Belliviere 2021 Coteaux du Loir L'Effraie
"L'Effraie" is from Bellivière's younger Coteaux du Loir vines, across 11 parcels totaling 3.5 hectares. These gobelet-pruned, 10-30 year-old vines are planted on flinty, sandy clay soils over tuffeau (soft limestone), are certified-biodynamic "This young vines cuvée opens with a nose of crystalline mirabelle and rose petals; it is absolutely enchanting. The palate presents a supple and lightly grained texture, dainty and light-footed, with a core of delicately spiced white peach dusted with a sprinkling of cinnamon powder. This is charming, the residual sugar is 3 g/l (sec) and the alcohol on the label 13%." Wine Doctor Flashing an almost neon chartreuse yellow green hue , the nose is electric with minerality, herbaceousness and green mirabelle/pear. Electric acidity on the palate with more cool minerality underscored by green fruit paired with a silky body belies it's 13% abv from a very cool vintage in a cooler Loire sub-region. "Effraie" means scary which I guess, given it's tone in 2021, is aptly named for it's ghostlike greenish profile! -GH