2017 Yannick Amirault Bourgueil La Coudraye, Loire Valley

From vines averaging 30 to 35 years old, on mostly sandy slopes situated closer to the town of Bourgueil. Made from yields around 30hl/ha the alcoholic fermentation is done in open tanks with gentle plunging. Aged in large specially designed large wooden tanks for 12 months, this wine is notable for its freshness and perfume and has very fine tannins well covered with admirable flesh coming from fully ripe fruit.

“The 2017 Bourgueil “La Coudraye” from Domaine Yannick Amirault is a beautiful example of this excellent vintage, offering up superb purity and depth on both the nose and palate. The bouquet offers up a classy constellation of sweet dark berries, black cherries, Cuban tobacco, dark soil tones, espresso and a gently smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and beautifully sappy down deep in the core, with fine soil signature, ripe, seamless tannins, good acids and a long, complex and perfectly balanced finish. This is stellar. 2018-2045+.” Made from Cabernet Franc.