# Anjou Blanc (2023)

- **Producer:** Domaine Thibaud Boudignon
- **Colour:** white
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Chenin Blanc
- **Region:** Loire, France
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 12.5%
- **Average price:** €38
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 10–12 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** apple, pear, quince, lemon, grapefruit, blossom, ginger, butter, toast, biscuit, honey, almond

## About this wine

Thibaud Boudignon is one of the most exciting and meticulous producers in the Loire Valley. Based in Savennières, he has quickly risen to cult status since establishing his domaine in 2009. His entry-level Anjou Blanc is sourced from organically and biodynamically farmed vineyards planted on shallow soils of schist, rhyolite, and sand. Boudignon's obsessive attention to detail in the vineyard—including manual canopy management and low yields—results in a dry Chenin Blanc of extraordinary purity, tension, and mineral drive that rivals many grand crus.

## Interesting facts

- Before becoming a winemaker, Thibaud Boudignon was a competitive judoka at a national level.
- He built a state-of-the-art, gravity-fed winery in Savennières to handle grapes as gently as possible.
- Boudignon propagates his vines using massal selection from old, high-quality Loire Chenin Blanc clones.

## Food pairing

The high, electric acidity of this dry Chenin Blanc cuts effortlessly through rich proteins like pork and buttery scallops, while its intense mineral core and subtle herbal notes beautifully complement goat cheese and fresh herbs.

## Wine making process

The grapes are hand-harvested with rigorous sorting in the vineyard. Vinification is carried out with minimal intervention using indigenous yeasts. The wine is fermented and aged in a combination of stainless steel tanks, 350-liter French oak barrels, and larger foudres (mostly used wood to preserve fruit purity) for about 11 to 12 months on its fine lees. Minimal sulfur is added only at bottling to maintain the wine's vibrant energy and precision.