Growing Conditions
A cool and low yielding vintage, 2021 provided Loire whites with lifting acidity and intense, just-ripe fruit concentration.
With about 160 acres planted, Jasnières represents one of the Loire Valley’s smallest appellations. And yet it is home to one of its most distinctive expressions of Chenin Blanc, as this cool, stony terroir of clay, limestone, and flint yields wines unlike anything one might find in other Chenin AOCs such as Vouvray, Savennières, or Anjou. Average vine age of 35 - 40 years.
Winemaking
Pascal Janvier is a small grower in Jasnières intent on showing off the typicity and uniqueness of the area’s wines, and the 2021 vintage does not disappoint.
• The grapes undergo a two-hour pressing following the harvest.
• The juice is then put in cuve for twelve to twenty-four hours, is racked, and then begins alcoholic fermentation. Temperatures during fermentation are monitored and must not pass 20 – 25 degrees Celsius. Sugar levels are monitored daily. Fermentation is monitored daily and stops when equilibrium is found between the acidity and sugar.
• Another racking takes place after fermentation, then the wines age on fine lees in stainless steel cuve for a few more months before bottling
Aging
Another racking takes place after fermentation, then the wines age on fine lees in stainless steel for a few more months before bottling.
Nose
The aroma is always fascinating—guava, flowers, citrus, clove, and gunflint.
Palate
Racy, slightly honeyed, perfumed, and loaded with minerality, this wine is an excellent representation of how Chenin reacts to the local conditions. A hint of sweetness if expertly balanced with the wines bracing acidity and fruit concentration.
Food Pairing
This white’s versatility makes it a great choice for the gourmet adventurer, as simple dishes like fresh goat cheeses and buttery fish preparations work just as well as many Southeast Asian and Central American dishes.