Domaine Belargus - Anjou "Bonnes Blanches" 2019

The Bonnes Blanches is full-bodied, long and expressive, with fine tannins and lingering grip.

Jo Pithon resuscitated this south-facing monopole, Coteau des Treilles, in Rochefort in the late 1990s. This 2.72-hectare plot is “geological chaos” hence abandoned after the war. Located in the heart of the Pont-Barré Natural Reserve, a heaven of biodiversity that has never known chemistry, Jo brought this grand cru back on the map of the Loire's finest vineyards. Now run by Ivan Massonnat they worked to create the very first vintage, the 2018.

The 2019 Anjou Bonnes Blanches is a dry, perfumed Chenin Blanc with firm line and length. Its perfumed bouquet offers florals, nectarine and exotic pineapple scents, with notes of pastry evident from long elevage in large barrels. While round and tender, there's a tension that runs through this wine like a sharp knife, which is likely a result of its north-facing position on schist. Long and scented. 91 points, Rebecca Gibb, Vinous.

100% Chenin Blanc.