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Thibaud Boudignon, Savennières/Anjou Blanc Two-Pack

Loire Valley, France 2018 (750mL)
Regular price$150.00
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Thibaud Boudignon, Savennières/Anjou Blanc Two-Pack

Before now, it was impossible for SommSelect to offer the white-hot wines of Thibaud Boudignon. Believe me, we tried. Via West Coast importers, via East Coast importers, via contacts in Europe—you name it. I called in every favor and twisted every arm, but the answer remained a politely resolute “sorry, sold out” or “sorry, restaurant only.” And, as someone who can generally locate back-vintage DRC or Lafite with a few emails or texts, I admit the failure to source these wines was both frustrating and a little humbling. 
It goes to show that sometimes, certain wines really are that limited. Well, times have changed. Today, many of the world’s top restaurants have suspended operations, their inventories and allocations have trickled back into the market, and suddenly here we are: offering a Thibaud Boudignon two-pack, including his most thrilling and sought-after wine, the monumental Savennières “Clos de La Hutte” (<90 cases in the world!). These two wines are region/style/generation-defining masterpieces and a must for any wine lover wishing to experience the pinnacle of France’s modern talent and terroir. And, given that 2018 ranks among the finest Loire Valley vintages in the last half-century, there is no better year to experience these extraordinary and extremely age-worthy whites. For a serious drinker and collector, this is a one-time opportunity that must not be missed!
Few winemakers have made the jump from anonymous employee to local legend with such grace and speed as Thibaud Boudignon. Boudignon was born in Bordeaux but cut his teeth in the early 2000s under the wing of Philipe Charlopin in Burgundy, who at the time was making some of the most powerful, ripe, young-drinking wines in Gevrey-Chambertin. Thereafter, Boudignon traveled west to Savennières, one of the world’s most important Chenin Blanc-growing villages. In Savennières, Thibaud took a position as the winemaker at Château Soucherie, a historic property in need of a shot in the arm. Anyone who has tasted Soucherie’s wines from the Boudignon era will tell you that they were exceptional, even by the standards of this already well-known estate. Clearly, Boudignon had found his calling in Chenin Blanc. Still, he longed for truly elite terroir and greater creative control, so in 2009, he started his own estate and the rest, as they say, is history. 

In the decade that followed—but especially in the last few years—Boudignon has ascended to the rarefied status typically only afforded to producers in “blue chip” French regions like Burgundy, Champagne or Bordeaux. If one wishes to drink Thibaud’s most serious wines—or the most serious wine, today’s Savennières “Clos de la Hutte”—it is generally necessary to book a reservation at a top restaurant. Thibaud’s wines are rare, passionately coveted, and deeply sentimental for an ever-growing percentage of Europe-focused “insider” wine cognoscenti, so I am thrilled to share them today.

The star of the show today is Thibaud’s 2018 Savennières “Clos de la Hutte.” Composed primarily of schist, but also small amounts of sand, Thibaud describes this vineyard as having a perfect geologic composition. “Clos de la Hutte” is a walled vineyard, and the first parcel to produce wine under the Boudignon name; Thibaud says it is the site that allowed him to “dream higher” and realize his greatest vinous ambitions. Clearly, those ambitions have become a reality: There is impossibly immense power and concentration in this wine, but also a remarkable finesse and delicacy. I opened a bottle two weeks ago and can testify that it easily holds its ground against the finest Grand Cru White Burgundy, only at a fraction of the cost. 

I’ve enjoyed many bottles from iconic Chenin producers like Huet and Nicolas Joly, but none have possessed the dense, tightly coiled electricity or face melting minerality of the ’18 “Clos de la Hutte.” This is a world-class wine, and one that will only continue to improve and evolve for another 15 years. Not that the pot needs to be sweetened any more, but we’re also including a bottle of Thibaud’s 2018 Anjou Blanc in today’s offer. In a normal vintage, this might be the working-class white of the Boudignon lineup, a simpler wine for weeknight drinking. But, in 2018, it is a work of art, a prism of laser-cut stone and impossibly precise stone fruit. It says a lot that this would be the high water mark for many talented vignerons, but for Thibaud, it is merely his “everyday” wine. 

For both of today’s wines, I offer the same advice: First, if you have the means and discipline, please maximize real estate in your cellar immediately.  Today is a unique opportunity and both wines are built for extended aging. I promise they will only grow more fascinating and complex with time. I expect Thibaud’s star to continue rising indefinitely, just as I predict 2018 will be a “reference point” vintage for decades to come. In other words, there is considerable investment potential here, especially with the majestic 2018 Clos de la Hutte. But, if you absolutely can’t resist opening a bottle in the near term, please do it justice: First, double-decant (decant and re-bottle the wine with the cork inserted) at least 24 hours before pouring your first glass. Like any elite quality young white, these 2018s require considerable oxygen and time before they begin to show their true colors. Serve at 60 degrees in large Burgundy stems and consider preparing a simple, elegant dish like halibut in beurre blanc, blanquette de veau, or lobster in drawn butter. Unlike other celebrated Loire Valley Chenin Blancs, Boudignon’s are not showy, heavy-handed, or buttressed with residual sweetness.  On the contrary, they are bone-dry and extremely focused. These are wines that invite the drinker to lean in close in order to appreciate their detail and precision. So, please save the Thai curries and exotic aromatics for a less complex wine. But again, my strongest advice would be to cellar these wines for a few more years—I promise you won’t regret it!
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