Chateau Soucherie Savennieres Clos des Perrieres 2013

RWM IMPORTER'S NOTES

When our longtime partner Château Soucherie changed hands in the late 2000s, new owner Roger Beguinot enacted many positive changes at the winery, working toward organic certification, improving cellar equipment, and—vitally—finding new talent to shepherd the estate’s formidable holdings in Savennieres and Coteaux du Layon into compelling wines.

Early on, future Anjou superstar Thibaud Boudignon was the full-time cellarmaster for Beguinot, and while he has long since moved on to fully pursue his own wines, we astonishingly have a handful of cases in our warehouse of a Savennieres Thibaud produced during his stint at Château Soucherie. Traditionally made Savennieres notoriously requires years of aging to relax; unlike its beguiling upriver Chenin Blanc brethren Vouvray and Montlouis, schistous Savennieres is born fully armored and bristling with tension. How lovely it is, then, to be able to offer 10-year-old examples from such an immense talent.

The Clos des Perrieres is a 1.8-hectare vineyard with varied soils of schist, sand, and volcanic rocks, nestled in a relatively cool microclimate for the appellation. These foundational terroir elements result in Chenin Blanc of bristling acidity, pugilistic minerality, and palate-drenching salinity—one which, even young, finds varietal elements backgrounded in favor of a forceful sense of place. This 2013 underwent spontaneous alcoholic fermentation (no malolactic), and Thibaud aged it for 18 months in 500- and 600-liter casks of which 20% were new—a modest oak regimen that the intensely concentrated wine integrates early in its bottle-aging.

Today, the wine has blossomed and become sensuous, while remaining chiseled and muscular. Don’t miss the chance to experience a serious Savennieres in its sweet spot—and for a relative song at that. 

A Beautiful pale golden, yellow appearance with green highlights. The nose expresses white fruits with nuances of roots. The woodiness melts and a freshness imposes itself. An aspect of celery and roots, the mineral imprint is strong and this defines a subtle and fine nose. Nut and bitter almond are also present as well as herns and lemongrass. The palate is characteristic. A beautiful confrontation in the attack on the palate between the power and bitterness of the minerals. A framework of a sharp final tonic where the saltiness and lemon flavours complete the taste.