Domaine des Deux Vallées: Tasting & Drinking
There are fewer more friendly or more welcoming proprietors than Philippe Socheleau, a man who with his father took on and turned around a domaine where the focus seemed to be on volume to instead create an interesting array of attractive, wallet-friendly wines. What he has achieved, beginning with the construction of new cellars and continuing with a new focus on the vineyard, not least his recent commitment to organic viticulture, is nothing short of admirable, and he deserves success.
Looking with a more critical eye, Domaine des Deux Vallées is still, even after twenty years, very much a work in progress. If I there is one word I would use to describe the 2012 Savennières, one of my earliest encounters with the wines of this domaine and admittedly close to ten years ago now, it would be anonymity. It was a drinkable wine, but one built on soft-focus fruit and even softer-focus wood, and in the end it said little about the noble appellation which it claimed to represent. Looking at more recently encountered wines, the next word that comes to mind is austerity. The style here is firm, a little bony at times, and I think they miss a little texture and generosity. Having said that, to their credit the wines have a delightful freshness and good grip, so there is definitely something worth investigating here.
Please log in to continue reading: