Thursday, April 2, 2020

Domaine Baumard Clos du Papillon, 1985

Buy Savennières Clos du Papillon Domaine des Baumard 1998 (lot: 2067)Savennieres from the Loire Valley, with several decades of aging, is a rare treat. and Clos du Papillon (a butterfly-shaped vineyard) produces arguably the best Savennieres. You might say it's the essence of dry Chenin Blanc, one of my favorite white wines. I have had this 35-year-old Clos du Papillon and many of its siblings from the 1970s and 1980s many times over the years and never been disappointed. A bargain through most of the 1980s, the current vintage of Clos du Papillon now sells for about $60 a bottle, well beyond my price point.

Deep gold, clear and bright. I don't usually decant a white wine, but this wine clearly benefited from being poured into a swan-shaped decanter. Powerful Chenin scents: apples, tart pears, ginger, honeysuckle. Flavors are equally powerful and hard to resist. Deep mineral-laden fruit. Savory, almost salty. Great wine.

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