Chateau Pierre-Bise ‘Les Rouannières’ Coteaux du Layon 2010 (Loire Valley, France)
Source: Tasting
www.terroir-selections.com.au
What a magical wine this is. A magical wine that showcases just how perfect sweet Loire Chenin can be. Claude Papin, proprietor of Chateau Pierre-Bis, has been called a ‘doyen of Anjou viticulture’ and this style is really all about the magical fruit at the core.
Produced from a combination of shrivelled, late harvested fruit and some botrytised bunches, this is fermented half in old barrel and half tank. 100% Chenin Blanc. 180g/L of residual sugar.
It’s just beautiful cumquat and marmalade juice. Has a beautiful light toffee and toasted caramelised citrus fruit but without actually feeling heavy sweet like a fully botrytised wine. The balance here between sweetness and texture is superb, the finish long and so perfectly weighted. Length and clarity is perfect – you can just taste those slightly shrivelled Chenin Blanc grapes.
Stunning sweet wine. Stunning! I could drink this all day, such is the sweet lightness. Magical.
Drink: 2013-2028+
Score: 18.7/20 95/100
Would I buy it? In a heartbeat
You might also like
4 Comments
what would you drink it with Andrew? Some kind of french cheese? It sounds lovely
Fruit desert, cheese, pastry type things. Sweetness is pretty balanced so should be versatile.
Andrew,
Enjoy the comments as always. As a newbie I will buy the wines you critcise as well as the ones you applaud (if I can find them). But why would I buy a dud , you ask….I suppose its to understand the criticisms as well as the applause in an attempt to train my palate. May sound a bit odd but I see it as part of the experience.Its okay to say "I dont like that", but I want to be able to capture and understand why I dont like it. After all that ,can you provide some advice on how I would find a wine such as you have described above. Many thanks as always.
Hi Colin,
I'd go small independents such as Steve's in WA, Europa in Melbourne, East End Cellars in Adelaide of Five Ways in Sydney for a start. If you can't find this particular bottle ay decent sweet Loire Chenin is a good start (if that helps).