2018 Domaine Bourillon Dorléans Montgouverne Vouvray Sec Loire Valley 750 ml

We made one of the most extraordinary vinous discoveries of the year while deep underground in a 15th-century limestone cave, as candles flickered and a Mozart aria drifted through the darkness.

The bearish winemaker Frédéric Bourillon, stooping his 6’3 frame, handed us a glass of the 2018 Domaine Bourillon Dorléans Montgouverne Vouvray Sec—an astounding expression of Loire Valley Chenin Blanc whose acidity slides across the palate like satin. Friends had told us how special this wine was, but experiencing it firsthand was another thing entirely.

From the lip of the glass surged a concerto of springtime aromas: faded flowers, honey, saffron, lanolin, bruised apple. It was a pinch-me moment, and one we look forward to reliving every time we bring this outstanding bottle up from the cellar. 

Today’s your shot at the supple Loire bottling that, until today, has been nearly impossible to find—we’re the only American retailer that has it. Silky as Riesling but with the vivacious acidity of a top Sauvignon Blanc, this wine will change the way you think about Vouvray. 

This bottling from Domaine Bourillon Dorléans is the kind of wine we wake up in the morning hoping we’ll find: It’s crafted by a small multi-generational estate, vividly reflective of its clay-limestone terroir, incredibly complex and age-worthy—not to mention a fantastic value.

We’re obsessed with Chenin Blanc, and this expression of the grape’s luscious character is one of the best interpretations we’ve ever encountered. Hand-crafted by a Loire master, it’s sourced from a single plot of 35-year-old vines, where grapes are coaxed into perfect balance from budbreak to bottling. 

“Bone-dry, this wine offers richness” and “has a tight edge and intense acidity,” says Wine Enthusiast. “The wine shows great potential.” Open a bottle on Monday, and by Friday it’s still firm and beautifully fresh—just like the best white Burgundy.

Based in Rochecorbon, Domaine Bourillon Dorléans was founded in 1875 and shaped into its current form by Frédéric’s great-grandfather, Gaston Dorléans, in 1921. The tunnel we found ourselves in that afternoon is common in this part of Vouvray: Centuries ago, builders dug into these tufa limestone hills to source stones to build local châteaux.

Frédéric’s tunnel is one of the longest in Loire, and decorated with over 30 carvings that tell the story of winemaking in the region, turning our journey there into a gastronomic walk into the recesses of the past. At various stations throughout the tunnel, small tables were set with oysters, smoked salmon, aged cheese—perfect accompaniments to the Vouvray Sec’s scintillating vibrancy and polished richness.

We returned home passionately determined to bring this bottle to U.S. shores, still entranced by the property and cave, the history, the tradition of Chenin Blanc mastery passed down through generations. On rare occasions, a single sip can capture an estate’s entire legacy. This is one of them, and it’s a can’t-miss.