THE LOIRE

 

We weren't expecting our trip to the Loire to be such a revelation. We found growers, many quite young, less shackled by tradition, more willing to experiment and, unusually for France, we found growers who had no previous background in wine. The very long valley is dripping with bio-dynamic influence.

 

Biodynamism; organic viticulture taken to the extreme, ruled by the lunar calendar - man, moon and earth in perfect harmony.

 

Those that weren't “Bio” or “Demeter” were often “Lûtte Raisonée” or “Lûtte Integrée”, a half-way system in which vines are only treated after “rigorous observation”: …I treat only if needed, not because I’ll be safer if I treat continually (which is still the norm).

 

CENTRAL VINEYARDS

 

The Loire and Sauvignon Blanc go hand in hand, so we started near Sancerre over in the Eastern section, which one can forget is less than an hour from Chablis. We also wanted to check out some other villages famous for Sauvignon Blanc and found fruit-driven, but not blousy styles from Valéry Renaudat in Reuilly. Not the only example in the wine world, the apparently mild-mannered son had a massive blow-out with his father and has gone his own way, bought a few of his own vines and built a cellar. Zingy, zesty Reuilly, evocative of fresh running water, lime blossom and camomile flowers. Fabulous Quincy from sandy soil with a super-present nose.

 

white
	REUILLY  Renaudat	2007	11.99
	QUINCY  Renaudat	2007	12.50
red
	REUILLY  Renaudat	2005	11.99

 

 

TOURAINE

The home of Cabernet Franc.

 

Pascal and Beatrice Lambert  - Chinon                                                                                               BIO-DYNAMIC

Pascal's father was a vigneron, but there were seven children and the family domaine ended up in one of his brother's hands so he started up on his own in 1987. He's quite intense and determined - something confirmed in the eyes of his (one suspects) long-suffering wife, Béatrice. We are big fans of their Chinons - unexpectedly lush Cabernet Franc from the Loire Valley. When we visited last, we caught Pascal dynamising rainwater for one of his bio-dynamic preparations - a memory etched in our minds. It was a process involving stirring, one way then the other, for 45 minutes. Does it make a difference? We think so.

 

white
	CHINON Les Chesnaies	2007	19.99
red
	CHINON Tradition Graves	2006	11.99
	CHINON Les Perruches	2004	12.50
	CHINON Les Perruches	2005	15.99
	CHINON Danae	2004	16.99

 

Catherine and Pierre Breton – Bourgueil                                                                                           BIO-DYNAMIC

Then from Bourgueil, husband and wife team Catherine and Pierre Breton each make their own cuvées, but don't like each others' wines! We think they are brilliant. People with memories of 1991 may remember Catherine and Pierre's wines from Oddbins and Waitrose. Then they had a major change of direction. They went biologique. Quality skyrocketed, as did their costs and their prices, and the UK market stalled. They make some of the purest, most refined Cabernet Francs from a variety of sites across 16.5ha of very acidic Verjul soil (clay/silex). They pick very late and all except “Les Galichets” wines go into barrique for fermentation and a very long élévage with plenty of lees contact.

 

red
	BOURGUEIL Galichets	2006	12.99
	BOURGUEIL Perrieres	2004	17.99

 

ANJOU

The home of Chenin Blanc in all its beautiful forms.

 

Jo Pithon

The Layon, a tributary of the Loire, is not much more than a stream. It's a steep, tightly-winding river and tends to attract mist and fog in autumn - perfect conditions for botrytis, the "noble rot" which creates the world's most sought-after dessert wines. Larger than life, jovial, bear-like, bushy sideburn-ed Jo Pithon is famous for his dessert wines made from Chenin Blanc affected by the noble rot. Many believe Chenin to be France's finest white wine grape. You can sometimes find hints of marmalade, coconuts, dried pineapple and even truffle in the nose. The highly-strung Chenin acidity stops the wine from ever being cloying, also giving it long ageing potential. The Bonnes Blanches 2001 is dizzily complex and intense.

Jo has recently branched out and has also been making some serious dry Chenin Blanc under the Anjou appellation.

 

white
	ANJOU “LES PEPINIERES” HALVES	2006	7.99
	ANJOU “LES PEPINIERES”	2006	15.99
sweet
	COTEAUX DU LAYON “LES 4 VILLAGES” HALVES	2006	14.99
	BONNES BLANCHES HALVES	2004	24.99

 

PAYS NANTAIS

The home of Muscadet.

 

Michel Bedouet

We all love Michel’s ridiculously affordable de-classified Muscadet “Le Convivial”. White flowers in the nose, briney in the mouth, crisp, dry and punching way above its weight.

 

white
	LE CONVIVIAL	NV	5.99

 

Domaine de la Bregeonnette - Stephane Orieux                                                                              BIO-DYNAMIC

Modern Muscadet has come a long way since the 1980's, no longer mean and green but still a perfect choice for seafood and simple fish dishes. Stéphane Orieux's Biodynamic wines are ample and broad. The vines are grown on Schiste and Granite soils and the wine is aged on its lees with regular stirring, giving it a layered and broad feel in the mouth. Normal practice elsewhere, forbidden for Muscadet, it’s almost as if he has allowed some malolactic fermentation to take place. That can’t be - c’est interdit! Well, whatever he's doing, we like it; complex, flavourful Muscadet.

 

white
	MUSCADET	2007	8.99