La Taille aux Loups Clos de Mosny Montlouis sur Loire sec 2024 white

La Taille aux Loups Clos de Mosny Montlouis-sur-Loire Sec 2022 is a pure, dry Chenin Blanc from one of the most prized single vineyards of Montlouis. Crafted by Domaine de la Taille aux Loups, it captures the precision, energy and minerality that have made this estate a reference point for the Loire. This cuvée stands out for its tension and depth, offering a refined expression of Chenin from old vines rooted in classic Loire tuffeau limestone. Clos de Mosny is a historic, walled vineyard (“clos”) that has long been recognized for producing particularly concentrated, ageworthy wines. Under the late Jacky Blot and now his son, this site has gained near-cult status among Chenin enthusiasts for its combination of ripeness, chalky salinity and razor-sharp definition. The 2022 vintage continues that legacy, showcasing both the pedigree of the terroir and the continuity of excellence at the domaine.

Tasting Notes
In the glass, the 2022 Clos de Mosny Sec shows a pale to medium lemon-yellow color with silvery reflections, hinting at both youth and freshness. With a swirl, the wine clings delicately to the sides of the glass, suggesting fine extract without heaviness. On the nose, expect a layered bouquet of yellow apple, quince, white peach and ripe pear, intertwined with notes of acacia blossom, chamomile and a delicate hint of honeycomb. Underneath the fruit lies a distinctive Loire signature: crushed chalk, wet stones and a faint smokiness from the tuffeau soils and subtle oak élevage. With air, more complexity emerges—dried citrus peel, almond, and a whisper of lanolin typical of fine Chenin. The palate is dry, precise and intensely focused, with a vivid line of acidity that carries the flavors long across the tongue. Ripe orchard fruit and citrus—think baked apple, Meyer lemon and a touch of mirabelle—are framed by a firm mineral backbone and a gentle, well-integrated oak spice. The texture is both silky and nervy, offering a beautiful push-pull between richness and tension. The finish is long, saline and mouthwatering, leaving impressions of citrus zest, chalk dust and delicate floral notes. This 2022 has the structure and balance to age gracefully. While already seductive in its youthful expressiveness, it should develop further complexity—honeyed nuances, beeswax, deeper nutty tones and more pronounced tertiary minerality—over 8–15 years in a good cellar, and potentially longer for those who appreciate mature Chenin Blanc.

Production
Clos de Mosny is a single, walled vineyard in Montlouis-sur-Loire, rooted in classic Loire tuffeau limestone with clay and silica on the surface. This terroir lends the wine its hallmark combination of ripeness and penetrating minerality, while the cool Loire climate preserves acidity and aromatic finesse. The vines—many of them older, low-yielding Chenin Blanc plantings—are farmed with great care, typically using sustainable to organic-leaning methods to ensure healthy, concentrated fruit. Harvesting is carried out by hand in multiple passes (tries), allowing only perfectly ripe, clean grapes to be selected. In the cellar, Domaine de la Taille aux Loups favors a precision-driven, Burgundian-inspired approach: gentle pressing, fermentation with indigenous yeasts, and maturation in a mix of barrels and larger oak vessels (often with a restrained proportion of new wood) to add texture without dominating the terroir expression. Malolactic fermentation is usually carefully managed or partially blocked to retain brightness and tension, resulting in a dry, crystalline style that showcases the Clos’s unique character.

Food & Serving
Clos de Mosny Sec 2022 is a versatile gastronomic white that pairs beautifully with refined, subtly flavored dishes. It’s superb with seafood—think oysters, scallops, sole, turbot or line-caught cod—especially when prepared with beurre blanc, citrus or light cream sauces. It also shines alongside roast chicken, guinea fowl, veal blanquette, or pork tenderloin with apple and sage, as well as goat’s cheese (notably Valençay or Sainte-Maure), young Comté and mild washed-rind cheeses. For vegetarian pairings, try it with asparagus risotto, fennel gratin, roasted root vegetables, or dishes featuring leeks and mushrooms. Serve at 10–12 °C (50–54 °F) to highlight its precision and aromatic complexity. In its youth, a short decant of 20–30 minutes can help the wine open up, releasing more floral and mineral nuances; as it gains a few years of bottle age, decanting becomes less necessary but a larger glass is recommended to allow the wine to unfold gradually at the table.

Producer
Domaine de la Taille aux Loups was founded and brought to prominence by the late Jacky Blot, one of the pivotal figures in the modern renaissance of Chenin Blanc in the Loire. Working primarily in Montlouis-sur-Loire and Vouvray, Blot championed low yields, meticulous vineyard work and a dry, terroir-driven style at a time when the region was often associated with sweeter wines. His approach—hand harvesting in several passes, fermenting and aging in quality oak, and an almost Burgundian attention to detail—helped redefine what Montlouis could be, elevating it to the same conversation as many of the world’s great white wine regions. Following Jacky’s passing in 2023, his son has taken the reins, maintaining the estate’s exacting standards and stylistic clarity. Today, Domaine de la Taille aux Loups is widely regarded as one of the benchmark producers of Chenin Blanc, with Clos de Mosny among its most sought-after single-vineyard bottlings, celebrated by critics and collectors alike for its purity, energy and capacity to age.