From pure Chenin and his oldest vines grown on pink schist, Minchin's barrel-aged 2007 Fiefs Vendeens Le Haut des Clous - given the striking virtues of his 'regular' Les Clous bottling - ought to be a stunner. But as so often happens around the world, the desire to 'lavish' barrel time as well as longer hang-time on a grower's best raw materials proves that more is sometimes less. Fresh quince, persimmon, white pepper, and caraway in the nose lead to polished and relatively full palate on which the fine florality displayed by the basic Les Clous bottling goes missing; and that wine's peculiar finishing savor is replaced instead by peppery pungency and a lick of salt. It's not that this wine tastes overly oaky per se, but rather that the barrel seems to have robbed it of the traits that rendered its ostensibly simpler (and half as expensive) sibling so distinctively delicious. From south of Nantes, and with views from his vineyards onto the Atlantic, Thierry Michon - an impassioned proponent of biodynamics - is growing some fascinating wines that are bringing recognition to the little known Vendee and its sub-appellation Brem.A Jon-David Headrick Selection (various importers), Asheville, NC; tel. (828) 252 8245
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