Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru 1 product.

Designated as the Loire Valley's only Grand Cru appellation, this tiny enclave within Coteaux du Layon produces botrytis-affected Chenin Blanc of exceptional concentration and longevity from soils of amphibolite and schist. The site — roughly 40 hectares on a south-facing bend in the Layon — creates a microclimate of morning mists, warm afternoons and cooling breezes that encourages irregular, profound botrytis development each autumn.

Grapes are harvested in successive tries (selective passes) to select only the most affected bunches. The wines are distinguished by the tension between residual sweetness and Chenin Blanc's piercing structural acidity — a combination that gives the finest examples decades of ageing potential, evolving from apricot and quince through beeswax and saffron as the years accumulate.