£81.50
Chenin Blanc planted on Brugairolles sandstone in 2004, fermented in a concrete egg without sulphur - a southern French white wine that keeps its nerve.
What a treat this is. Aromatic and complex with aromas of quince paste and candied-fruit brioche, then mandarin peel cutting across the top of it, then jasmine and a touch of fresh vanilla pod underneath. Deep golden yellow, very bright, silver at the rim. The palate arrives with real intensity and stays elegant with it, sweetened by bergamot zest, and then freshness takes over and runs the rest of the way on lively grapefruit. The finish is long, and a hint of white pepper right at the end gives it a spicy edge you do not see coming. Ripe southern Chenin that has kept every bit of its tension.
Top food pairings:
"I love Chenin Blanc, particularly from the Loire, and I'm pleased to say that this has the ripeness of Chenin from the South of France while retaining all its mineral freshness and aromatic complexity. It’s a delicious wine but I dare say it’s worth sticking one or two in the basement and letting them sleep for a few more years too."
Domaine Gayda planted Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc at Brugairolles in 2004 - Loire varieties, in the Languedoc, deliberately outside the appellation rules. That is what the Figure Libre name is for. The home estate sits at 200 metres on calcareous sandstone, and winemaker Vincent Chansault has been there since the founders flew to Cape Town to recruit him in 2003. Certified organic since 2011.
A Languedoc white wine doing something nobody else in the region is doing, at a price that has no business buying this much work. Drink it now with food or put a bottle away for five years.
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