Description
Located next to the Tour Villard, part of the ruined Château de Chignin, lies the Savoie domaine of Jean-François Quénard, who took over operations from his father Jean-Pierre in 1987; continuing a family legacy of winemaking there, which dates back to 1644! After studying at wine school in Dijon, Burgundy, Jean-François also studied winemaking in Bordeaux and California. Together, with his wife Catherine, the couple has grown the domaine from its original 5-hectares to its current 19-hectare size; and are now joined by their daughter Anne-Sophie, who received a degree in viticulture/viniculture from the prestigious Beaune wine school.
They are well on their way to full organic conversion, and have always treated the land with the utmost respect. In fact, the family has a unique viticultural philosophy, believing that there is a “spiritual dimension to tending to the vines” that “humbles” them. Yields are deliberately kept low, harvests are 90% by hand, and each parcel is vinified separately using indigenous yeasts. The 2022 Chignin Blanc is 100% Jacquère from 40-year-old vines planted on clay and limestone soils. Fermentation was in stainless-steel tanks, with partial malolactic fermentation.
Pale straw-yellow hue. Delicately scented, with notes of freshly peeled pears and yellow apples. The palate shows lovely texture, with flavors of ripe apricot and white peach, a bit of chalky mineral and a hint of almond. Simply delicious, this beauty is refined and refreshing, displaying a graceful, dry finish.
