Benoit Chauveau Coteaux du Giennois Blanc Silex 2018

With the prices of Sauvignon Blanc from neighboring Pouilly Fume and Sancerre skyrocketing, in many cases doubling in the last decade, it is upcoming regions like Coteaux du Giennois that are seeing huge investment and increased interest from the international wine scene. Only one hilltop in this small appellation has the highly sought after flinty, "Silex" soils, and that is where Benoit staked his claim. We visited Benoit in the Spring were blown away by this wine, and to be honest, we were previously unfamiliar with this area. It is very small, only about 470 acres planted and surrounds the village of Gien. We love the clean and piercing style of this wine with plenty of ripe Meyer lemon, Ruby grapefruit and Bosc pear aromas and flavors, but it is the signature wet stone and gunflint that elevate this to the next level.