Bernard Fouquet is an accomplished and quality Vouvray producer, focused on Chenin Blanc across 25 hectares and and seven vineyards that make up Domaine des Aubuisieres’ fruit sources. All of unique character and terroir, they split into two primary soil types including clay/limestone or clay/flint. His portfolio includes soil specific blends and vineyard specific bottlings. On a recent field trip to Bin Ends in Braintree I snagged a few bottles of the dry 2008 demi-sec Les Girardières bottling for $18. I have promoted the wine into my personal category of “Summer House White Wine for Serious Food Moments”.
Every year I try to find two or three white wines that I can stock my summer home with to accommodate our massive flow of visitors’ requirements for easy large group quaffing, serious small group tasting, and serious food accompaniment wines. The 2008 Domaine des Aubuisieres Les Girardières will serve the latter. It is a manageable 12.5% alcohol level, and as usual for a dry Chenin, it has kept its acidity level despite elevated ripeness and 25 grams of residual sugar, with the bonus of aging potential. It will be hard to resist drinking my entire stock now though as an aperitif, with fish, chicken, pork, and charcuterie.
The wine has floral tones with earthy hints and (I might be imagining or romanticizing this) an inferred presence of the wet stone that is indigenous in its vineyard. There is a full peachy toned flavor, mouthfeel, and richness to the wine that is so amazingly impressive, all the while buffeted by strong citric qualities of pure grapefruit. Adding to an impeccably balanced wine is an immense follow through and finish. The seriousness in the wine’s weight and its fullness in the mouth is impressive as it imparts fruit and acidity in gorgeous balance. The entire tasting experience was simply impressive and kept us shaking our heads in awe of its beauty.
I will be adding on and topping off the already good stock that I assembled last week to insure that even our Labor Day guests will get to experience Fouquet’s work.