Domaine de la Roche Bleue, Chenin Blanc, Jasnières, Loire, France (2021)

TASTING NOTES

Wet wool, ripe (and slightly baked) yellow apples and guava, pineapple, heather, honey and wet stone. The finish is bone dry, mineral and long with vibrant, humming acidity. Capable of ageing for another 10 years, but fresh and vibrant in youth. Delicious!

Jasnieres is one of the smallest and rarest Loire appellations to be represented in Canada. While most of Jasnières' soils are Turonian chalk (tuffeau), Cornille's are from 30 year-old vines on slopes and terraces of clay and silex over limestone, generally resulting in more weight to the final wines.

100% Chenin Blanc. After a slow pressing of whole clusters, the long fermentations mostly takes place in 4 to 6 year-old barriques, with the younger vines fermented in stainless steel. The wine is then aged in 6 year old barrels. 

Sebastien Cornille makes his wines in the most non-interventionist way possible. His estate is certified organic with biodynamic methods. The grapes are typically harvested quite ripe but without botrytis at around 30 hl/ha or less, long low-temperature fermentaion, and with minimal sulphur.