Cheverny Blanc "Frileuse"
1/3 each Sauvignon/Chardonnay/Fié Gris. Roughly translated as "little cold one", Frileuse is an apt name for this frost-prone, 3.8-hectare site at the top of the Tue-Boeuf estate. It is home to three varieties, including Fié Gris, the historical name for Sauvignon Rose, a Sauvignon variant with dusty-rose-colored skins and a softer flavor profile vs. the better-known Sauvignon (Blanc). Vine age ranges from 15 to 55 years with most in the 20-35-year zone. The soils are predominantly sticky clay and flint. The Puzelats farm the vineyard organically and harvest by hand. The bunches are partly left in whole clusters and partly destemmed with 2-3 days of maceration to kick off the spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts and without sulfur in large oak tanks. The wine ages 8-9 months in used demi-muids and Burgundy barrels, with occasional lees stirring and without racking. It is bottled unfiltered and with little to no sulfur.