Botrytised or nobly rotten grapes make the world’s finest (and most expensive) sweet wines. Here, however, this golden white is totally dry, yet still complex with rich, honeyed and citrusy fruit. A most elegant creation from JMS and team at Le Chai.
Le C du Chai is typical of the exciting wines coming from Le Chai (our winemaking HQ in Castillon). It’s a modern interpretation by the inimitable Jean-Marc of a luscious, dry, botrytised Sémillon that Tony Laithwaite made with Danish winemaker Peter Vinding-Diers 30 years ago. Two thirds of the Sémillon is from a vineyard in the Entre-Deux-Mers. The rest is late-harvested, noble-rot Sémillon from Bordeaux’s renowned Loupiac. This portion had the full works: fermentation in part new barrels, with five months’ ageing on its lees. The golden white result is refreshingly dry and citrusy, but with a rich, honeyed, nutty complexity. With its toasty notes and lemony zing, this white is top with chilli crab pasta, grilled seafood or hard cheeses.
