Domaine du Closel, Savennieres, Clos du Papillon 2005
LATE RELEASE EX-CELLARS
Aged in bottle before release, Barrel Fermented, Estate grown grapes, Hand harvested, Indigenous yeast fermented, Large format barrel aged, Organically Grown Grapes.
The Clos du Papillon parcel is a small valley (coulée), wonderfully exposed to the light of the Loire. We find shale, rhyolites but also quartz. The layer of arable soil is very thin (60 cm), which allows for excellent drainage of rainwater. To gather sustenance, the vines need to plunge their roots very deeply through the rocky soil.
During harvest, the pickers make several passes through the vineyard assuring that only grapes at peak maturity make it into this cuvée, from one of the finest vineyards in Savennières.
Clos du Papillon is one of the two or three best vineyards in Savennières, always classic, always demonstrating a generous richness and powerful minerality. Slightly golden-tinged in color with aromas of beeswax; Expect ripe fruit aromatics including citrus, exotic fruit and baked quince or apple. In its youth, there can be a slight bitter almond edge that softens over the aging process.
This a legendary wine and meant for savng. If opening tonight, do so with buttery, sautéed locally-caught fish or aged, creamy goat cheese. Clos Papillon is one of the top sites in Savennières, so named because the plot’s shape resembles a butterfly. The picking is usually late, (October), and done in several consecutive passes in the vineyards so as to maximize the ripeness levels. Papillon has amazing aging potential.
