Domaine du Clos Naudin (Philippe Foreau) - Vouvray Moelleux “Réserve” 2009 (750ml)
Price: $129.99
| Producer | Domaine du Clos Naudin (Philippe Foreau) |
| Country | France |
| Region | Loire Valley |
| Varietal | Chenin Blanc |
| Vintage | 2009 |
| Sku | 67283 |
| Size | 750ml |
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Domaine du Clos Naudin (Philippe Foreau) Description
It is the rare vintage that is blessed with the conditions necessary for Foreau to release a Moelleux Réserve. Wines so declared frequently have levels of residual sugar that are in excess of 150 grams of residual sugar. It is not, however, simply the level of ripeness that creates the Moelleux Réserve; it is as much the conditions of the growing season that produce grapes that have a level of complexity and ripeness that demand this sort of classification. An error that many make in assessing and utilizing these wines is to consider the sugar quotient as a disqualifier for use of this wine during any stage of a meal. Our experience is such that these wines can marry well with a wide range of dishes served at the beginning, middle or end of a meal. Recent vintages that have seen the release of a Moelleux Réserve are: 2015, ’09, ’05, ’03.
Because the Foreaus have always made their wines in the same low-key way—natural fermentation and aging in the aforementioned ancient barriques, blocked malolactic fermentation, never any chaptalization—there is a clear thread connecting current vintages to past versions. Philippe Foreau’s wines age remarkably well. Each wine exhibits an extraordinary panoply of flavors and aromas of fruit, floral and earth elements.
Wine Advocate: 94 Points
Vinous
Rich golden yellow. Expansive aromas of caramelized apricot, white peach, date, banana and butter cream are layered in the noble botrytis. Rich, spicy tropical fruits coat the palate, but a finely chiseled, chalky minerality keep this chenin blanc remarkably light on its feet. Dense but not at all heavy, it finishes long and not at all cloying. Delicious.
