2020 Saumur-Champigny, Les Coudraies, Domaine des Closiers, Loire

While light in body, the 2020 Les Coudraies is a seductive style that enters with a certain amount of juicy fat and then pow! It reveals itself fully in its salty, taut and firm with a limestone-derived freshness and chalky texture. You can expect excellent purity of fruit, transparency and a particular delicacy as it floats through the mouth, which is surprising when you find out the alcohol is 14%. It’s really rather good if you like your wines precise and taut, considering it's only the second vintage from this former business consultant. It's one to watch.

In 2019, Anatole de la Brosse, a Champagne native and business consultant in Paris, bought a domaine off a retiring vigneron. The vendor had always sold his grapes to negociants, and he needed a single employee working the 15ha of vineyard alone. De la Brosse attempted to do both his job in Paris and revive this Saumur-Champigny estate, but in 2021, he dedicated his life to his vines and has a small team as well as a consultant, Michel Chevré of Clos de l'Ecotard. The vineyards are in organic conversion, and biodynamic farming is practised. 

Drink 2022 - 2035

Deliciously inviting nose of raspberries, mint and black pepper - perfect typicity for Cabernet Franc. Abundance of ripe blackberry and a hint of cassis, this is a particular, post-modern style of Atlantic wine.

Drink 2023 - 2035