A zippy, mineral focused Sauvignon Blanc from a small estate with thick stone walls (the “clos”). The best Touraine whites like this give Sancerre some serious value competition.

This small estate is located in Angé, a town on the banks of an important Loire tributary, the Cher, in the eastern Touraine. The winery is built into an outbuilding, which acts as an enormous wall guarding the vineyards inside and above it. Classic geology of limestone and clay contributes to the mineral complexity of the wines.

The transition from outbuilding to winery began in 1917, when Anatole Roussely purchased it with the intention of converting it into a winemaking facility. He was the first of four generations to pour his life's work into the Clos, and today his great-grandson, Vincent Roussely, carries on the tradition with the same meticulous attention to detail.

Vincent uses only organic and biodynamic practices in the vineyards, and he harvests the Sauvignon Blanc when it obtains peak balance between sugar and acid. The bunches are fermented slowly and gently in steel tanks with native yeasts, and then aged sur lie in the same tanks for several months before bottling.

Though unmistakably Sauvignon Blanc on the nose, with aromas of white peach, quince, lime zest, white flowers, and jalepeño, the aromatics are more subtle and nuanced, owing to the use of native yeasts most likely. This is a super fresh, crisply styled wine that is more about minerality than big fruits and cloying texture. Enjoy with fresh and aged goat cheeses.