2020 Vouvray Demi-Sec Clos du Bourg

The 2020 Clos du Bourg Demi-Sec is starting to shake off the first days of its infancy but it has a long life ahead. It is akin to a cloud of Chenin, which fills the mouth with pure aromas reminiscent of freshly stewed apples and violets. The texture is finely woven and there’s acid to provide line through its balanced residual sugar.

The 2020 Vouvray Clos du Bourg Demi-Sec is concentrated, deep and still somewhat untamed on the clear, fresh and lemon-fruity yet darker-toned nose compared to the Haut-Lieu. Round and refined yet still with a pretty firm tannin structure, this is a rich and powerful yet elegant and persistently salty Chenin with tension, grip and a sustainable, highly promising finish. The 2020 Clos du Bourg pairs juiciness with finesse and purity with complexity. Tasted as a tank sample shortly before bottling in April 2021.

Drinking the 2020 Clos du Bourg Demi-Sec is like taking your shoes off at the end of a long day of walking and soaking them in warm water: there's just satisfaction and relaxation. The 2020 has a sense of volume but not weight, filling the mouth with depths of pure fruit before the acid pours forth like a canal lock being opened. You can expect a hint of spice and crème caramel alongside apple and florals. I am utterly seduced.