Domaine aux Moines : Roche aux Moines 2022

Characteristics and Tasting Notes for the 2022 Roche aux Moines from Domaine aux Moines

Tasting Notes

Appearance
This white wine displays a golden yellow colour with greenish highlights. Clear and bright, it reveals a beautiful density underlined by pronounced legs.

Nose
Complex and energetic, the bouquet opens with aromas of white and yellow fruits such as pear, ripe apple and quince. It is enriched with floral notes of linden blossom, honeyed touches and beeswax, all wrapped in a minerality reminiscent of gunflint, along with subtle pastry-like nuances.

Palate
The attack is lively, giving way to a full-bodied, textured and powerful character. Carried by a vibrant acidity and a lovely salinity, the palate unfolds flavours of citrus and stone fruits. The long, structured finish stands out with noble bitterness and persistent mineral notes.

Food and Wine Pairing

This great white wine pairs wonderfully with noble fish such as turbot, sea bass or sole, as well as with seafood like lobster and scallops. It also perfectly complements a truffle risotto, veal sweetbreads or dishes in creamy sauces.

Serving and Cellaring

For an optimal tasting experience of this 2022 vintage, it is recommended to serve it at around 10°C and to decant it while young. This wine is built for ageing and can be enjoyed now, but will continue to evolve favourably until around 2044.

The Elegance and Minerality of a Great Loire Chenin Blanc at Domaine aux Moines

The Estate

Located in the heart of the Loire Valley, this historic estate was established in its current form in 1981 by the Laroche family, although its winemaking heritage dates back to the monks of the 12th century. Run by women for over forty years, the property, known as Domaine aux Moines, is now in the hands of Tessa Laroche. This Savennières estate stands out for its deep commitment to organic farming and biodynamics. Drawing on its historic terroir, it is renowned for producing wines of great purity that precisely reflect the nobility and minerality of its appellation.

The Vineyard

Overlooking the river, the vineyard covers approximately 12 hectares within the Savennières-Roche-aux-Moines appellation. The vines, averaging 45 to 48 years old, benefit from an ideal south to south-west exposure and a protective microclimate. The terroir consists of a complex mosaic of purple and grey-green schist, sand, sandstone and volcanic rock. Farmed organically with biodynamic practices and agroforestry, the estate favours low yields and fully manual harvesting through successive selective picking.

The Vintage

2022 was marked by hot, dry and particularly sunny weather conditions. Despite this heat, timely rainfall came at just the right moments, preventing the vines from suffering excessive water stress. These ideal weather conditions led to optimal ripening, resulting in magnificent golden grape clusters at harvest.

Winemaking and Ageing

After careful sorting, the grapes undergo gentle pneumatic pressing to preserve the finesse of the juice. Fermentation is triggered naturally by indigenous yeasts. Ageing lasts 18 months, carefully split between barrels for two-thirds of the wine, and large oak vats and stainless steel tanks for the remaining third, bringing complexity and tension to the wine.

Grape Variety

Chenin Blanc (100%).