Description
This tiny appellation, famous for Coulee de Serrant and a long time culture of organic and biodynamic farming, is the Chablis of the Loire. Having so many sub plots and expressions leads to some other worldly, mineral tones and some are so distinctive the growers like to bottle a few separately. So not many of these and not for the feint hearted with the biting, slate, almost young Mosel note to balance a rich, baked apple and citrus middle. The best of Stephane's three plots, Papillon is great white to drink with rich, fatty, savoury dishes.
Producer Information: Domaine des Forges
I first visited Claude way back in the early nineties and we enjoyed the mighty 1989 and 1990 vintages. I still come across the odd bottle of the sweet wines and they remain full of life. Although Claude still potters around the cellar, the current success of this estate and the quality of the wines is down to son Stéphane and his wife Séverine. Their 50 hectares of vines include 30 hectares of Chenin Blanc – of which 7 are on the steep slopes in the great Chaume 1er Cru.
This is one of many farms to stall their conversion to biodynamics given that one vintage in five or six will throw something at them that they just can't control with natural products. Nevertheless this is still one of only a few important domaines offering these very fine and under valued sweet wines.
