Clau de Nell | Loire | Chenin blanc AOC | 2021 | 750ml | bio

Beschreibung

Product description for Clau de Nell Chenin blanc AOC 2021 (bio)

In 2006, Anne-Claude and her husband Christian met the owners of the Clau de Nell winery. The estate in Ambillou-Château on the Loire River possessed great potential, with soils of clay, flint, and tuff and magnificent, old vines with an average age of 60 years, some even over a hundred. At that time, the estate’s eight hectares were planted with Cabernet Franc, Grolleau, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Leflaives purchased the estate in 2008, and the vineyards were gradually expanded. Cellar master Sylvain Potin cultivates the estate according to biodynamic principles. All three of Anne-Claude Leflaives’ children work on the estate. The Chenin Blanc for this white wine was planted in 2012, and the first vintage was released in 2015. It was grown on a silty-clayey terroir of siliceous and red flint on a tuff base. The vineyards are treated with biodynamic preparations according to the lunar calendar; the yield is approximately 28 hl/ha. Hand-picked, the pomace cap gently submerged, and then spontaneous fermentation in 228-liter Burgundy barrels in fifth filling. Tres Troglodyte!

Colour

Old gold with brilliant reflections.

Nose

The nose of the 2021 Chenin Blanc from Clau de Nell is straight out of a picture book: oxidized yellow pear, a touch of wet wool, beeswax, and lots of quince. Fueled by youthful fruit, the aromas are balanced yet typical of the variety; the aging in used oak is noticeable but by no means dominant. Added to this are distinct mineral notes and a generous flake of salted butter on fresh popcorn. Balanced and serene, it flows into the glass of the discerning drinker.

Palate

The youthful, juicy fruit is driven by the shimmering acidity that stretches across the palate like an electric eel. In a perfect balance of extract, aging, fruit, and tannin, the yellow fruit oscillates from saline impressions to the tannic contours on the tongue and back again. A highly energetic, vital wine with a good vibration and enormous potential for enjoyment.

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Keywords: Clau de Nell Chenin blanc AOC 2021 bio Loire France

Wine Advocate

Score: 93

Crafted from vines planted on clay and loam soils composed of red sandstone and limestone tuffeau, the 2021 Chenin Blanc offers up aromas of spices, caramel, vanilla, lemon and flowers mingled with delicate oak notes. Medium to full-bodied, ample and satiny, it’s enveloping with a fleshy core of fruit, bright acids and a delicate, gastronomic bitterness that segues into a mineral-laced, long finish. Vinified with whole bunches, it was matured for 12 months on the lees in five-year-old barrels. This is a well-crafted Chenin Blanc.
Yohan Castaing

Producer website: https://claudenell.fr/en/home/