In the glass
Aroma: green apple, Fuji pear, honeysuckle, white blossom
Palate: lemon citrus, creamy lees, chalk, stone fruit
Old-vine Chenin from a single clay-limestone parcel. Fresh and bright with lively persistent acidity; barrel and foudre raise give the wine textural complexity.
What it pairs with
-
Sole bonne femme
Mushroom-shallot cream sauce meets the wine's lees creaminess and chalk minerality. -
Roast chicken with tarragon
Anise note bridges to Chenin's honeysuckle; barrel weight handles roasting jus. -
Aged Comté
Hazelnut crystallisation in 24+ month Comté finds the wine's creamy lees and stone fruit. -
Lobster ravioli
Shellfish sweetness meets the wine's barrel weight and saline-mineral lift.
History
Le Clos is Carême's flagship single-vineyard Vouvray. The cuvée combines barrel-fermentation depth with the foudre rest typical of the Loire's old-school Chenin tradition.
- 2005 — Le Clos single-vineyard bottling established
Facts
- Producer
- Domaine Vincent Carême
- Grapes
- Chenin Blanc (100%)
- Classification
- Vouvray AOC
- Oak
- Spontaneous fermentation in 400-litre French oak barrels for 9 months, then 3 months in foudres
- ABV
- 13.0%
- Price
- EUR 35 to 55 at retail
- Drinking window
- 3-15 from vintage
- First vintage
- 2005
- Organic
- ORGANIC CERTIFIED
- Vegan
- Yes (no animal-derived fining)
Scores
- Wine Enthusiast 92 (2022 vintage, reviewed 2024)
Frequently asked about Vouvray Le Clos
What does Carême Le Clos taste like?
Green apple, Fuji pear, honeysuckle and white blossom on the nose; lemon citrus, creamy lees, chalk and stone fruit on the palate. Medium-bodied with high acidity and a long, layered finish.
When should I drink Carême Le Clos?
Drink between 3 and 15 years from vintage. The 9 months in barrel and 3 months in foudre give the wine textural complexity that builds with 3 to 5 years in bottle.
How is Le Clos aged?
Spontaneous fermentation in 400-litre French oak barrels for 9 months, then 3 months in foudres. The single-vineyard cuvée comes from organically farmed old vines.
Is Carême Le Clos vegan?
Yes. The estate is organic-certified and the wines are produced without animal-derived fining agents.