Cep by Cep Coteaux Du Layon 2021

Cep by Cep Coteaux du Layon is a sweet Chenin Blanc made from passerillé grapes rather than botrytised ones.

The Coteaux du Layon runs along a tributary of the Loire south-west of Angers and is the heart of the region's sweet Chenin production. This wine comes from Philippe Germain's estate vineyards at Rochefort-sur-Loire, in the middle of the valley, where the clay and schist soils are cut into an amphitheatre of terraces, an unusual arrangement for the Loire. The grapes are harvested passerillé style, meaning they are left to raisin on the vine with little or no noble rot, which keeps the fruit clearer and the wine lighter on its feet than a botrytis-driven style. Fermentation is natural and the wine is aged in neutral demi-muids. The fermentation was arrested with around eighty grams per litre of residual sugar remaining, held in balance by brisk acidity and moderate alcohol. Compared with much of the appellation, and particularly the Layon crus of Bonnezeaux, Chaume and Quarts de Chaume, this is a more delicate reading.

Drinking well now and capable of a decade or more. Serve at 8-10°C with a fruit tart, blue cheese or foie gras.

*Every effort is made to ensure the current vintage is accurate; however, variations can occur. If you are after a specific vintage, please contact us prior to ordering.