Moulin Touchais Coteaux du Layon 1994 Bottle size: 750ml

‘More evolved, tertiary notes of lanolin, lemon, waxy apples and a mealy dog biscuits note. Palate show piquant grapefruit marmalade, spice and freshness. Lovely harmony and balance. Palate outshines the nose.’ – Greg Sherwood MW, 93+/100

‘The 1994 Coteau du Layon offers an intriguing range of sweet tobacco, dried flowers, candied orange peel and earthy notes. Time in bottle has given the 1994 notable complexity, but it also retains a palpable sense of firmness that differentiates it from the lusher 1997 taste alongside it. Even though the 1994 has the depth and character of a 25 year-old Coteaux du Layon, it also has the sense of reserve that I find intriguing. It’s the sort of wine that demands the attention of the taster. The 1994 is a touch rustic, and yet immensely pleasing. 2020 – 2025.’ – Antonio Galloni, Vinous, 92/100

‘A vintage beset by frost initially and then black rot through the whole of the Loire. Polished. Deep appearance. Complex orange/copper/gold. Very restrained nose. Very clean, ‘dry’ and mineral. Rich and surprisingly concentrated on entry. Chalky textured and dry, with no sign of the rot associated with the vintage. This is perhaps more universally gastronomic, since it does appear much drier, opening up endless possibilities for food pairing. There is dry, saline, almost Manzanilla quality about the wine with linear acidity. This is true Chenin. Taut and mineral. Persistent and distinctly dry to the finish. It also shows the development of some savoury notes, something that appears to develop with time on old Moulin Touchais wines. This is certainly on a plateau but can be expected to hold for years to come. The firm malic acid presence will act as a preservative.’ – Richard Kelley MW