Bernard Fouquetrsquo;s 2008 Vouvray Cuvee Silex was not picked until October 8 (and then at over 13% natural alcohol) and it shows in a wine whose combination of ripeness, hint of botrytis, and brightness puts me in mind of 1996. Lychee, yellow cherry, Mirabelle, quince, and narcissus in the nose lead to a musky, subtly oily, chalk-inflected, honeyed, yet incisively zesty palate. This combines richness and palpably high extract with cut and invigoration in a way that only Chenin (and then only in the Central Loire) can. Its 6 grams of residual sugar perfectly set off the yellow fruits and hint of honey in this winersquo;s long finish. This formidably-concentrated yet elegant wine is worth following for at least half a dozen years. Thatrsquo;s assuming the screw-caps used in bottling for the U.S. cuveacute;e since the 2007 vintage are up to that challenge. In other markets, yoursquo;re out of luck, because Fouquet normally bottles this extraordinary and otherwise ageworthy cuveacute;e with a plastic stopper, to which I attribute the loss of aromas in my bottles of 2005 after a couple of years.

sweet floral nose. fruit. pear. mouth. long plesant finish