This small corner of Savennières-Roche aux Moines, a white wine-dedicated section of France’s Loire Valley, is hallowed ground for Chenin Blanc. When grown here, the grape takes on otherworldly qualities—a shimmering minerality, deep tension, intensity, and an impeccable age-worthiness. It’s the same land that the legendary wines of Coulée de Serrant, Nicolas Joly’s biodynamic estate, come from. But shift over slightly to the next property over and you’ll find Domaine Aux Moines, a rising star of Chenin Blanc.
The estate was founded in 1981 by Madame Monique Laroche, though there are records of vines being planted on these lands way back to the Middle Ages. Her daughter, Tessa, now heads up the estate and makes some of the most enthralling and exciting white wines. Silken and suave in its intensity, it’s lush with pineapple, pear, and a deeply smokey minerality. $64
Kate Dingwall is a sommelier and wine writer. Her work frequently appears in Wine Enthusiast, Eater, Forbes.com, and Food & Wine, and she pours wine at one of Canada’s top restaurants.
