(2019) From 30-year-old vines, fermented and aged 20 months in French oak, 50% new, lees stirred to get creaminess. There’s a little exotic fruit character here as well as the creamy oatmeal of the barrel and lees. 4.5g/l of RS, makes it approachable and easy to drink, but good acid balance. No UK retailers at time of review.
(2019) This vineyard planted in 1985. Made in second and third-fill barrels which had been used as new barrels for Chardonnay. Nice hint of toast and biscuit dough on the nose, butter and lemons. In the mouth a crisp, juicy but ripe apple fruit and acidity, stays quite fat and opulent.
(2019) Only four barrels made, all new French oak, only free-run juice and from a single vineyard. The oak is quite delicate on the aroma, lemon and orange rind and creamy almond. The palate has a lovely structure, a real firmness to the fruit, though there is that hint of toast, it is fresh and strictly defined. No UK stockists at time of review.
(2019) 100% Chenin, fermented in 500-litre barrels using both wild and commercial yeast, on the lees in oak, for a total of eight months. Quite fragrant and creamy, with a lovely palate weight and texture, it has a rolling, quite fat fruitiness, but is smooth and generous and finishes well. This should be with Boutinot in the UK from mid-2019.
(2019) Made from Clairette Blanche, planted in 1977. Only one barrel produced, fermented and aged for a total of around nine months, most of it on the lees. Has quite a funky, wild yeast character, though it is inoculated. Leesy and rich, a touch earthy. The palate has great juiciness, a bold limey fruit, good sweetness, and finishes with tight, apple core dry acidity.
(2019) This has 8% Muscat de Alexandre in the blend and is late harvested with a little botrytis, vines 30- to 45-years-old. It is made in stainless steel and has 91.3g/l of residual sugar. Oranges and lemons, and a creamy texture, medium-sweet, but rich, with loads of preserved fruit concentration and that slight smokiness. Quite long with good acid balance. Not in the UK at time of review.
(2019) From 36- and 40-year-old vineyards. Partly barrel-fermented, with eight months in oak. Nice greengage and fig notes, plenty of toast and nuttiness, a real juicy rich seam of fruit on this though, touching into mango and peach, and good length. No UK retail listing at time of review.
(2019) From a 35-year-old block, 40% whole bunch fermented in French barrels, 20% new. Refined creaminess here, a touch of creamy apple and lemon, quite Chardonnay-like. The palate has a surge of fruit sweetness, good weight and texture, the oak then presenting a nice almond and crushed oatmeal character, with a sweet finish. Only 1,500 bottles produced and no UK retail listing at time of review.
(2019) Spices and toast, from second-fill French oak, a little peachy and pear character, with a lean lime and lemon fruit, a saline character too, the acidity well balanced, and a nice dry, pithy element without being aggressively dry. Long and well-balanced. 1,000 bottles produced, no UK retailer at time of review.
(2019) 70% Sauvignon Blanc this has a herbaceous pea-shoot and asparagus character, moving onto the palate which has a bold fruitiness, plenty of zing and zip in a Marlborough style, that little hint of sweetness to ease the acidity of the finish.
