2018 Savennières La Jalousie

Evelyne de Pontbriand took over her venerable family estate—known historically as the Château des Vaults but now known as Domaine du Closel—in 2001 in a career change from teaching French literature. Domaine du Closel has always been run by women. Evelyne inherited the estate from her mother, Michèle de Jesse, who in turn inherited the estate from her aunt, Madame du Closel. Evelyne eventually became president of the Savennières AOC. Clos du Papillon, her top site, is one of the three most celebrated coulées in Savennières, along with La Roche Aux Moines and La Coulée de Serrant. Times have been tough lately with devastating frosts. “In 2017, I lost almost all of my vines in one night,” she says, adding that Domaine du Closel only made 1,700 bottles of Savennières that year. Things righted themselves with a very promising 2018 vintage.