Francois et Julien Pinon

– Vouvray

Impressive moustache, impressive wines. Julien Pinon is at the forefront of Vouvray’s new wave and is making beautiful, authentic, full flavoured, loose-limbed, subtle and fine Vouvrays. You expect apples and pears, white flowers and honey, a hint of damp sheep too, and all good Vouvray has the crackle of excitement from the racy acidity towards the finish but it is Julien’s relaxed, almost haunting way with residual sugar that gives his wines the whisper of underlying richness, the subtle mid palate lift, that very elusive ‘tendre’ quality. The Sec, the Silex Noir and the Deronnieres all have this touch of residual to some extent and yet it’s carried within the wines so beautifully that there’s absolutely no suggestion of the wines being ‘sweet’. Very lovely wines and a very exciting new addition for us.