LA GRANGE TIPHAINE - Clef de Sol white 2024
La Grange Tiphaine is a family estate in the Loire Valley, located between Montlouis sur Loire and Touraine Amboise, taken over in 2002 by Coralie and Damien Delecheneau. The couple practices certified organic and biodynamic viticulture, with particular care given to the soils and the life of the plots. The old Chenin vines, some close to eighty years old, are cultivated like a true garden, with naturally limited yields to favor concentration and aromatic precision. The terroirs of poor sands, clay with flint, and limestone bring a remarkable mineral tension and purity to their wines, signatures of the great whites of Montlouis sur Loire. Clef de Sol white is the estate's emblematic cuvée, conceived as a score where Chenin plays the main note in a style both rich and crystalline. The 2024 vintage continues this tradition, with a particularly fine and slender expression of the terroir.
Clef de Sol white 2024 is a Montlouis sur Loire made from very old Chenin vines planted on soils mixing leached sands, clay with flint, and limestone subsoil, with south-facing exposures that promote even ripening. The 2024 season, bright without excessive heat, allowed for hand harvesting of perfectly healthy grapes, with a natural balance between richness and acidity. After gentle pressing, alcoholic fermentation takes place slowly over about nine months in 225 and 400-liter barrels, exclusively with indigenous yeasts, in order to respect the identity of the terroir. Aging continues on fine lees, without racking until bottling, which brings texture, complexity, and a subtle patina without ever weighing down the wine. Certified biodynamic, the cuvée thus expresses a dense but fluid matter, supported by a very clear mineral framework and a great sensation of purity. With its moderate alcohol level and aging potential of several years, Clef de Sol white 2024 is suitable both for immediate tasting and for more evolved consumption in the cellar.
On the palate, Clef de Sol white 2024 presents a luminous golden robe with green reflections, announcing freshness and depth. The nose unfolds a refined bouquet of white flowers and linden, juicy pear and ripe apple, enhanced by notes of quince, citrus, and a slightly buttery touch intertwined with nuances of gunflint. On the palate, the attack is straight and lively, then the texture gains breadth to offer a fleshy mid-palate with a refined grain, where the smoothness of Chenin blends with a very digestible saline tension. Flavors of white fruits, ripe lemon, and quince extend into a long, precise finish marked by chalky minerality and beautiful noble bitters that structure the wine. This Montlouis sur Loire pairs wonderfully with farm-raised poultry in cream sauce, roasted pike-perch or sea bass, seared scallops, asparagus risotto, or roasted root vegetables. It also brilliantly accompanies Loire goat cheeses, aged Comté, or a platter of marine tapas during a gourmet aperitif.
Grape variety: 100% Chenin Blanc
