Every critic worth their salt fervently agrees that Philippe Foreau is among Vouvray’s most celebrated living legends. Today’s offer, however, is a rare look at what happens when his scintillating dry Chenin Blanc is transformed into a barrel-fermented, long-aged sparkler à la Champagne. There’s no other way to say this: The past two vintages of Foreau’s Brut bottling have been pure insanity for the price, as they’ve contained three-dimensional depth and a profound sense of pedigree that outclasses an alarming number of Champagnes.
Just look at the embarrassment of riches in this epic 2014 bottling: premium Chenin fruit; six-month vinification in French barrels; six years in bottle; and, in this fantastic vintage, no dosage. Although we weren’t quick enough to secure the first tranche, the fresher second shipment has just arrived stateside. I promise it’ll make Champagne lovers extraordinarily happy, especially when learning it’s still comfortably—and illogically—priced in the $40s. Pro tip: It’ll age alongside the best blanc de blancs, too. Enjoy!
NOTE: We expect this limited parcel to arrive at our warehouse in 7-10 days.
Since launching SommSelect, we’ve made it a rule to not focus on wine press or magazine scores—we’ve never mentioned a numerical score. Still, I’m always curious to read where respected writers and tastemakers stand regarding wines we feature. When I describe a wine as “world-class” or “a certified classic,” I think it’s important to verify that I’m not confusing my own opinion with that of others. I bring this up because, in reading other professional opinions of Philippe Foreau and his brilliant Vouvray, it’s heartening to see the broad consensus. Jancis Robinson calls Foreau one of Vouvray’s “top two names,” Robert Parker has lavished this property with praise for years, Antonio Galloni’s Vinous lauds Foreau every vintage, and Foreau appears in practically every modern New York Times article about Chenin Blanc. In short, everyone who’s anyone seems to agree that Foreau Vouvray is one of the greats.
Foreau is a fascinating property, and if you wish to do a “deep dive” into its history, I encourage you to read Loire scholar Jim Budd’s detailed piece about the estate. In the meantime, I’ll share a few important details: The vineyards of the Foreau domaine have been producing wine for centuries, but the estate as we know it today was purchased by Philippe Foreau’s grandfather in 1923. Flint-flecked clay over limestone subsoil is the secret here. Farming has always been conscientious but, as of recently, is now fully organic.
Foreau’s sparkling wines spontaneously ferment (without going through malolactic fermentation), in 300-liter French barrels. They are racked several times over a six-month span. This specific 2014 cuvée was then transferred into bottle where it spent over six years on lees before disgorgement in the second half of 2021. The wine is usually given a very light dosage but due to a spectacular vintage (six weeks of continuous sun before harvest lent the grapes superb levels of ripeness and concentration), there was no need to add any sugar.
Although the Foreau “house style” is demonstrably linear, mineral, and clean, the 2014 vintage also provided immense levels of creaminess and textural depth that’ll make you swear there’s a dosage. Nope, it’s just the glorious qualities of perfectly ripe Chenin with substantial lees aging. After allowing the frothy mousse to settle in an all-purpose stem, beautifully delineated aromas spill out in the form of Granny Smith apple, green mango peel, yellow pear, and white peach followed by crushed almonds, damp wool, honeysuckle, citrus zest, oyster shell, crushed chalk, and exotic spice. The palate is deep, and powerfully mineral while the purity and lush fruit serve to enrich the entire mouthfeel. As always, this wine really begins to strut about 30 minutes after pulling the cork, so be patient and allow some carbon dioxide to dissipate as the texture fills out. Drink several bottles now but also lay some down too—added layers will emerge with each passing year. Cheers!
