Pinon Vouvray 2020 'Les Trois Argiles'

100% Chenin Blanc

Vouvray, Loire Valley, France

"Trois Argiles" or "three clays" is named for the 3 parcels of Pinon's most clay-forward soils which go into this demi-sec bottling. They lie on an east-facing plateau and tend to be cooler and slower-ripening thanks to the water-retaining soils. Overall the Pinon vines average 45 years old and have been certified organic since 2007. "Trois Argiles" is made identically to the other demi-sec terroir bottling, "Silex Noir". The bunches are harvested by hand, rigorously sorted and directly pressed. The juice flows by gravity into underground tanks for a spontaneous native-yeast fermentation that lasts 2-3 months and stops naturally in Pinon's cold cellar. The wine is aged on its fine lees for 4-5 months in a variety of old oak ranging from 500-liter demi-muids to 20-hectoliter foudres. The 2018 finished with 22 grams RS and 4.1 grams acidity.