Clos de la Frelonnerie : Clos de la Frelonnerie 2022

Characteristics and tasting advice for Clos de la Frelonnerie 2022

Tasting

Color
The wine shows a brilliant yellow hue with golden highlights.

Nose
The nose reveals an elegant bouquet with aromas of yellow fruits and mirabelle plums, enhanced by delicate notes of white flowers. Hints of white-fleshed fruits and citrus blossom complete this refined aromatic palette.

Palate
On the palate, the wine displays a finely chiseled structure, carried by a magnificent mineral drive. Its lingering freshness supports a beautifully elegant texture, leading to a finish of remarkable length. The overall impression is one of controlled power, characteristic of the great dry Chenins of the appellation.

Food and wine pairing
This Loire wine pairs beautifully with noble fish such as turbot or John Dory with beurre blanc. It is also a wonderful match for trout gravlax.

Cellaring and serving
Clos de la Frelonnerie 2022 is best enjoyed at a temperature between 10 and 12°C. This wine has a cellaring potential of at least 15 years and can be enjoyed through around 2039.

A Montlouis-sur-Loire of remarkable tension and depth

The estate
Located west of Montlouis-sur-Loire, Clos de la Frelonnerie embodies the rebirth of a historic clos surrounded by centuries-old walls. Under the guidance of Alice Chidaine, Jean-Baptiste Bonnigal and Stéphane Bodet, this monopole cultivates Chenin Blanc through organic and biodynamic farming. The vines, some of which are several decades old, produce wines of remarkable tension and depth on sandy-clay soils over yellow tuff.

The vineyard
The Clos de la Frelonnerie vineyard stretches across a narrow, walled parcel west of Montlouis-sur-Loire on the slopes above the Cher. The sandy-clay soils rest on a base of yellow tuff. The vines are farmed at a planting density that enables a natural limitation of yields. Controlled yields and hand-harvesting guarantee optimal grape quality.

The vintage
The 2022 vintage began with frost protection measures in April. A warm spring was followed by a hot summer. Light rainfall shortly before harvest made for a relaxed picking period under ideal ripening conditions.

Winemaking and aging
After reception and sorting at the table, the grapes for Clos de la Frelonnerie 2022 are directly pressed. Fermentation takes place with indigenous yeasts in 620-liter demi-muids. Aging lasts 24 months on fine lees without racking in the same vessels, giving the wine its purity and mineral depth.

Grape variety
Chenin (100%)