Opened this last evening, the Clos des Chaudoux comes from vines close to the winery of Michel Redde et Fils (just to the west of the autoroute that slices through the hamlet of Les Berthiers. The vines are planted on clay limestone marne kimmeridgean soils with their characteristics fossilised shellfish.
The Clos des Chaudoux has 10-12 hours of skin contact and, following the alcoholic fermentation it goes through malolactic. It is then aged in tank and bottled 18 months after the harvest. In a blind tasting I would be amazed if I managed to pick this wine out as Sauvignon or Pouilly-Fumé. The nose is certainly aromatic but the aromas are more in the Muscat-Gewurztraminer register – perhaps particularly Muscat, which aldso comes through on the very rich palate. Initially it is the Clos des Chadoux is quite attractive but I find the wine soon becomes tiring and heavy – lacking zip and freshness. For the first few mouthfuls it matched skate with a cream and mushroom sauce but it soon became too much. I came to the same conclusion when drinking this on its own. I don’t think the malo is a good idea, especially not as the 2006s are now tasting.
I fancy that a number of 2006 Loire Sauvignons need greater acidity and minerality to carry off the weight they have put on with age.
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