2016 Domaine Pichot Vouvray Method Traditionelle 750 ml

This 2016 Domaine Pichot release is the quintessential sparkling Chenin Blanc—all the searing acidity and limestone vigor of Vouvray, endowed with pinpoint bubbles and clean, biscuity richness.

The Pichot family, which has been involved in viticulture since the late 1700s, is simply the best at what they do. When this cuvée first came across our docket years ago, it set us on a path of sparkling Chenin Blanc obsession. The only sobering part of the discovery was realizing how many sommeliers around the country we had to compete with to score an allocation.

That’s because the Pichots do for $22 what other estates do for $60 and up. Especially in the Loire Valley’s 2016 vintage—a watershed year for jewel-like Chenin Blanc clarity—what you get here for just $22 per bottle.

Straw yellow with a copper hue, the dancing surface gives lift to heady aromas of baked apple, yellow flowers, and freshly turned loam. Broad and expansive on the palate, a bright line of acidity cuts through its rich, lanolin-like texture, dense with poached pear and brioche.

Absolutely textbook in its evocation of Vouvray, this is a must-buy if you want to map Loire Valley terroir onto your palate.

The Chenin Blanc grape is quite literally perfect for sparkling wine, containing everything the style needs: mouthwatering acidity, pristine and malleable fruit, and a deep complexity that makes writing tasting notes a joy. Champagne achieves these conditions in a cool climate, but Chenin Blanc has that trifecta naturally. In the Loire Valley, where the grape thrives, producers like Domaine Pichot can turn Chenin into a sparkling wine that truly rivals Champagne.

The Pichots are one of the oldest families in Vouvray, and that longevity has gained them access to some of the best land along the right bank of the Loire River. Their vineyards like Coteau de la Biche, Le Marigny, and Le Peu de la Moriette are widely recognized as the greatest of the appellation, full of old vines cultivated organically, with grasses poking up between the rows.

Made in the labor-intensive, old-school method with hand-harvested grapes, this 2016 Domaine Pichot is aged three years on the lees for richness and body. This gives it biscuity autolytics (yeastiness) similar to Champagne, but with a broader mouthfeel and more savory and honeyed character. Mineral and crisp, displaying a deep structure, this is a true delight to drink—and an unaccountably good deal.