Domaine du Margalleau 2018 Vouvray Sec

Brothers Bruno and Jean-Michel Pieaux are fourth generation vignerons in the Village of Chancay in the Loire's Vallee de Vaux. Here they are fashioning taut and lively Vouvray Chenin Blanc wines from the excellent “tuffeau,” or soft chalk, clay and limestone soils.

The vineyards here also contain flint, adding complex aromas and a core of minerality. For this dry Vouvray, 100% Chenin Blanc grapes are harvested by hand and pressed immediately, then fermented with indigenous yeasts in temperature-controlled, stainless steel tanks. The wine is aged in tank on fine lees for 6 months until bottling.

This wine is fresh, balanced and clean, with the floral and herbal qualities typical of Vouvray, reminiscent of chamomile and lemon tea but with a vibrant flinty mineral core. It will age decades but is full of life and vibrant flavors when opened young as well.