Clos de l'Ecotard - Clos de la Huberdière 2023
In Courchamps, south of Saumur, Michel and Thibaud Chevré craft artisan Chenin wines with precision. The Clos de l'Ecotard estate, created in 2011 after Michel's experience with Thierry Germain, cultivates limestone plots using organic methods, with careful plowing, manual harvesting, and highly precise vinification. The desired expression is crystalline, saline, and faithful to the area's clay-limestone soils.
Clos de la Huberdière 2023 is a new single-plot cuvée in the range, from a north-facing vineyard that favors freshness. This vintage delivers pure fruit and a lively balance. Native fermentation, aging split between stainless steel and barrels to combine integrity and texture, then bottling in spring to preserve its brightness. Dry, limited production.
On the nose, the register is airy with yellow lemon, white apple and fresh pear, complemented by notes of hawthorn blossom, wet chalk and a touch of almond. The palate is straight and silky, with a lively attack that slides towards a sapid heart of zesty citrus and crisp apple. The salinity stretches the frame and reinforces the clarity. Long, chalky, slightly smoky finish, with a noble bark bitterness that is a hallmark of the Saumur terroir.
At the table, serve Clos de la Huberdière 2023 with oysters, sea bass ceviche, sushi, pikeperch with beurre blanc, or roasted poultry with lemon. It pairs well with Loire goat cheeses. Ideal temperature 10 to 12°C in a tulip glass. Open twenty minutes before serving or decant quickly if the bottle is very young. Recommended drinking window is now through 2031.
Grape variety: 100% Chenin
