741. Domaine des Baumard, Savennières Trie Spéciale, 2000

£33; 13.5%

An unexpected spot at The 10 Cases, Covent Garden this. I didn’t know Baumard did a dry Savennières at all, so to find a 13 year bottle-aged one was perfect. And it turned out to be excellent as well; fully-mature, complex, crisp Chenin Blanc. Deep, limpid gold, without any copper glints of oxidation. Intense, quite broad sweet apple nose, yellow peach notes, then building to crystallised yellow fruit. Almond complexity – almost Pieropan-like, with a touch of aromatic herb (dill?). Honey, and chalky, flinty mineral notes. Rich, full-bodied, almost viscous mouthfeel, yet with balanced alcohol and medium+ acidity. Ripe yellow peach fruit, hints of sweet apple, almond, and even some limey notes. Beautiful mineral undertow. Long. 18 / 20.