2021 Domaine du Closel Savennieres “Clos du Papillon”, Loire Valley, France

ABOUT THIS WINE

The Clos du Papillon plot is a small valley (flow), wonderfully well exposed to the light of the Loire: there are schists, rhyolites but also quartz. We have vines of various ages in this plot, we harvest in several sorts in order to pick the grapes as close as possible to their maturity. These different sorts are aged in barrels for 12 months, then 7 months in vats. 

ABOUT THIS PRODUCER

Evelyne de Pontbriand took over her venerable family estate—known historically as the Château des Vaults but now as Domaine du Closel—in 2001 in a career change from teaching French literature. Her mother Michèle de Jessey was a notable figure in the Chenin-only appellation of Savennières, having inherited the estate from her aunt, Madame du Closel; she was devoted to all things Savennières, and even became its president, the first woman to run an AOC.

Evelyne inherited her mother’s passion and technical acuity and now meticulously manages the estate, which comprises 13 hectares of Chenin Blanc (as well as 3 of Cabernets Franc and Sauvignon). The estate was certified organic in 2006 and received full biodynamic certification as of the 2015 vintage. Savennières is a famously unique, intense, savory and structured expression of Chenin Blanc, thanks to the preponderance of schist, a form of slate, in its soils; Evelyne has learned from her 16 years on the job that meticulous, minimal farming and winemaking is the most effective way to convey its essence.