now but best to wait 10 years for a more mature expression, drink until 2040 and beyond...
Vincent makes an excellent Vouvray Brut, in the Champagne method, but his most serious sparking wine is the L'Ancestrale - an elegant Pet Nat (methode ancestrale) that receives zero dosage, derived from a single block of 50-year-old trellised bush vines. While ordering the 2021 "Le Clos" last week, we were astonished to find a few cases of the brilliant 2014 Vouvray L'Ancestrale!! Needless to say, we are thrilled offer this superb sparkling Chenin, and of course we will drink a few ourselves. 3 bottle maximum please, so that more Chenin lovers can experience this lovely wine...
Despite making some of the finest wines of the Loire Valley, Vincent, who is not one for self-promotion, remains somewhat under the radar. So we feel it's appropriate to offer this assessment of his work from Chris Kissack aka The Wine Doctor: "It is not an exaggeration to suggest that Vincent is the heart and head of a new Vouvray revolution. (His wines) are no longer just great examples of Chenin Blanc, but should be considered as great wines against any competition, from Burgundy, Bordeaux or beyond." (A subscription to thewinedoctor is highly recommended!)
2022 Pinon Vouvray "Buvez du Bon Pinon"
Also just arrived at Chambers Street is the second bottling of Julien Pinon's brilliant Vouvray "Buvez du Bon Pinon!" From the estate's website: "This is the renaissance of a cuvée created by my great-grandfather - a dry wine from our oldest parcel, planted in 1945 on soils of silex noir and vinfied in our oldest foudres - old 'tonneaux' from Porto purchased by my grandfather. We're using the label from the 1950s as well as the name of the cuvée - the famous 'Buvéz du Bon Pinon.' Aging potential of 15 to 20 years, serve with shellfish, oysters, cold fish, vegetable terrines, choucroute de la mer, rillettes and rillons." 2022: 13.2% alcohol, 1 gr/liter RS (totally dry!), 4.8 gr/liter total acidity. The 2020 "Bon Pinon" is a great Vouvray, but one that needs more time to reveal its mysteries. The 2022, on the other hand, shows the more forward fruit character of the vintage, with bright acidity,. and will provide more enjoyable, food-friendly drinking from the start. In other words - stock-up!!
And to accompany the beautiful Careme L"Ancestrale, why not add a few bottles of the extraordinary Vouvray Brut 2019 and Brut Non-Dosé 2018 made by Julien Pinon and his father? These are equally superb examples of sparkling Chenin that compare favorably to Champagnes at twice the price! And don't forget the amazing 2018 Goutte D'Or and Frizzanté!!
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