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2011 Richard Leroy Chenin Les Noels de Montbenault #223285428
Reviews 93 points John Gilman "The Les Noels de Montbenault is the larger and (slightly) superior vineyard in Monsieur Leroy?s stable, with perfect exposition at the summit of the appellation of Coteaux du Layon and chenin blanc vines that are now more than fifty years of age. The 2011, like the Le Clos des Rouliers from the same vintage, is still a tad marked by its SO2 and should be decanted if drunk young to let it blow off, but this is a more structured wine than the above and I would be inclined to give this three or four years in the cellar to really let it come into its own. The superb nose is deeper and more reserved than in the Le Clos des Rouliers, offering up notes of apple, peach, a superb base of complex soil tones, lanolin, a touch of apple skin and a lovely, esthery topnote of bee pollen. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, young and absolutely rock solid at the core, with superb structure and focus, an excellent girdle of acidity and outstanding length and grip on the zesty and perfectly balanced finish. This is a tour de force in the difficult year of 2011 and there is absolutely nothing off vintage about this stellar wine! (JG)"
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About Richard Leroy
Richard Leroy has been crafting some of the finest Chenin Blanc wines from the Loire Valley's "Anjou Noir" for over 25 years. With the purchase of Les Noels de Montbenault in 1996, he had initially set out to make classic sweet wines, but after finding inspiration and guidance in Mark Angeli's early dry wines, Richard decided to experiment with producing dry white wines in 2000. He eventually abandoned making sweet wines altogether and has since been solely focused on creating top-notch dry wines from his two prime vineyard sites.
Montbenault is a two-hectare parcel with 40-year-old vines, situated at the top of a slope overlooking the Layon river, and boasts a unique combination of sandy schist and underlying volcanic materials that bring intensity and freshness to the wine. Rouliers, on the other hand, is a one-hectare site closer to the river with schist and alluvial gravel and sediments, offering leaner and elegant fruit. Both vineyard sites are farmed using biodynamic practices and the vines are trained lower for better fruit maturation.
In the cellar, Richard employs natural fermentations, including malo, and has not used sulfur since 2011. This includes the barrel purchases, which have never been impregnated with sulfur candles. This reductionist approach to winemaking allows the dense fruit to shine and produces towering, filigreed examples of Chenin Blanc with high-toned aromas and flavors. These wines are a true testament to the meticulous winemaking and attention to terroir that Richard Leroy is known for.
Montbenault is a two-hectare parcel with 40-year-old vines, situated at the top of a slope overlooking the Layon river, and boasts a unique combination of sandy schist and underlying volcanic materials that bring intensity and freshness to the wine. Rouliers, on the other hand, is a one-hectare site closer to the river with schist and alluvial gravel and sediments, offering leaner and elegant fruit. Both vineyard sites are farmed using biodynamic practices and the vines are trained lower for better fruit maturation.
In the cellar, Richard employs natural fermentations, including malo, and has not used sulfur since 2011. This includes the barrel purchases, which have never been impregnated with sulfur candles. This reductionist approach to winemaking allows the dense fruit to shine and produces towering, filigreed examples of Chenin Blanc with high-toned aromas and flavors. These wines are a true testament to the meticulous winemaking and attention to terroir that Richard Leroy is known for.