In the glass
Aroma: dried apricot, honey, saffron, candied ginger
Palate: quince paste, beeswax, saline mineral, long honeyed finish
Botrytised sweet Chenin Blanc from a south-facing tuffeau parcel. The estate's rare dessert cuvee: candied apricot, honey and saffron over a saline mineral spine, built for decades.
What it pairs with
-
Foie gras terrine with brioche
Classic sweet wine pairing: foie gras and botrytis Chenin are textbook. -
Tarte Tatin with creme fraiche
Caramelised apple and the wine's quince paste register align directly. -
Roquefort with figs
Sweet wine, blue cheese and figs are a classic three-way pairing.
History
Coteaux de Saumur is the estate's botrytised sweet wine, bottled only in vintages where noble rot develops on the Chenin Blanc. Rare and library-released by the Vatan family.
- 1996 — First vintage of Hureau Coteaux de Saumur
Facts
- Producer
- Chateau du Hureau
- Grapes
- Chenin Blanc (100%)
- Classification
- Coteaux de Saumur AOC
- Oak
- 14 to 18 months in oak demi-muids on lees, around 20 percent new
- ABV
- 13.0%
- Price
- EUR 28 to 48 (half-bottle) at retail
- Drinking window
- 10 to 40 from vintage
- First vintage
- 1996
- Organic
- ORGANIC CERTIFIED
- Vegan
- Yes (no animal-derived fining)
Scores
- Wine Advocate 93 (2015 vintage, reviewed 2019)
Frequently asked about Coteaux de Saumur
What does Hureau Coteaux de Saumur taste like?
Dried apricot, honey, saffron and candied ginger on the nose; quince paste, beeswax, saline mineral and a long honeyed finish on the palate. Full-bodied with high acidity.
When should I drink Hureau Coteaux de Saumur?
Drink between 10 and 40 years from vintage. Serve at 10 to 12C; the high acidity keeps the wine fresh through decades of cellaring.
What food pairs with Hureau Coteaux de Saumur?
Foie gras terrine with brioche, tarte Tatin with creme fraiche, and Roquefort with figs are all canonical matches.
What classification does Hureau Coteaux de Saumur have?
Coteaux de Saumur AOC, the sweet white appellation reserved for botrytis-affected Chenin Blanc from tuffeau slopes in the Saumur region.