philippe foreau domaine du clos naudin moelleux reserve 2018

"managed since 1983 by philippe foreau, an honest, discreet and inspired winegrower, the estate has a very fine winegrowing heritage of a dozen hectares, essentially located on the ""first slopes"" of vouvray, which look out over the river, on the hillside, and occupy the famous ""perruches"", these flinty clay soils, more or less deep, which cover the tufa subsoil. the perruches contribute largely to giving foreau wines this superb balance, between a structuring acidity, perfectly controlled, and a generous and caressing substance. the vines, on average forty years old, are regularly replanted by massal selection. they are cultivated according to methods that are very respectful of the living world and the life of the soil: regular ploughing, a total absence of insecticides and systemic treatments (made concrete in 2015 by the certification of the entire vineyard as organic), short pruning for a better control of the yields and, of course, constant observation to evaluate the good maturity of the grapes and the arrival of the famous botrytis that will be at the origin of the superb mellow reserves of the domaine! in the cellar, then in the ageing cellars, a fascinating maze of galleries dug by his grandfather in the 1910s, philippe foreau applies himself to preserving the integrity of the fruit and the capacity of the chenin to transmit the minerality of the terroir and to preserve a structuring freshness, allowing for the longest cellars. philippe is clearly a lover of purity and aromatic subtlety. the vouvray moelleux reserve is made from flinty clay soils, which are the real hallmark of the estate. the white chenin grapes (100%) are botrytised (affected by noble rot). this sweet reserve wine is made in the great vintages (about 2/10), when the maturities reach perfection and when the conditions are right (mist in the morning and dryness in the afternoon...) to have this famous botrytis cinerea fungus. the cultivation has been organic for decades, and will be certified with the 2024 vintage (under certification since 2021). in the cellar, the vinification is not very interventionist, in old barrels. indeed, the alcoholic fermentation is triggered by indigenous yeasts. the wine contains between 110 and 220 grams of residual sugar. there is no malolactic fermentation, in order to preserve the freshness and purity of the chenin. the wine is aged for a very short time, since bottling takes place before the summer. the original barrels (300 litres) are very old (only 5% new barrels). this cuvée is distinguished by its aromas of quince, pear and mirabelle plum, and its beautiful balance on the palate despite its sweetness, its precision, and its aromas of candied fruits. a very nice sweet vouvray, with great ageing potential. vouvray moelleux réserve - philippe foreau should be served at a temperature of 12°c."