2020 - Saumur-Champigny Franc Pied, Thierry Germain (Roches Neuves)

The 2020 Franc de Pied is incredibly reductive when it was first opened and needed a lot of time and a swirl with a copper coin. If you can be patient (5 minutes with a penny in your glass, or your currency's equivalent), it's worth the wait. It reveals itself to be a richly fruited, savory style that fills the mouth with a balloon of chalky silkiness. The limestone element really shows itself on the long finish, all finely grained texture and sinew. As you'd hope from Saumur-Champigny, there's no sense of weight or heft. Delectable now but has the structure to develop over the coming two decades.