Bellivière 2022 Jasnières "Prémices"
The Belliviere Jasnieres "Prémices" is a selection of the most fruit-forward barrels and is the first release in any given vintage. The fruit comes from vines ranging from 10-40 years old, planted on variations on flinty clay soils over tuffeau (soft limestone). . The bunches are direct-pressed into tank, where the juice settles overnight; it is moved by gravity into barrel, where it ferments with native yeasts and minimal sulfur. The wine ages in barrel for about a year. There is usually residual sugar, as fermentation is never pushed and stops short of dryness in this cool cellar and climat. The 2022 Prémices finished at a sec-tendre level of sweetness with 10 grams/liter of residual sugar (and 3.82 grams/liter of acidity). The wine shows a lovely gold color and beautifully ripe aromas of quince, lemon verbena, lime-flower and stone. The palate is elegant, round and silky with citrus, white fruit, chamomille, chalk and mineral flavors, perfectly balanced, with the RS blending with the firm acidity. Just a beautiful wine. This wonderfully affirms the style of demi-sec or sec-tendre Chenin on limestone/clay soils, which many growers feel is the perfect expression of grape and terroir. Enjoy immensely over the next 8 to 10 years. David Lillie