The Domaine de la Garrelière sits on the highest point in Richelais and is run by François and Pascale Plouzeau, who are described across the Loire as honest, consistent, and pragmatic. They farm 20 hectares biodynamically. François is a modest winemaker, and spends more time in the vineyard than the cellar. His approach in the winery is minimal and traditional. Sans tralala, as they say!
This cuvée comes from their youngest Chenin Blanc vines, just five to ten years old. The fruit is delicious but doesn't have the concentration of the older vines, which is exactly the point. You get something fresher, lighter, more immediate. The grapes are crushed, given a short maceration, pressed into stainless steel for fermentation, then racked into tank for a short élevage.
Even if it's their lighter cuvée, it's super honeyed. That perfectly waxy, round texture you expect from Chenin Blanc. Rich but not heavy. It stands up to scallops drenched in butter, to cod. Someone came into the shop the other day looking for a wine to go with exactly that, and this was the only answer!
