Touraine Les Pieds Rôtis AOC 2019 – Château de Coulaine

The Les Pieds Rôtis is a Chenin Blanc that essentially comes from a vineyard formerly produced under the Touraine appellation but now as Chinon AOP. The vineyard is located on the other side of the Vienne and is actually called Les Pieds Rôtis - the grilled Feet. It is a cru characterised by its terroir of gravel, fossil sponges, red clay and white limestone on a south-east facing slope. After whole cluster pressing, the Chenin Blanc was fermented spontaneously in wood and, after malolactic fermentation, aged for eleven months on the lees in perennial 400-litre barrels.

deep straw yellow

The bouquet seems fresh and smells intensely of pears, peaches, bitter oranges and orange blossom with a hint of chalk and a liquorice that becomes more pronounced with air.

On the palate, the Chenin Blanc initially appears polished in its silky style, but this evolves into a more velvety style in the mid-palate. The peach and bitter orange aromas hinted at on the nose are supported by a firm phenolic substance and a certain peppery and smoky quality on the finish. On the mid palate, there are notes of ripe apples and pears along with peel. The bitter orange flavours are further complemented by lemon zest. It is a powerful and structured style with lively minerality. The wine becomes longer and more complex with air, becoming fresher and more elegant. This is decidedly impressive.