Description

Vincent Careme Les Clos is just about as good as Vouvray can be. I have tried a few vintages and for me, it looks a bit more like the Savennieres style of Chenin. It is acid, boney, savoury and with just enough prettiness to make you want to drink more. It is certainly a wine to cellar as that acid needs some taming still. Drink from now but better after 2025.

The vineyard is a classic site; flint, clay and tuffeau soils. Old vines and low yields add to the depth of flavour. Fermentation and maturation was entirely in French oak. 20% was new. They have left in 4 grams of sugar to balance the acid.

Tania and Vincent Careme inherited 5 hectares of vines in prime Vouvray terroir and they have since bought more vineyards and rented some as well to give a total of around 15 hectares. They are making Vouvray of the highest quality. The use gentle processes and little to no sulphur or chemicals to make their wine and grow their grapes.

Vouvray

The ‘tuffeau’ chalk covered with clay soils and areas of flint and sand soils of Vouvray are where some of the world’s best Chenin Blanc takes root.  The mineral, flinty core gives way to lovely pear, honeysuckle and lime zest notes. The best Vouvray wines are some of the best wines in the world.

Chenin Blanc

May not be the most popular or the most famous wine grape, but the good examples are seriously good! Lovely, fleshy/flowery apples and pears, a nice mineral – flinty streak, lemon zest and a touch of dough. I have always described good Chenin as feeling pillowy and I stand by that. Round and fluffy mouth feel but the zesty acid kicks it into shape.