2023 Les Quatre Piliers Première Cuvée Sauvignon Blanc Chapitre I, Loire Valley

Medium- to full-bodied, precise and layered, it’s built around a dense, textured core of fruit framed by a delicately oaky touch, concluding with a long, saline finish. Malolactic fermentation was only partial, with 80% completed.

91 points Yohan Castaing robertparker.com

Les Quatre Piliers Première Cuvée Sauvignon Blanc Chapitre I is a modern Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc that blends classic regional tension with a quietly ambitious, terroir driven approach. The vineyards sit in the heart of the central Loire, where limestone and flint rich soils shape wines of precision, texture and mineral length. This is Sauvignon Blanc that looks beyond simple freshness and leans into depth, structure and story.

Les Quatre Piliers is a small, focused project built around the idea of chapters, each wine representing a moment, a place and a way of working. Première Cuvée Chapitre I is the opening statement, setting the tone with careful vineyard selection, low intervention winemaking and an emphasis on balance rather than overt aromatic punch. Fermentation and élevage are handled gently, often with time on lees, to build mouthfeel and complexity without blurring varietal clarity.

Aromatically, the wine is refined and layered. Lemon zest, lime and white peach sit at the core, joined by subtle notes of grapefruit pith, fresh herbs and citrus blossom. With air, flinty and chalky nuances emerge, along with a faint smoky edge that hints at the limestone soils beneath the vines. Everything feels composed rather than showy.

On the palate, this is where Chapitre I really distinguishes itself. The entry is fresh and precise, then broadens through the mid palate with a gently creamy texture. Acidity is bright but well integrated, driving the wine without sharpness. Savoury elements build toward the finish, crushed stone, green almond and saline notes, giving length and a strong sense of place. The finish is dry, persistent and quietly powerful.

This is a Sauvignon Blanc made for the table. It shines with oysters, grilled fish, goat’s cheese, asparagus, herb driven dishes or anything that benefits from freshness and mineral tension. It is drinking beautifully now, but it also has the structure to evolve over five to eight years, gaining more savoury, smoky complexity while retaining its core of energy.

Les Quatre Piliers Première Cuvée Sauvignon Blanc Chapitre I is thoughtful, textured and expressive, a Loire Sauvignon that rewards attention and shows just how compelling the variety can be when treated with restraint and intent.