Standing in Château d’Epiré’s chilly cellar, housed in a perfectly preserved Romanesque church dating back to the 12th century, one has the impression that time has stood still. But a quick look around reveals that the clock has ticked as much here as anywhere else, especially when greeted by the young face of Paul Bizard, the fifth and latest generation of Bizards to cultivate the schist-laden vineyards surrounding the Château.
            Having just taken over the reins from his father Luc, Paul shows ambition and determination in his work, with fresh ideas on the horizon to take this historic domaine to the next level. Any changes he should implement would be with the goal of achieving a purer expression of the strikingly rocky terroir he farms in Savennières, and this was also his primary objective with his first harvest in charge, the 2018.
           The nose immediately reflects what proved to be a milder vintage compared to the mythically icy years of the past: Chenin Blanc’s floral qualities shine through unabashedly, generously expressing acacia and jasmine in a notably friendlier way than the notoriously austere Savennières of cooler years. On the palate, however, there is no doubt we are dealing with cool-climate Chenin grown in schist: a firm core of minerality and racy acidity keep this bone-dry white sharp as a razor, despite a lovely fleshiness and trademark hint of walnuts on the finish.
           Things may be evolving at Epiré with the passage of time, and the changing of the guard certainly forebodes good things to come from this literal church of Chenin Blanc. What we know for sure is that we can count on this domaine now as much as ever to deliver bracingly fresh, stony Savennières, just how we like.