2010 Château Gaudrelle - Vouvray Clos le Vigneau

When Spring arrives, a wine lover's fancy invariably turns to Vouvray, which counts itself among the most fragrant and refreshing white wines made anywhere in the world. The crisp acidity of the 2010 vintage is tailor-made for balancing the light, refreshing sweetness that is characteristic of this Chenin Blanc-based wine from France's Loire Valley. Château Gaudrelle is owned by Alexandre Monmousseau, a leader of the Loire's growing sec-tendre ("soft-dry") movement, a naturalistic philosophy that emphasizes fruit and balance over the excessive sweetness found in commercially-produced Vouvrays. The 2010 Château Gaudrelle is a true exponent of the sec-tendre philosophy, offering abundant apple, pear, and assorted white flower flavors, ideally balanced by the cheerful interplay of 2010's fresh acidity with a pleasant suggestion of round sweetness on the finish.