Château Moncontour

Château Moncontour is a landmark of Vouvray, its Renaissance towers rising above the Loire near Tours. One of the largest and most historic estates of the appellation, it has made Chenin Blanc here for centuries. The château and its cellars, carved into the tuffeau, are among the Loire's most storied. Chenin Blanc is the sole grape of Vouvray, and Moncontour shows its full range, from bone-dry to sparkling. The vines grow on clay and flint over soft tuffeau limestone, which lends the wines their minerality. Cool Loire conditions preserve the grape's bright acidity. In the cellar, both still and traditional-method sparkling wines are made with care. Chenin's hallmark of honeyed fruit balanced by racy acidity runs through the range. The wines are as ageworthy as they are refreshing. Moncontour offers Vouvray in all its guises, fresh, mineral and quietly age-worthy. From a crisp dry white to a lively sparkling brut, these are wines that capture the cool elegance of the Loire.