The “Coulée de Serrant“
It is with it only an “appellation controlee” of 7 hectares only. Located on very stiff slopes, dominating the Loire, the vines resulting from the type of vine “chenin” have more than 35 to 40 years of average age; oldest having more 80 years give wood to make new vines carrying the originality of the place. Partly cultivated with the horse, or the hand, the average output is with 20/25 hectolitres per hectare (40 authorized). The ground far from thick, (20 with 40 cm on average) is on a red schist bottom obliques which drains the vines perfectly.
The orientation of the slopes is especially Southern/Southern East (thank you to consult the data sheet for more details). The grape harvest is done in 5 times out of 3 to 4 weeks to obtain the most coloured possible maturity and the most marked by the botrytis.
Wine making : out of barrel of 500 liters (never more than new wood 5%).
Production: approximately 20/25000 bottles per annum.
Do not confuse oxydation with maturity
Chenin gets its complexity only when it is fully ripe – deep yellow. And only healthy, sustainable farming can guarantee this without grey rot.
For this reason, all our grapes are picked in four or five passes as each parcel begins to raisin and form botrytis – thereby allowing the mineral flavors of Chenin to achieve their fullest intensity.
Once opened, wines made in this way continue to improve – and are in no way oxydized.
To be sure that the color is not oxydation you can make the test yourself by tasting each day a glass over several days without putting the bottle in the fridge just recork. You will see the wine improving the first days even sometimes over more than a week. If the wine would be oxydized it would be undrinkable.
Our wines go well with white meat in sauce, fish with beurre blanc or even simply with a good cheese like goat cheese or Cantal.
Open few hours in advance or carafe the wine. Serve at 14°C / 57°F.
