Domaine de la Taille Aux Loups : Clos du Hochet 2024

Characteristics and Tasting Notes of Domaine de la Taille Aux Loups 2024

Tasting

Colour
This white wine reveals a delicate pale lemon-yellow hue.

Nose
The aromatic bouquet opens with notes of white flowers, apple and pear, enriched by touches of honey and camomile, all underpinned by a beautiful chalky minerality.

Palate
Energetic and dense, the palate offers a subtle balance between richness, fruity freshness and saline mineral tension. The enveloping texture, marked by delicate umami notes, extends into a remarkably long finish.

Food and wine pairing

This white wine pairs beautifully with shellfish such as langoustines, delicately seasoned white fish, poached poultry or matured goat's cheeses.

Service and storage

This 2024 vintage boasts exceptional ageing potential and can continue to evolve beneficially in bottle for several decades.

The precision and elegance of a white wine from Montlouis-sur-Loire

The estate

Founded in 1988 by the visionary Jacky Blot, Domaine de la Taille Aux Loups is a key reference point in the Loire Valley. Located in Montlouis-sur-Loire, this estate has greatly contributed to the appellation's renown through a philosophy centred on the pure expression of terroir and organic viticulture. Since his father's passing in May 2023, Jean-Philippe Blot has been the current owner, carrying on this legacy of excellence. The estate spans around forty-five hectares and stands out for its minimal-intervention winemaking.

The vineyard

The vines, with an average age of fifty years, thrive on the complex terroirs of Montlouis-sur-Loire. The soils are a blend of clay, flint and limestone, resting on a tuffeau subsoil that lends a unique mineral backbone. The vineyard is certified organic, favouring mechanical soil management and meticulous canopy work. Harvesting is carried out entirely by hand, over several passes to select grapes at optimal ripeness.

The vintage

2024 was marked by particularly challenging weather conditions. The region experienced rainfall sometimes reaching double the annual average, accompanied by hailstorms in May. This high humidity led to significant disease pressure. Despite these challenges, the growing cycle extended late into the season, allowing for slow ripening and requiring rigorous selection at harvest, resulting in very low yields.

Winemaking and ageing

After gentle pneumatic pressing and static clarification, the juice is transferred by gravity. Fermentation begins spontaneously with indigenous yeasts and proceeds very slowly in oak barrels. To preserve all its freshness, malolactic fermentation is blocked. Ageing continues on fine lees for around twelve months in Burgundian barrels. The wine is neither fined nor filtered before bottling.

Grape variety

Chenin Blanc (100%). An emblematic and historic grape variety of the Loire Valley, Chenin Blanc, also known as Pineau de la Loire, is renowned for its exceptional ability to convey the minerality of tuffeau terroirs while offering a natural acidity that ensures great longevity.