Famille Percher Cour-Cheverny Blanc AOC 2020

In the grand scheme of wine things, Loire Valley’s Famille Percher, est. 2005, is a comparative baby. However, the nine hectares of Cheverny and Cour-Cheverny vines to which owner/winemaker Luc Percher tends aren’t exactly bright young things: His plantings range in age from a spry 40 years to more than a century old. Performing all viticultural work by hand and farming organically and biodynamically since taking charge of the vineyards, Percher has cultivated a healthy mane of flora between each row to preserve “the biological heritage” here and, ultimately, in each of his bottlings. Similar care is taken in the cellar, where he ferments with indigenous yeasts, generally avoids fining or filtering, and adds sulfur minimally. Made from 120-ish-year-old vines grown in sandy clay-limestone solis (Percher’s oldest parcel), this medium-weight, dry white is 100% Romorantin and 100% delicious. A bouquet of honeysuckle and acacia aromas opens into a pillow-soft yet intensely mineral-driven palate of Comice pear, steamed apples and honeycomb. Certified Organic, Certified Biodynamic, Low-intervention/Natural Wine.