Jacky Preys Les Pillotiéres Sauvignon 2020

During France’s Napoleonic era, Touraine and its environs were the main source of gunflint for the army. While mines have long since made way for grape vines, the region’s flinty heart has remained, much to the joy of vine growers who cultivate Sauvignon Blanc on these mineral-rich, “silex” soils. Since the early 1940s, the Preys winemaking family has been privy to the secrets of “silex” and made sure to plant Sauvignon Blanc vines on these flint-rich soils, knowing (like their vinous compatriots in Sancerre, for example) that this vine-soil combo made for intensely aromatic wines, immediately identifiable by their subtle yet tantalizing incense notes, reminiscent of the spark of gunflint. APPELLATION: Touraine AOC BLEND: 100% Sauvignon VINEYARDS: Estate vineyards are located near the towns of Meusnes and Mareuil-sur-Cher. Soils for ‘Cuvée Silex’ are exclusively flint stone (silex in French means flint), imparting a smoky, mineral essence to the wine. AGE OF VINES: 40-50 years WINEMAKING: Hand-harvested. Grapes are destemmed then pressed. Juice is fermented on indigenous yeasts in temperature-controlled, stainless steel tanks, and aged in tank.

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