Clos Michet 2024, Montlouis sur Loire La Taille aux Loups | Loire

From fifty-year-old vines planted at the top of the hillside, Clos Michet de La Taille aux Loups is rooted in the sandy soils of a precocious terroir. On the three parcels that make up the eponymous Clos, the Aeolian sands and tuffeau bedrock typical of Montlouis sur Loire provide a particularly draining terroir for old Chenin vines. The south-western exposure and rising winds from the Loire encourage early and regular ripening of the grapes, which the wine estate seeks to capture through moderate yields and hand harvesting in two selections, enabling the selection of the most concentrated grapes. Slow, spontaneous fermentation, led by indigenous yeasts, takes place without malolactic fermentation, so as to preserve the formidable tension of the terroir. The wine then spends a year on fine lees in barrels, with an equal proportion of new and experienced bottle sizes. Heir to the work of Jacky Blot, Jean Philippe Blot perpetuates the demanding signature of balance and precision that has made the reputation of Domaine de la Taille aux Loups.

Philippe Mischler, sommelier at Mundovin : If the wine estate is famous for its great Chenin moelleux, the reputation of its dry white wines is not to be outdone. Among their parcel-based cuvées, Clos Michet de La Taille aux Loups is a particularly luminous expression of the Montlouis sur Loire terroir. Perfectly integrated ageing in wood adds a subtle touch without masking the mineral structure of the terroir or the beautiful ripeness of the Chenin. This vintage combines generosity and uprightness with a precision that will evolve admirably over a good ten years.

On the nose, ripe Chenin expresses itself in gourmand notes of quince jelly, candied citrus and stewed orchard fruit. With aeration, delicate notes of jasmine and lime blossom mingle with the omnipresent citrus and sweet spice character.

On the palate, the wine is both unctuous and bright, full of roasted exotic fruit, candied lemon and stone fruit flavors. A subtle woodiness fills out the wine's volume, underlining the peppery relief of the spices. The finish stretches out on a saline, chalky minerality, whose intense salivation thrills the taste buds.