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Reuilly Blanc Les Lignis Domaine Valéry Renaudat 2022 NJ
Tasting Notes: The wine comes from multiple parcels of Sauvignon Blanc in the lieux-dit, Les Lignis, beyond the right bank of the Arnon, where the soils are clay-limestone over calcareous marl,... full of Jurassic ammonite fossils, as in Menetou Salon and Sancerre. This limpid, pale yellow-green wine unfurls gradually with aromas of green apples and pears, fresh flowers, and white grapefruit zest – along with fleeting suggestions of walnuts, cassis, anise, and lavender, which move in and out of the foreground as the wine evolves in the glass. On the palate, the wine is sapid and concentrated – at the same time chiseled and reined in – with a delicately spicy kernel of white nectarines joining the citrus and apples, all seasoned with saline minerality that persists through the long, elegant finish. Drink now for the wine’s electrifying energy and primary fruit, or tuck away in a cool cellar for three years or more. Read More
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Valéry Renaudat grew up among the farms and vineyards of Berry, including the cereal farm purchased by his grandfather in 1942. His interests led him to studies in agronomy and viticulture, then to Oregon to work a harvest before going to Bordeaux, where he worked in a number of cellars, and Burgundy, where he honed his winemaking skills at Domaine Vincent Girardin. Valéry returned to his home region in 1999, and at the age of 25, established his own two-hectare domaine, buying vineyards in Reuilly, as well as becoming the only vigneron based in this appellation to reverse the trend and purchase vines in Quincy. Today he farms 18 hectares; three are planted to Pinot Noir; two hectares to Pinot Gris, with the balance in Sauvignon Blanc, and is considered a “reference” for the two appellations.
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The Loire River runs 635 miles from the Cévennes Mountains in southeastern France to the Atlantic Coast and flows through (or near) over 60 different appellations. During its long history, the hillsides along the banks provided well-drained soils on which to grow grapes, and the river itself provided a transportation network to outside markets. Menetou-Salon has always existed in the shadow of its more famous neighbor, Sancerre. Economics seemed to have played a key role in suppressing the market for the region's wine - the vineyards are further away from the Loire River where commerce has always been livelier. Reuilly is west of its more famous neighbors, Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé, and Menetou Salon, and the appellation covers the same grapes with one addition; Pinot Gris. The soils generally have more clay than its neighbors, and the Sauvignon tends to more weight.
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The Sauvignon Blanc grape originated in France, and this vigorous vine gets its name from the French word “sauvage,” meaning “wild.” Depending on the climate and soil type, Sauvignon Blanc wines vary in terms of aromatics and flavor profile. In general, maritime and cooler climate areas, such as the Loire Valley, seem to be particularly well suited to Sauvignon Blanc. General characteristics of wines produced from this variety include citrus fruit (grapefruit and lime), and grassy or herbal aromatics, with a high acidity.
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