Clos Rougeard Saumur-Champigny 2014

92 points Decanter: "Also quite reductive at this stage, some aeration will enable its aromatic complexity to unfold, revealing floral notes of lilies and violets as well as a touch of Bourbon vanilla. The palate is full-bodied yet delicate and fresh, sustained by classy, polished tannins. The liquorice-infused finish has a tell-tale, appealing touch of gastronomic bitterness. Drinking Window: 2023-2029. (Feb 2019)"

Importer notes: "Every three-star restaurant in France hustles to get a small allocation. No one in America, outside of the lucky few, have heard of it (ed note: this was written at a time when that was actually true!) This estate has been in the family for several generations. Basically, the Foucault brothers (Nadi and Charlie) tend exceptional vineyards, harvest at small yields, vinify in barrel, let the wines bubble for a couple of years in a glacially cold cellar and bottle without filtration. And what you get is the some of the top red wines of the Loire Valley and in the very top of France as a whole. Charles Joguet, the great winemaker of Chinon, once said: 'there are two suns. One shines outside for everybody. The second shines in the Foucaults’ cellar.'"