This is one to keep on hand in the fridge - chilled and ready to enjoy.
"The homeland of Chenin Blanc is France's Loire Valley, and nowhere does it achieve such heights as it does there," writes Jay McInerney in The Wall Street Journal.
Naturally, I agree.
Jay McInerney continues his ode to French Chenin Blanc by noting that the varietal boasts "relatively high acid, which makes it food friendly and lively."
Absolutely. In white wines, acidity is a crucial element. Great acidity makes a wine refreshing and crisp, and it also magnifies the fruit. A wine that lacks acidity (ugh!) can't help but taste cloying, flabby, and lifeless.
It's the wonderful acidity in Domaine Lavigne's Saumur Blanc that makes it the perfect refresher. The no-holding-back price is just a bonus.
Domaine Lavigne has got you covered.
I am telling you this wine is charmant. It is lithe and springy, bouncing around in my mouth with dashes of pears and grapefruits and lemons. There is unusual complexity to this cool, pleasing citrus medley.
Domaine Lavigne is in the commune of Varrains, a suburb of the town of Saumur. Saumur is right on the Loire River, about mid-way between Angers and Tours. There is a palm tree right inside the walls of the domaine, which tells you something about the climate. Domaine Lavigne is a family effort: Gilbert Lavigne and his daughter Pascale Lavigne, and her husband Antoine Veron, together run the Domaine.
Domaine Lavigne has only 2 precious hectares of Chenin Blanc so their production of this wine is very limited. Witnessing the care and expertise the family puts into every winemaking decision removes any mystery as to why Domaine Lavigne's Saumur Blanc is, frankly, so much better than the other Chenin Blancs out there. This is small-production artisanal quality and authenticity in a glass.
It is bright, fresh, with an acidic backbone that focuses and magnifies the fruit. Get your case while you can. -Margot Hurley, Cynthia Hurley French Wines
