Vouvray from Vincent and Philippe Foreau at the Clos Naudin, 2014 - 2016!

A bit of History - The estate dates back to the early 20th century and was officially established in 1923 by Philippe's grandfather Armand. (Poniatowski {Clos Baudoin} and Pinon were prominent growers at the time.) Armand ran the estate into the 1960s - his daughter Germaine married Gaston Huet and his son André took over the estate and enlarged the cellars. André's son Philippe was born in 1957 and joined his father after military service in 1980, taking over officially in the cold, wet vintages of 1983 and 84. Things improved from 1985 onwards with Philippe making superb sweet wines in 1989 and 1990, joining Huet, Pinon and a few others at the top of the appellation. Philippe's son, Vincent, now works with him and beginning in 2016 the label reads "V. Foreau" so the fourth generation is here!

Vineyards - Most of the estate's vineyards lie on the "première côte," the most important being "les Perruches," on Turonian limestone with clay with a high concentration of flint stones ("silex") that brings a distinctive mineral character to the wines. Higher on the slope are a group of vineyards called "Les Ruettes" on limestone and clay, without silex, that bring more power and concentration to the juice. According to Chris Kissack in "The Wine Doctor," the Foreaus feel that blending the juice from both terroirs is essential to making the style of Vouvray that they prefer. Thus, normally four different still wines are produced with the difference due to the level of residal sugar rather than terroir or vineyard sites. Farming here is organic, although a systemic fungicide may be used, very rarely, in a year with an intense attack of mildew in order to lessen the use of copper sulfate. The older vine parcels are plowed, while grass is maintained between the rows of younger vines, no herbicides or pesticides are used.

Winemaking - The vinyards are harvested by hand in successive "tries," a pneumatic press is used (the first in Vouvray, installed in 1976), fermentation is in 300 liter barrels with wild yeasts. The malo does not occur, due to the cold cellar and high acidity of the juice. SO2 is used sparingly during vinification, aging is in barrel, about 5% new due to replacements.

Brut and Brut Reserve - Grapes from the younger vines are used to make Champagne method sparkling wines (normally about 1/3 of the domain's production) with the NV Brut spending 3 years sur lie and the vintage Brut about 4 years. A Brut Reserve is made in the best vintages which spends 5 to 8 years sur-lie and perhaps some of you remember the special 2002 Reserve which spent 11 years sur lie...sensational wine!

Sec and Demi-Sec - The style at Foreau is to make Sec and Demi-Sec wines that are drier than those of most Vouvray producers, often a bit austere in their youth and always extremely expressive of the terroir. Grapes used in the Sec cuvée are generally harvested at 12 to 13.5% alcohol with the resulting wines having only two to five grams of RS per liter. A Demi-Sec is not made every year, but grapes harvested at over 13.5% alcohol are used, producing wines that are generally at 15 to 20 grams per liter. In contrast, Francois Pinon often made his superb "Trois Argiles" and "Cuvée Silex," designated by terroir, that were over 20 grams per liter of RS.

Moelleux and Moelleux Reserve - The moelleux wines at Foreau are an amazing combination of high acidity, intense minerality and beautiful, silky sweetness. These extraordinary wines provide thrilling early drinking and will cellar indefintely. The Moelleux, such as the 2015 offered today, are from late-harvested fruit (above 16% potential alcohol) with little or no botrytis, with the finished wine normally having 60 to 80 grams per liter of residual sugar. When conditions permit, a later harvested Moelleux Reserve is produced from botrytised fruit, with a much higher level of RS, usually 120 - 200 grams per liter. In 1947, 1990, 2011 and 2015 the cuvee "Goute d'Or was produced from botrytised fruit in minute quqntities.

2014 One of my favorite recent vintages in Touraine, Anjou and the Pays Nantais, combining great medium-weight purity of fruit and vibrant acidity. The two 2014s in today's offer will give scintillating early drinking and will age beautifully.

2015 Philippe Foreau likens 2015 to 2002, a great vintage for Loire whites with great balance and ripeness though perhaps the 2015s are a bit lower in acidity. At any rate, a great vintage for the Moelleux from "passerillé" fruit.

2016 Another vintage with firm acidity and perhaps more density and weight than the 2014s, close to 1996 which was a great high-acid vitage for sweet wines.

“No other white wine in France has the capability to age like Vouvray,” says Philippe Foreau, so perhaps this offer is most appropriate for those of you with cellars, but all the wines are well worth experiencing in their youth!

Prices are net, wines arrive Thursday 9/15. Thanks to Neal Rosenthal's madrose.com and especially to Chris Kissack's thewinedoctor.com for background and historical information. Please note:  thewinedoctor.com is devoted to the vineyards and vignerons of Bordeaux and the Loire. The writing is informative and interesting and the tasting notes are uniformly accurate - a subscription is highly recommended!