I only had chance to intercept a single recent wine from Chateau d’Epire, and then via a tank sample. That 2009 Savennieres Cuvee Speciale – whose designation is always reserved for especially rich raw materials that finish with a soupcon of residual sugar – smelled of honey, beeswax, tallow, and a greenhouse-like mingling of foliage and flowers. Subtly oily and bitter on a palate whose combination of firmness with richness only a Loire Chenin can manage; and with notes of citrus rind, bittersweet tincture of herbs, and chewy pit fruit skins; it delivered a fascinating persistence of chalk, salt, and ash along with lemon and honey in a finish barely hinting at sweetness. This should prove fascinating to follow on the other side of bottling, and one could expect it to hold up well for well more than a decade. Importer: Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA; tel. (510) 524-1524

A wine that combines the richness of the vintage with the extreme flinty texture of young, dry Chenin Blanc. Packed with ripe acidity, it is pure, very crisp, yet for aging. ——R.V.(6/1/2011)—— 92