Description
Anne-Claude Leflaive and Christian Jacques purchased Clau de Nell in 2008; Sylvain Potin joined the team as estate manager in 2009. The property is comprised of 10 hectares (24.7 acres) of vines on a gently sloping hill surrounded by open countryside. The highest point of Clau de Nell offers a glimpse of the Loire in the distance; from here, an uninterrupted view unveils the sky and the river on the horizon, as well as rows of Grolleau, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chenin Blanc.
Tasting Notes
From vines planted in 2012 in high density (6,200 plants per hectare) on sandstone-silex and clay-limestone soils and harvested in two to three selections (just ripe and fully healthy grapes were picked only in the morning hours), the 2016 Chenin Blanc offers a clear, fresh and aromatic, finely mineral and chalky bouquet of yellow-fleshed tropical fruits. Round and creamy-textured on the palate, this is a full-bodied, fruity, fresh and very elegant Chenin with a long and intense, lovely, aromatic and salty finish. The wine was fermented and aged for 12 months in three- to five-year-old Leflaive barrels and for another six months in tanks. The 2016 was bottled slightly filtered in late April 2018. [91 Points, Stephan Reinhardt – October 2021, robertparker.com]
