2013 Baumard Savennieres Clos du Papillon sec, Loire Valley

”The Baumard family own 7 hectares of the Clos du Papillon which itself amounts to about 14.5 hectares, the remaining 7.5 hectares shared out between two other owners. Its name is derived from its shape, which resembles that of a butterfly (or papillon), when viewed from the slope opposite. Underfoot the terroir is principally schist, varying with the slope; there are other igneous and some metamorphic rocks at the top of the slope, especially rhyolite and quartz, whereas towards the bottom the soils take on a more sandy feel.

The Baumard vines are in the eastern part of the vineyard, more on schist and sand. The vines are principally Chenin Blanc, although there is also a small 0.8-hectare plot of Chardonnay near the edge of the vineyard. Although it seems plausible that the fruit of these Chardonnay vines were once harvested and vinified with the Chenin Blanc for the Clos du Papillon cuvée (very plausible, in fact), today these grapes are destined for the domaine’s Crémant de Loire.”