Calling all wine geeks for…

Savennières Saturday!

…with one of the purest expressions of Chenin Blanc on the planet. This is the stuff of wine lore that you’ll brag to your grandchildren about as they sit, mouth agape with wide eyes.

So, open your mind and your palate to the electrifying, scintillating intensity of Chenin Blanc on steroids.

Whisper Savennières in a room full of somm-types and watch their ears perk up. Think of a hypothetical blend of crushed rocks and honeysuckle hand in hand. Or a great Meursault combining forces with a heady, hedonistic Viognier. Add all kinds of stone fruits, apples, and pears, and leave the skins on. It pushes the boundaries of refreshing deliciousness and weakens your knees with its astronomical complexity. Sit down to sip and savor…

A staunch believer in Biodynamic farming, Domaine FL is a minuscule winery in Rochefort-sur-Loire that specializes in Savennières just like neighboring myths Joly, Closel, or Baumard, churning profound Chenin Blancs aligned with lunar cycles and the rhythm of terroir. This single vineyard comes with deep granite bedrock, hence the profound minerality.

Let’s tune in to Vinous for a recap of this relatively young superstar team: “This estate was created in 2007 through the fusion of two older estates, including that of Jo Pithon. The better-known one, though, was Château de Chamboureau in Savennières, which the current owners have converted to organic viticulture. The rather unusual name, FL, is an abbreviation of the family names of the current owner’s parents, Fournier-Longchamps. With 30 hectares of vineyards predominantly planted with Chenin Blanc, Philip Fournier and his son Julien have quickly become important players… with Kyriakos Kynigopoulos as consulting enologist.”

Kynigopoulos?! No, he’s not a Greek God. Though close. His long list of international clients is topped by Vega Sicilia and his specialty lies in making great Burgundy as evident in this striking white.

Did someone say 98 points and 37 bucks??! Sheeeesh!

Load up your lockers, this ain’t gonna last long.

98 Points – James Suckling

“It’s hard to find adequate words for the cornucopia of flowers, citrus and stone fruit aromas of this wine. The flinty element creates the most beautiful tension along with the wonderful interplay of fruit and wet stone minerality on the breathtakingly precise and pure medium- to full-bodied palate. And the incredibly energetic, almost endless finish sweeps you away. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.”