2023 Domaine Philippe Tessier, Cheverny Blanc, Loire Valley, France.
I usually go for Philippe Tessier’s Cour-Cheverny made from the local Romorantin grape and the Cheverny Rouge, that is a u que blend of Gamay, Pinot Noir and Côt, the native name for Malbec in the Loire Valley, but I really loved this latest vintage of Cheverny Blanc, with its crisp brightness and fresh mineral character. Made all naturally and with certified organic grapes, this Cheverny Blanc is made from Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Orbois, a super rare native varietal here in this remote pat of the Loire, shows zesty lavers of lemon/lime, gooseberry, peach and Bosc pear fruits, along with hints of clove, almond, fennel and wet river stone. Lively, but gains textural presence through the Chardonnay, the Tessier Cheverny Blanc is medium bodied and is especially tasty with creamy goat cheese and or white fish. Tessier’s natural approach here is done with a spontaneous fermentation in stainless steel with indigenous yeasts, allowing malolactic fermentation to complete and then aged 6 months in a combination of stainless steel tank and neutral French oak barrels. I’ve been following these Philippe Tessier wines for more than a decade now and I recommend them to quality (clean) natural wine fans. This nicely balanced wine highlights the sandy clay based soils here and is distinctively terroir driven with focused fruit purity and steely clarity.
The Domaine Philippe Tessier was founded in back1961 by Roger Tessier, with his son Philippe taking the reins 20 years later in 1981 with focus on the native varietals and natural wines, which have really impressed in recent years as people search out authentic and unique wines. They are located in the heart of the Cheverny and Cour-Cheverny AOC’s and currently have 23 ha of vines, with a selection of Gamay, Côt (Malbec), Romorantin, one of the most underrated grapes in the Loire, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Pineau d’Aunis, Chemin Noir and the rare Orbois, a native white grape, seen in this wine. The vineyard, Tessier says, exists in a microclimate that keeps the vineyards cool, situated between the Loire River and the forest of Cheverny, Chambord and Solonge and has been Ecocert certified organic since 1998. Philippe, who believes that a wine should be the expression of the place from which it comes and should reflect the climatic conditions of the year, adds the vigneron that produces it plays vital role in allowing it all to come together, while always respecting the life of the soil and the natural environment. These Philippe Tessier, and Julien Labet, in the Jura, both make natural wines, similar in style, that have a big underground following and are hard to find, but worth chasing down, and again I would look for this one, plus the Cheverny Rouge and the Cour-Cheverny Blanc..
($29 Est.) 91 Points, grapelive