Domaine des Aubuisieres Vouvray Cuvée Silex 2008

Bernard Fouquetrsquo;s 2008 Vouvray Cuvee Silex was not picked until October 8 (and then at over 13% natural alcohol) and it shows in a wine whose combination of ripeness, hint of botrytis, and brightness puts me in mind of 1996. Lychee, yellow cherry, Mirabelle, quince, and narcissus in the nose lead to a musky, subtly oily, chalk-inflected, honeyed, yet incisively zesty palate. This combines richness and palpably high extract with cut and invigoration in a way that only Chenin (and then only in the Central Loire) can. Its 6 grams of residual sugar perfectly set off the yellow fruits and hint of honey in this winersquo;s long finish. This formidably-concentrated yet elegant wine is worth following for at least half a dozen years. Thatrsquo;s assuming the screw-caps used in bottling for the U.S. cuveacute;e since the 2007 vintage are up to that challenge. In other markets, yoursquo;re out of luck, because Fouquet normally bottles this extraordinary and otherwise ageworthy cuveacute;e with a plastic stopper, to which I attribute the loss of aromas in my bottles of 2005 after a couple of years.

Light gold with a hint of green. Pear, peach, floral honey and mint on the nose. Lush, gently sweet pit fruit and melon flavors are complemented by succulent herbs and bitter orange pith. Nicely melds sweetness and nervosite and finishes with good clarity and a clinging note of orange zest. Irsquo;d serve this with a not-so-spicy Thai fish or chicken dish.

Bernard Fouquet surmounted the challenges of the 2007 vintage, so that his 2007 Vouvray Cuvee Silex is fit to be shown alongside the extraordinary 2005 (reviewed in issue 172). This barely off-dry Vouvray displays musky, bitter-sweet, narcissus-like floral notes, along with fresh quince, and a whiff of mothball. Refreshingly bright, saline, chalky, and with a zesty bitterness, it lacks the clarity and billowing palate presence of the best vintages of this cuvee, but displays outstanding length. I would enjoy it over the next 2-3 years. This 2007, incidentally, is closed with Stelvin screw-caps.

Fouquet's 2005 Vouvray Cuvee Silex smells scintillatingly of buddleia, jellied white currants, lemon pip and mint. Utterly transparent in the mouth billowing to floral perfume and salt-stone minerality, this refreshes mind and palate with the utmost subtlety and complexity, its balance uncanny and its message eloquent. (Incidentally, at only five grams residual sugar, it is significantly drier than the past couple of renditions of this cuvee, but with some encouragement from his importer, Fouquet achieved a level that permits mineral character to shine through, and perfectly complements the inherent generosity of the vintage.) If there is a more spectacular price:quality rapport on offer anywhere in the world of white wine, please tell me! For some time now, Berhard Fouquet has been moving the quality of his distinctive, largely stainless steel-rendered Vouvrays into the exalted echelon of Foreau and Huet, which is to say challenging any of the world's finest practitioners of white wine, and at an absolutely unbeatable price:quality ratio. His latest results all but confirm his arrival.

I dove into wines from Vouvray not knowing what to expect, and I was pleasantly surprised. The strong acidity jumps out of the glass right away, and flavors of ripe pineapple, pear and bitter citrus zest arenrsquo;t far behind. Itrsquo;s notably minerally on the palate, and the finish is long, entirely fruity and lightly sweet. The balance between fruit and acidity lends this semi-sweet white an approachable character. Try it with a creamy white cheese like Berganost, or with a pork dish. You wonrsquo;t be disappointed!

Fresh and unadorned, with white peach, orange blossom and green almond notes backed by a nice minerally edge. Mouthwatering finish. Drink now through 2010.