Domaine du Closel, 2023 Update
In this informal dance around the most recent (and some not-so-recent) releases in the Savennières appellation, I started with the 2021 and 2015 vintages from Nicolas and Virginie Joly, followed by a near-neighbour, with a look at the four latest vintages from Domaine aux Moines. This week I head downstream, although only a short distance, across a coulée or two, to the plateau above the town of Savennières itself. Here we find the famous Clos du Papillon, which along with other parcels make up the Domaine du Closel.
When Evelyne de Jessey-Pontbriand took hold of the reins of Domaine du Closel in 2001 she had some big shoes to fill; her mother, Michèle Bazin de Jessey, had been a formidable figure within the appellation and region. Even so, when looking at the work in the vineyard and cellars, and the results that went into the bottle, there was clearly room for improvement. Evelyne made this her ambition, to improve the wines made on her estate, but also, as she put it to me back in 2017, to “revive the flame” that was once Savennières.
The work undertaken was not insignificant. The viticultural approach shifted away from the conventional, and into certified organics. Picking decisions were key, as she sought to capture the character of the variety and the terroir, but not the botrytis, potential sweetness and high alcohols for which the appellation was renowned. In the cellars she began splitting the juices, working to control the polyphenols and to protect the juices and wine from oxidation. She amended the élevage, keeping the wine in oak longer before bottling, and she wound back on the use of sulphites.
The results speak for themselves, as today Evelyne’s wines frequently charm and delight. This was evident when I visited her back in 2017, and we tasted every vintage she had made, starting from 2001 through to, at that time, 2015. On this more recent occasion I had the opportunity to see if the 2020 vintage lived up to expectations.
