AOC. Saumur Blanc (Loire) - France - 100% Chenin Blanc from old vines, approximately 40 years old, grown in clay, silty, and sandy soils. The wine ferments in concrete tanks and is then aged for 18 months in French oak barrels and demi-muids. It is unfined and unfiltered. Sulfites are added in very small quantities. A cult producer in the Loire Valley with very limited production. Recommended by The Sommelier.
SYLVAIN DITTIÈRE LES POUCHES 2023
Sylvain Dittière, along with Pauline Foucault, is responsible for La Porte Saint Jean, one of the most interesting projects in the Saumur region. Based in Montreuil-Bellay, Dittière began developing his own project in 2010 after training with some of the biggest names in French wine, including Thierry Germain, Gérard Gauby, Marc Tempé, and Clos Rougeard.
From this experience, he developed his own interpretation of the Saumur terroir, based on small plots, controlled yields, and precise winemaking. La Porte Saint Jean has thus become one of the Loire Valley's benchmark estates, renowned for both its reds and its extraordinary Chenin Blancs.
Philosophy
Sylvain Dittière's work stems from a simple idea: the identity of the wine should come from the vineyard and not from overly interventionist winemaking. Dittière cultivates its vineyards according to organic farming principles, with low yields and hand-harvesting. In the winery, they rely on natural fermentations and a very limited use of sulfites.
This philosophy is especially evident in their white wines. Dittière seeks deep, textured Chenin Blancs that are also taut and mineral, capable of expressing the calcareous characteristics of the Saumur soils without being dominated by aging.
Winemaking, Vintage, Vineyard, and Variety
Les Pouches 2023 is a Saumur Blanc made with 100% Chenin Blanc from the Les Pouches vineyard, located just outside Montreuil-Bellay. It is a single-vineyard cuvée from vines around forty years old, planted in soil that combines sand, silt, and clay over a calcareous base. Some sources also describe the presence of flint in these soils.
The 2023 harvest was marked by a particularly rigorous selection process. According to information from that time, approximately half of the grapes were discarded after selection both in the vineyard and on the sorting table.
The must ferments spontaneously in concrete tanks with indigenous yeasts and then spends around 18 months in French oak barrels. In this vintage, the proportion of new oak was particularly high, around 70%, although the wine's character integrates the aging remarkably well. It is neither fined nor filtered, and the use of sulfur dioxide is minimal, with a small addition before bottling.
The result is a Chenin Blanc of great depth, where the ripeness of the 2023 vintage is balanced by a marked mineral tension and a savory texture.
Tasting Notes
Appearance: Bright golden yellow with good density.
Nose: Deep and expressive, with aromas of ripe apple and pear, yellow fruit and citrus, accompanied by notes of almond, sesame, bread, and a suggestive chalky character. Aging imparts toasty and lees notes, yet remains well-integrated.
Palate: ample, dry, and profoundly mineral. It has an almost oily texture balanced by firm acidity and a pronounced chalky character. It is a powerful and flavorful wine, but at the same time elegant and precise, with a long finish and a saline aftertaste that invites another sip.
Food Pairing
Due to its structure and depth, Les Pouches 2023 is a particularly gastronomic Chenin Blanc. Its acidity and mineral character work magnificently with firm or oily fish, whether baked or grilled, and especially with dishes featuring creamy sauces. It is also excellent with shellfish, scallops, and crustaceans, while its texture and intensity allow it to pair well with poultry and white meats. In a more classic Loire Valley combination, its freshness and chalky dimension find a magnificent counterpoint in goat cheeses.
Les Pouches 2023 is one of those Chenin Blancs that demonstrates how Saumur Blanc can achieve extraordinary depth and aging potential. The combination of a chalky vineyard, a demanding vintage, controlled yields, and extended aging results in a profound, taut, mineral, and remarkably persistent wine—one of the most interesting expressions of Sylvain Dittière's work.
