Clos de l'Ecotard - Saumur Blanc 2022
In Courchamps, south of Saumur, Clos de l'Ecotard, run by Michel and Thibaud Chevré, produces precision-crafted Chenin wines. Careful organic farming, hand-picked harvests, and minimally interventionist vinification methods create straightforward, flavorful whites that are faithful to the clay-limestone soils of the Saumur region.
Saumur Blanc 2022 is born from a selection of limestone plots harvested at just the right moment of ripeness. A controlled solar vintage. Slow pressing, gravity settling, indigenous fermentation in vats and neutral barrels. Aged on fine lees for around ten months with measured stirring to gain texture without losing momentum. Bottled the following spring to preserve its brightness. Dry wine.
The nose opens with ripe lemon, fresh pear, and white peach, with notes of hawthorn, wet chalk, and a touch of almond. The palate is slender and silky. Lively attack, savory heart of zesty citrus, crisp apple, and a subtle honeyed veil. The salinity stretches the frame and adds depth. The finish is long and clean, slightly smoky, with a noble bark bitterness that characterizes the terroir.
At the table, serve this Saumur Blanc with oysters, sea bass ceviche, sushi, pikeperch with beurre blanc, roasted poultry with lemon, or Loire goat cheese. Ideal temperature between 10 and 12°C in a tulip glass. Open twenty minutes before serving; a quick decanting is possible for a very young bottle. Immediate enjoyment and cellaring for five to eight years, depending on the cellar.
Grape variety: 100% Chenin
