I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Chenin Blanc is one of the world’s most chameleonic and dynamic grapes, and today we’re focused on its habitat in Vouvray. Here, you’ll find some of its most classic expressions—from bone-dry to sweet—and this Vouvray Sec, from a brilliant interpreter of the variety, is such a sublime paragon of dry Chenin Blanc.

Although it carries a couple grams of residual sugar, it serves to balance/soften the laser beam-like acidity that pulses through this wine, just like in your favorite dry German Rieslings. And balance is the operative word here, by every possible metric: between sweetness and acidity, between fruit and earth, and between traditional Vouvray winemaking and the burgeoning natural wine movement. As for Sébastien Brunet, he brings meticulous attention to his organic farming and a hands-off, minimalist approach in the cellar, both of which amplify the energy and vibrancy of the fruit. Basically, when the soil is alive and the wine is hand-crafted, you can really sense it in the final product: the aromas and flavors in this cuvée are so vivid and intense, it’s as if you’re experiencing the wine in HD with high-quality, surround-sound speakers. That’s why Brunet is one of our favorite Vouvray producers on the market today, plus, the price doesn’t hurt, either!

Like the wines he produces, Sébastien Brunet is a man of subtlety. The thoughtful, humble young vigneron, who prefers to let his wines do the talking, took over his family’s estate in 2006 upon the passing of his father, Michel. Over three decades, the elder Brunet had built up a three-hectare inheritance to 15 hectares of land along the Brenne river. Today, Sébastien works those vines with a quiet sensibility and a minimalist philosophy. His Vouvray Sec “Renaissance” comes from 45-year-old vines grown in clay and limestone soils.

Brunet is one of the few Vouvray producers who successfully walks the tightrope between the old school and the new. All his wines are hand-harvested, organically grown without chemicals, herbicides, or pesticides, fermented with native yeast, and bottled with low sulfite levels—this is true farm-to-table Chenin Blanc. But his wines are also impeccably clean; there’s no funk or unwanted oxidation to be found here. As with all of Brunet’s wines, “Renaissance” is pressed slowly and gently to preserve elegance and purity. After spontaneous fermentation in a mix of oak and stainless steel, the wine is aged in neutral French barrels for eight months, spending around half of that time on the lees. 

For those who love to drink white Burgundy but haven’t yet been initiated into the remarkable world of Chenin Blanc, this quintessential bottling is the perfect starting point. “Renaissance” provides incredible pleasure for the price point, with classic varietal notes of just-cut yellow apple, chamomile, lemon cream, white blossoms, beeswax, and honey that announce themselves as soon as you put your nose in the glass. Then, there’s this captivating savory layer of dried white mushrooms and damp wool. The palate is mouth-filling but restrained, with precise, focused acidity and barely-detectable residual sugar that makes it so inviting and easy. There’s so much life to this delicious, thirst-quenching wine; I’m tempted to call it the ultimate summer white, but it would also make a killer first-course wine for autumn, even moving into early winter. If you’re looking for some Chenin to keep in your cellar, this is the one to snap up by the case—enjoy it now and over the next three to five years, served in your all-purpose stems at 45-50 degrees. All of the beautiful qualities in this Vouvray Sec work so well together to make a strong argument for Chenin Blanc as one of the best food wines in the world—you can’t go wrong pairing this with goat cheese, sushi, white fish, pork, or salad. This wine will shine especially bright alongside rich, dairy-based sauces; try it as an accompaniment to pasta with mushrooms, fresh herbs, and cream.