Le Rocher des Violettes Touche Mitaine 2013 Montlouis, Loire Valley.

Xavier Weisskopf is one of the new generation of young producers buying into appellations in the Loire that are less developed and explored, enabling his purchase in 2005 of a 6.8 hectare vineyard in Montlouis, Touraine.
He has gradually increased his holdings to the current 13 ha of vines, with 9 ha of vines in Montlouis (this appellation just south of the Loire from Vouvray being 100% Chenin Blanc on soils that are sandier than Vouvray)
The entire estate is farmed organically without the use of any chemicals or artificial fertilisers. With most of his vineyards being planted pre-1940 the yields are naturally low and all harvesting is done by hand. Xavier prefers wines that are fresh, mineral and long rather than fat so these are wines made with a light touch showing wonderfully pure and lifted aromatics
The 2013 ‘Touche Mitaine’ is a 100% Chenin blanc sourced from his younger vines (averaging 35 years old). Organic Winemaking procedures are followed, meaning there are no additions or chemicals used, except for minimal sulphur at time of bottling.  Only native yeasts are used to ferment the wine and it is aged for 8 months in new and old barrels.
There is slight minerally character to the nose, with a soft perfume, reminiscent of honey dew melon. It has a very gentle palate that does not whack you around the head, rather it has lovely stone fruit and toasty honeyed characters, offering a sensational textural feel.   It’s full of flavour and quite intense, in that lovely Chenin way, with a precise balance between the fruit and the acidity.  This wine certainly punches well above its 12% alcohol, which only makes it easier to open the second bottle and not be too tipsy.