Damien Laureau - Savennières L'Alliance 2022

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Producer	Damien Laureau
Country	France
Region	Loire Valley
Subregion	Savennières
Varietal	Chenin Blanc
Vintage	2022
Sku	12015054
Size	750ml

  

The name changes, the cuvée La Petite Roche becomes l'Alliance. A dry white wine made from different terroirs of Savennières, essentially young vines (including the lieux-dits of La Petite Roche and Pitrouillet) , and a selection of juices from the press. Damien has planted all these small vineyards, which have been farmed organically from the start, worked by hand, and plowed by horse. Aging 10 months in tank on the fine lees, bottled unfined & unfiltered, vegan. Vinification on lees and maturing in vats for 12 months.

"A kind of "baby" Savennières that plays with its pep by deploying citrus fruits, medlar, white pepper and herbal infusions. One grasps from the first nose, the pedigree of the place, and the simplicity of the composition. It is quite addictive as a cocktail! On the palate, it is between comfort of attack and salivating dynamism that composes this vintage." - Manuel Peyrondet, best sommelier of France (Chais d'Oeuvre)

A delight with a fish dish, just grilled, shellfish or a pan-fried vegetable with saffron. The Alliance is the perfect accompaniment to a nice cheese platter. Serve at 10-12 °C. To be consumed over 5 to 7 years. sandy grey schist soils.

Working out of a small shed with a very small team, Damien Laureau is not exactly what one would call a "typical" Savennières winemaker. Fruit extracts and other non-synthetic treatments are used on the vines in place of harsh chemicals, and quite frankly, you can tell it just by looking at the vineyards. They feel alive, with wildlife and indigenous plants sharing the space with Damien's healthy vines of Chenin Blanc. Damien, along with a few other young growers, is starting to experiment with harvesting just when the grapes turn yellow (instead of the traditional Savennieres "green grapes") to take advantage of the richness that the sun brings. At the same time, he is careful not to pick too late as he wants to avoid a high level of botrytis in the harvest. As a result, the wines are a beautiful balance of richness, concentration, lively acidity, and length. Yields are quite low (an average of 35 hl/ha is quite common while most harvest at around 50 hl/ha.) Called "Undoubtedly the future star of Savennieres" by France's "La Revue de Vin de France", Damien is quietly carving out his own style with some of the most extraordinary terroir in the world. These are worldclass white wines.