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Sweet sweet
This is one of the classic Moulin Touchais vintages, perfectly expressing the style of this historic Coteaux du Layon producer: elegant, long-lived, and defined by an exceptional balance between sweetness and acidity. The 2001 vintage is widely regarded as one of the finest years of the early 21st century for sweet ‘Chenin Blanc’ wines in the Loire Valley. Favourable weather conditions allowed the grapes to ripen slowly and evenly, preserving high acidity while developing remarkable aromatic concentration. As a result, this vintage combines richness with outstanding precision and elegance.
The bouquet reveals aromas of quince, ripe peach, dried apricot, orange zest, and acacia honey. Extended bottle ageing has added further layers of beeswax, chamomile, dried flowers, toasted almonds, and delicate spice notes. On the palate, the wine is concentrated yet remarkably vibrant. Flavours of ripe stone fruits, citrus, and honey are supported by lively acidity, which brings freshness and precision while preventing the sweetness from becoming dominant. The finish is long, complex, and elegantly mineral.
The wine is made from hand-harvested ‘Chenin Blanc’ grapes picked in several passes through the vineyard to capture different stages of ripeness. Moulin Touchais traditionally harvests part of the crop earlier to preserve freshness and acidity, while the remainder is left on the vine longer to achieve greater concentration. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks, preserving the purity and aromatic precision of the variety. The wine is then aged for many years in the estate’s cellars before being released to the market.
Today, the 2001 vintage is considered one of the benchmark wines of Moulin Touchais. Thanks to its exceptional balance of concentration, acidity, and sweetness, it is frequently cited among the estate’s most successful vintages. More than two decades after harvest, the wine still displays remarkable youthful energy and possesses the potential to continue evolving gracefully for many years, revealing ever greater layers of complexity and maturity.
Best served at 10–12°C. An excellent match for foie gras, blue cheeses, tarte tatin, apple-based desserts, and aged hard cheeses.
Moulin Touchais – A Legend of Coteaux du Layon and Master of Chenin Blanc
Moulin Touchais is one of the oldest and most respected wineries in the Loire Valley. The estate was founded in 1787 in Doué-la-Fontaine, in the Anjou region, and has been owned by the Touchais family for more than eight generations. It is a true example of tradition and longevity. The winery is renowned for its exceptionally long-aged sweet Coteaux du Layon wines made from Chenin Blanc grapes.
Moulin Touchais wines are aged for a minimum of 10 years in underground cellars before being released to the market, while the best vintages can age gracefully for 30–50+ years. This philosophy allows the wines to achieve remarkable harmony, complexity, and incredible freshness even after several decades.
Terroir and Vineyards
The vineyards are situated on the best slopes of Coteaux du Layon (in Tigné, Martigné-Briand, and Maligné areas) on clay-limestone soils. The autumn microclimate, with morning mist and sunny afternoons, creates ideal conditions for the development of noble rot (Botrytis cinerea). The winery works exclusively with selected plots and follows sustainable viticulture practices.
Winemaking Style
Moulin Touchais produces classic, elegant, and extremely long-ageing sweet Chenin Blanc wines. They are distinguished by a perfect balance between acidity and sweetness, along with rich notes of dried fruits, honey, nuts, and minerality. These wines pair beautifully not only with desserts but also with foie gras, blue cheeses, or as a meditative wine.
It is one of the few wineries in the world able to offer such an extensive collection of old vintages, perfectly illustrating the legendary longevity of Chenin Blanc and the greatness of Loire Valley terroir.
