Domaine des Roches - Alain and Jérôme Lenoir - Blanc sous voile 2016
The Domaine des Roches is a confidential address in Chinon, carried by Alain and Jérôme Lenoir, pioneers of natural wine in the Loire. Since the 1980s, the Lenoir brothers have developed a free, deeply peasant approach, guided by respect for the grape, time, and place. Long remaining on the margins of classic circuits, they have built a singular work, made of living wines, without artifice, capable of crossing decades. Jérôme Lenoir, curious and experimental, has always sought to explore new paths while remaining faithful to the spirit of the estate. This cuvée fully fits into this sincere and radical exploration approach.
The Blanc sous voile 2016 is the very first attempt by Jérôme Lenoir in the making of an oxidative white wine, vinified under veil, from Chenin. This experimental cuvée was produced in only a single barrel, making it an extremely rare wine. The wine was aged for a long time under veil, without topping up, allowing time and carefully managed oxidation to shape its structure and complexity. This work is clearly inspired by great oxidative wines, while maintaining a marked Loire Valley identity. This cuvée follows no commercial logic, but a personal and artisanal quest, assumed to the end. A laboratory bottle, now a collector’s item.
On tasting, this Chenin sous voile 2016 offers a deep, intense, and singular expression. The nose opens with notes of fresh walnut, ripe apple, beeswax, and spices, accompanied by a saline and slightly smoky touch. The palate is ample, structured, and vibrant, with great aromatic complexity and an astonishing freshness that balances the oxidative character. The texture is long, almost tactile, and the finish stretches with persistence on saline and spicy notes. It is a wine for tasting and gastronomy, ideal with aged cheeses, Jura cuisine, mushroom dishes, or simply for a moment of contemplation. A unique, rare, and bold cuvée, testimony to a free and visionary spirit.
Grape variety: 100% Chenin
