Domaine Belargus Savennieres Gaudrets 2022 750ml

Sourced from a 1.85-hectare collection of southeastern-facing plots situated high on a plateau above the village of Savennières, this cuvée captures the most characteristic terroir profile of the historic appellation. The vines are anchored in a topsoil of fine aeolian (wind-blown) sands resting over a deep bedrock of dark, volcanic black schist. This unique soil composition imparts a more approachable, generous, and structurally fluid personality to the wine compared to the fiercely austere, backward expressions found on the steep cliffs directly overlooking the river. Farmed under strict certified biodynamic practices, the fruit is harvested entirely by hand, pressed gently, and fermented spontaneously with native wild yeasts before undergoing a patient 13-month maturation in a combination of large oak vats and 400-liter French oak barrels.

In the glass, it reveals a pale, shimmering straw-gold color with vibrant green reflections. The nose is beautifully lifted, architectural, and highly aromatic, greeting the senses with an elegant bouquet of ripe orchard fruits, yellow pear, and fresh lemon rind, seamlessly intertwined with complex nuances of white spring flowers, wild dill, anise, and a faint, toasty reduction from the wood. On the palate, the wine delivers an enveloping, medium-to-full-bodied presence that is simultaneously concentrated and remarkably fleshy. A deep, texturally satiny core of pit fruit is effortlessly carried by a fine, vibrant spine of natural acidity that lends superb vertical freshness. The black schist makes its presence felt on the mid-palate, introducing a deep mineral weight and a classic Savennières trait: a noble, tightly woven phenolic bitterness that perfectly contrasts the wine's initial plushness. It finishes with an ethereal, long, and savory crescendo, leaving behind a persistent trail of citrus pith, wet stone salinity, and a clean, dry, and mouth-watering grip.

Barrel & Batch+ 1