Domaine Belargus : Ruchères Monopole 2022

Characteristics and Tasting Notes of the Domaine Belargus Ruchères 2022

Tasting Notes

Appearance
This white wine displays a bright, luminous colour.

Nose
The bouquet reveals great complexity, blending white flowers and acacia with notes of ripe fruit such as mirabelle plum. The extended ageing brings subtle hints of beeswax, light honey and sweet spices.

Palate
On the palate, this dry wine unfolds a full, dense texture, perfectly balanced by a vibrant mineral tension. The enveloping texture stretches into a remarkably long finish, underlined by a delicate spicy thread.

Food and Wine Pairing

This white wine pairs beautifully with fine fish such as turbot or sea bass served with beurre blanc, as well as pan-seared scallops. It also enhances roasted poultry with mushrooms, sweetbreads, or well-matured cheeses such as Comté and Beaufort.

Serving and Cellaring

Built with a structure designed to stand the test of time, the Clos des Ruchères 2022 has significant ageing potential and can develop favourably in the cellar for five to ten years, or even longer.

The Pure Expression of a Schist Terroir in Savennières

The Estate

Founded in 2018 by Ivan Massonnat, the current owner, Domaine Belargus continues the pioneering work of Jo Pithon. Located at the heart of the Anjou Noir in the Loire Valley, this twenty-four-hectare estate is devoted exclusively to showcasing Chenin Blanc. Farmed according to biodynamic principles, the vineyard is conceived as a mosaic of historic terroirs. The estate stands out for its ambition to elevate the region's wines to the very top of the world hierarchy, producing single-plot cuvées of remarkable precision.

The Vineyard

A true jewel of the Savennières appellation, this micro-plot is a monopole of the estate. Located at the foot of La Roche-aux-Moines, on the steep Côte des Forges, it benefits from a rare terroir of deeply fractured purple schist. The soil, extremely shallow at only around twenty centimetres deep, forces the roots to draw their resources from within the rock itself. Tended meticulously like a garden, this low-vigour vine yields grapes of remarkable natural concentration.

Winemaking and Ageing

Following an entirely hand-harvested pick marked by successive sorting passes, the grapes of the Clos des Ruchères 2022 undergo a highly precise plot-by-plot vinification. Fermentation begins spontaneously thanks to indigenous yeasts. The wine is then aged for two years in barrels, mainly older casks, on fine lees. This gentle method preserves the vibrancy of the fruit and the mineral purity of the terroir.

Grape Variety

100% Chenin Blanc