Pinon 2005 Vouvray Moelleux "Cuvée Botrytis"

The 2005 "Botrytis" is one of François Pinon's finest wines..."I have tasted this cuvée much more regularly than the straight Moelleux from François over the years, and once again it does not disappoint. In the glass it displays a polished and suggestively golden hue. The nose is correspondingly rich, incredibly so, but it is slow to unfurl, with tentative nuances revealed over time, of candied peach, caramelised apple slices, dehydrated white raisins, spicy white pepper, beeswax and a touch of orange biscuit. It is certainly convincing, but the palate takes it up yet another notch, to a level unimagined. It is simply divine, beautifully polished and pure, presenting harmonious confit fruit set against a chalky backdrop, opening out and unfurling in the middle, with a voluptuous substance and a warm energy which drives it through the finish with a long and charged length. This is quite brilliant, and certainly provides some competition for Philippe’s top cuvée in this vintage. Well done François!" Chris Kissack, tasted in 2020.