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