Vouvray demi-sec 2022 Clos Naudin - Vincent Foreau | Loire

Description: 2022 Vouvray Demi-Sec | Clos Naudin - Vincent Foreau

The 2022 Vouvray Demi-Sec from Clos Naudin is one of the most eagerly anticipated wines from the Loire Valley. On the hillsides of Vouvray, Vincent Foreau manages this 11.5-hectare family wine estate with the passion that has made his reputation. On his Chenin plots, crafting the demi-sec is a masterclass in balance executed with absolute precision.

Terroirs and Grape Varieties

The plots rest on two complementary soil types: flint-rich clay and tuffeau, the soft limestone rock characteristic of the Touraine region. The flint adds tension and a crisp mineral edge, while the tuffeau imparts depth and a certain fullness to the Chenin. Planting density reaches 6,600 vines per hectare, which challenges the vines and concentrates the expression of each cluster.

Viticulture and Winemaking

The wine estate has been practicingorganic farming since 2005. The harvest is entirely subject to a hand harvest. Fermentation takes place with indigenous yeasts in 300-liter used oak barrels (less than 5% new oak) for 6 to 8 months. Malolactic fermentation is deliberately halted: this choice preserves the Chenin’s natural acidity and gives it its characteristic crispness. Residual sugar stands at 21 g/L, at the upper end of the “semi-dry” range, balanced by a total acidity of 5.43 g/L.

Vouvray Demi-Sec 2022 | Clos Naudin - Vincent Foreau: The Sommelier’s Review

Philippe Mischler, sommelier at Mundovin Clos Naudin is a benchmark in the appellation, and this 2022 vintage confirms it. The Revue des Vins de France awarded it a score of 95/100 —a rating that comes as no surprise to those who have been following this wine estate for a long time. Foreau’s demi-sec is in a class of its own: neither sweet nor dry, but an intermediate style where the acidity interacts with the residual sugar. Its ageing potential is estimated at over 30 years. It is expected to reach its peak drinking period between 2030 and 2039, which gives you plenty of time to be patient. Served at 12°C, this demi-sec Vouvray reveals a complexity that few dry whites ever achieve.

The Nose

The nose opens with notes of fresh pear skin and orchard fruits. These are followed by hints of delicate honey, beeswax, and flint. The overall impression is precise and clean, without frills or excessive ripeness, yet the depth and breadth in the glass are impressive.

The palate

On the palate, the wine envelops the mouth with its full-bodied, fruity flavors. The residual sugar is admirably balanced by the crisp acidity of flint and tuffeau, which extends the finish toward a sensation of remarkable balance and fullness. The finish is long, waxy, and mineral-driven. You’ll find yourself coming back to it time and again.

Vouvray: Everything You Need to Know About This Appellation

Vouvray is an appellation in Touraine, on the right bank of the Loire, east of Tours. The tuffeau andflint-rich clay soils are at the heart of the appellation’s identity. They give the wines their characteristic minerality and exceptional aging potential. The wines are made exclusively from Chenin, a white grape variety renowned for its rare versatility, capable of producing dry, off-dry, sweet, or sparkling wines depending on the vineyard plots, vintages, and the winemaker’s choices. At Vincent Foreau, it reaches the appellation’s highest standards.