Domaine Aux Moines "Savennières-Roche aux Moines"

If Savennières is one of the top sources of austere, dry (not always, of course) and highly ageable Chenin Blanc of the Loire, the sub-origin designation of origin Savennières-Roche aux Moines is one of the two unofficial grand cru of the region, a noble terroir in a noble appellation of origin. Now consider vines over 45 years old, an estate with a history dating back to the 12th century, fantastic blue slate soils, steep southern exposures, organic farming, minimal yields and a "light hand" in winemaking, and Tessa Laroche's Roche Aux Moines is the ultimate expression of Savennières. A wine with rigour and power in its youth but with excellent concentration and ripe acidity, with precision in its flavour profile and no trace of the baroque (due to botrytis) style that Savennieres have often had in the past. Nerve, tension, crystal clarity and endless freshness will give way with time to a unique honeyed and smoky mineral character, elevating one of the top expressions of Chenin of the Loire as a whole.