Suenen Chouilly Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Le Mont-Aigu 2013

Suenen crafts just a single 600-litre demi-muid of this cuvée, originating from a parcel of particularly low-yielding vines planted in Chouilly’s renowned Le Mont-Aigu terroir, near the Cramant border on the Butte de Saran. Now 41 years old, these vines suffer from fanleaf virus, resulting in tiny leaves, roots and bunches. Coupled with skeletal soils (just 20 cm of topsoil over pure chalk), this results in a deep, compact expression of Chouilly unlike any other. Expect a lot of flesh and concentrated ripeness yet also ample structure and intense, saline minerality. 

Again, there is no Chouilly like this on the market. Suenen’s 2013 was naturally fermented and aged for 10 months in a single 600-litre neutral French oak barrel. It then spent five years in bottle before disgorgement in June 2019. Following a dosage trial (the standard practice here), it was topped with 4 g/L.