"To say Puechavy lucked out with his land is an understatement: these terroirs are as good as it gets. The vines are sandwiched between those of Huet and Foreau, the two legendary, defining estates of Vouvray. The vines, planted exclusively in Chenin Blanc, grow on clay and limestone and are roughly 25 to 80 years old. The specificity of the terroir is that it's much more limestone heavy than other parts of Vouvray, resulting in great drainage and unparalleled minerality. The prior owner worked them conventionally, so Thomas is in the process of converting them to organics. Work in the cellar is straightforward. Thomas divides the grapes between younger and older vines, which are then direct-pressed to ferment and age in barrel. From the old vines, a wine called 'Les Doyennes' is produced with an extra year of elevage in barrel, bottled 26-28 months after harvest." -Louis/Dressner

not-to-be-missed Chenin Blanc. A wine of contradictions — fat and lean, fresh and bitter, petrol and delicacy.