Langlois-Chateau, Coteaux du Layon Prestige, 2018

A pale golden yellow colour. Delicate and complex on the nose with aromas of honeysuckle, peach, orange blossom, quince jelly and apricot jam. In the mouth the wine is gently sweet rather than cloying or sticky and it is held in supreme balance with zesty citrus, especially lime, acidity. The finish is voluptuous and long. This wine is marvellous with tarte tatin but could also reveal its aromas with cheese such as Roquefort or Fourme d’Ambert.

This Prestige Coteaux du Layon comes from selected vineyard sites within the six named Coteaux du Layon Villages communes - largely from Beaulieu-sur-Layon. The old Chenin Blanc vines grow on volcanic rocky soils which allow for long ripening and a dramatic complexity of flavour in the grapes. Late harvested with a mixture of vine drying and noble rot to concentrate the sugars, acids and flavours make these the perfect grapes from which to make dessert wines. The vineyards are harvested by hand in successive ‘tries’ - to pick only optimum bunches and grapes. The grapes are then gently pressed and undergo a long, cool fermentation and maturation in old oak. This wine will age further in bottle for decades to come.