Domaine des Baumard Clos du Papillon 2014: A Magnificent Savennières with a Taste for Stone, Honey and Time
Some white wines need a little age before they reveal their true character. Domaine des Baumard’s Clos du Papillon 2014 belongs to that demanding, fascinating category. Made entirely from Chenin Blanc on the schist-covered slopes of Savennières, it possesses the sort of muscular acidity, extraordinary concentration and savoury complexity that can make even prestigious white Burgundy seem rather tame.
The 2014 vintage is particularly compelling. Beneath its golden appearance lies a sophisticated combination of ripe orchard fruit, almond, dried flowers and a firm, almost saline structure. There is a creamy richness to the texture, but the wine remains remarkably precise, with a persistent bitterness that gives the finish a distinctly adult character.
No lavish oak, no buttery theatricality. Just Chenin Blanc, an exceptional vineyard and the extraordinary capacity of a great Loire white to develop over time.
The Basics
- Producer: Domaine des Baumard
- Wine: Clos du Papillon
- Vintage: 2014
- Appellation: Savennières AOC
- Region: Loire Valley, France
- Grape: 100% Chenin Blanc
- Vineyard: Clos du Papillon, Savennières
- Exposure: South-facing slopes
- Soils: Schist, sandstone, sand and rhyolite
- Average vine age: Approximately 35 years
- Yield: Approximately 30 hl/ha
- Harvest: Manual
- Pressing: Gentle, whole-bunch pneumatic pressing
- Fermentation: Temperature-controlled stainless steel
- Ageing: Nine months on the lees in stainless steel
- Oak: None
- Alcohol: 14% ABV
- Bottle size: 750 ml
- Serving temperature: 11–13°C
Clos du Papillon: The Butterfly Vineyard of Savennières
Savennières is one of the Loire Valley’s great white-wine appellations, occupying a small stretch of vineyards on the northern bank of the river, southwest of Angers.
The landscape is deceptively gentle. Behind the picturesque villages and wooded slopes lies an unforgiving geological foundation of schist, sandstone and ancient volcanic rock. Chenin Blanc thrives here, producing dry whites whose remarkable acidity allows them to mature for decades.
Clos du Papillon takes its name from the distinctive butterfly-like shape of the vineyard, divided by a path running through the hillside.
Domaine des Baumard cultivates the eastern portion, approximately four hectares of vines planted on south-facing slopes. The soils contain schist, sandstone and rhyolite, a volcanic rock that forms part of the vineyard’s complex geological foundation.
The vines average around thirty-five years of age, and yields are modest. This gives the estate the raw material for a particularly concentrated interpretation of Chenin Blanc.
Florent Baumard has never been especially interested in following every local convention. His approach includes carefully controlled fermentation, stainless-steel maturation and the use of screwcaps, choices that have occasionally provoked criticism in a region deeply attached to its traditions.
Yet his wines have a formidable reputation for longevity.
The 2014 vintage arrived after a variable growing season, with favourable late-summer conditions helping Chenin Blanc reach maturity while retaining its characteristic acidity. For Savennières, that combination is particularly valuable.
Within the immense diversity of the Loire Valley, few dry whites possess the same combination of concentration, severity and ageing potential.
How It’s Made
Clos du Papillon 2014 is made exclusively from Chenin Blanc harvested from the estate’s celebrated vineyard.
The whole bunches are pressed gently, with the juice collected in separate fractions according to pressing pressure. This allows Florent Baumard to select and manage different components before the final wine is assembled.
Fermentation takes place in stainless-steel tanks at controlled temperatures. The wine then remains on its lees for approximately nine months, developing additional texture without receiving any oak influence.
This is a crucial distinction.
The richness of Clos du Papillon does not come from barriques. Its breadth is the result of ripe Chenin Blanc, concentrated vineyard fruit and maturation on the lees.
The absence of wood also means that the wine’s more austere qualities remain exposed. Acidity, phenolic structure and the earthy, savoury character associated with Savennières have nowhere to hide.
It is an approach that invites comparison with great dry Riesling. Both varieties can produce remarkably long-lived whites, but Chenin Blanc generally offers a broader, waxier texture, with a more pronounced almond and honeyed character as it matures.
Tasting Notes
Colour: Brilliant golden yellow with warm straw reflections. The colour has developed attractive depth with age, retaining a luminous, remarkably healthy appearance.
Bouquet: Ripe pear, mirabelle plum and spring flowers provide an elegant opening. The fruit gradually gives way to more mature nuances of toasted almond, beeswax and dried herbs.
There is an intriguing contrast between the wine’s generous aromatic maturity and a sharper, almost stony character beneath it. Bergamot, a touch of nutmeg and a delicate suggestion of butter add complexity without making the bouquet heavy.
The nose is fascinating because it refuses to settle into a single register. Fruit, flowers and savoury notes develop at different speeds, giving the wine the sort of aromatic depth that rewards a large glass and a little patience.
Palate: Powerful, creamy and wonderfully incisive. The first impression is broad and almost luxurious, with ripe orchard fruit and a subtle honeyed richness.
Then the acidity arrives.
It is firm, persistent and remarkably precise, cutting through the wine’s substantial texture and introducing a taut, almost austere dimension. The palate moves towards citrus peel, green almond and a delicate herbal bitterness, while a savoury, saline impression gradually takes command.
What makes the wine impressive is the relationship between richness and restraint. There is considerable concentration, but the structure remains disciplined. The creamy texture never becomes sluggish, and the acidity has enough authority to support many more years of development.
Finish: Exceptionally persistent, dry and savoury, with lingering citrus, almond, beeswax and a fine phenolic bitterness. The finish has a remarkable sense of tension, remaining vivid long after the fruit has faded.
Our Verdict
Clos du Papillon 2014 is an outstanding Savennières. It possesses the richness of mature Chenin Blanc, an uncompromising acidic backbone and the kind of intricate, savoury finish that separates a genuinely great white wine from a merely pleasant one.
Its severity may surprise drinkers accustomed to creamy Chardonnay or flamboyantly aromatic whites. This is a demanding wine, sometimes almost stubborn, but its combination of concentration and precision is magnificent.
At around €37, it is a compelling purchase, particularly when compared with the extraordinary prices commanded by mature white Burgundy.
A serious, aristocratic Loire white with plenty of life ahead of it, provided the bottle has been properly stored.
Price
€37.20 for a 750 ml bottle.
Food Pairings
Paella, vitello tonnato, chicken curry, empanadas, hamburgers.
