Savennières Les Caillardières

Closel
France
Loire
2020

100% Chenin Blanc. From certified-biodynamic estate vines in the Les Caillardières vineyard, which lies on the plateau of Savennières on silky-textured, very poor soils of sand and schist. These 45-year-old vines are harvested by hand 10 days after the earliest-picked wine, La Jalousie, when the grapes are a little past just-ripe, having taken on deeper, riper, richer flavor tones (and still no botrytis, never a part of any Closel wine). The bunches are gently direct-pressed, followed by a spontaneous fermentation to dryness with native yeasts and without sulfur in 420-liter demi-muids, which are around 10% new. The wine generally goes through malo and is aged in the same barrels on the fine lees for 18 months without bâtonnage. Bottled unfiltered with a modest amount--its first dose--of sulfur. The 2020 finished with 2.1 grams/liter of residual sugar and 3.26 grams/liter of acidity. Total yield was just 20 hl/ha. 

92 points
"The 2020 Les Caillardières is a sinewy, firm and spicy wine. Pure, dry, clean and terroir-driven, the 35-year-old vines on schist and sand give drive and an attractive bitterness and grip, making this almost red wine-like on the conclusion. With yields of just 20hL/ha and partial fermentation in large barrels, you should expect concentrated fruit flavors of apple, spice and smoky nuts, but this is a wine whose quality is in its texture rather than its aromatics. A little more length would further enhance it."
Rebecca Gibb,
Vinous Media
October 2023

SKU/Code: 
DB3342-20
Product Line: 
Wine
White
Varietal: 
Chenin Blanc
Farming Type: 
Biodynamic