Featured Producer
Domaine de Reuilly
When tasting the wines of Denis Jamain, it is clear that the appellation of Reuilly, in the eastern Loire, is experiencing a renaissance, moving far beyond its former status as the “poor man’s Sancerre.” This land was once a source of great pride, having been part of a gift of the 7th century king, Dagobert, to the Royal Abbey of Saint Denis. Phylloxera had ravaged the majority of the vineyards here in the late 19th century, but Camille Rousseau (Denis’ maternal grandfather) had faith in the future of Reuilly. In 1935, he planted his first vines here, in addition to farming a large oak forest on the outskirts of town. Denis shares his grandfather’s passion for the vineyards and the forest, as well as his hometown pride. Though he studied in the United States and speaks excellent English, this charismatic and friendly gentleman wanted nothing more than to return home to take over the family domaine. In 1990, Denis began adding to the family holdings. Today, he farms a total of seventeen hectares in the heart of the appellation, with eleven planted to Sauvignon Blanc, four planted to Pinot Noir, and two planted to Pinot Gris, which makes his superb and distinctive Reuilly rosé.The soils here are rich, resting on the prized Kimmeridgian limestone, a geological chain that connects the Loire Valley with Chablis in Burgundy. This limestone is valued for its high content of marine and shell fossils dating back 150 million years ago to the Jurassic period. These minerals are without equal for producing some of the most beautiful whites in France. Denis has been practicing sustainable agriculture for many years and has recently started the conversion process for organic certification. Though he uses both stainless steel tanks and oak, Denis is very proud to be able to select special oaks from his grandfather’s forest to make his barrels. This is the concept of “local” in its purest form.
Charles Joguet
The wines of Chinon have long been celebrated. French humanist and native son, François Rabelais, sang their praises as far back as the sixteenth century. However, the distinction with which the appellation is regarded today is due in part to the legacy left by a more contemporary icon: Charles Joguet. This young painter and sculptor abandoned a budding art career to assume direction of the family domaine in 1957. He soon began to question the common practice of selling grapes to negociants, as his own family had done for years.The Joguets owned prime vineyard land in between the Loire and Vienne Rivers, with some of their finest found on the left bank of the Vienne, just outside Chinon, in Sazilly. These very lieux-dits had been recognized for their character and defined before the Renaissance—some even date back to the Middle Ages. Variations in the soils of these alluvial plains were substantial enough to realize that he was sitting on what would be considered in other regions as premier cru and grand cru vineyards. To sell the grapes off or to vinify these individualized plots together would have been madness. Separate terroirs, he believed, necessitate separate vinifications. Over the course of his tenure, Charles took the risks necessary to master the single-vineyard bottling with an artistry that A.O.C. Chinon had never before seen. In so doing, he realized the true potential of the land.
Charles has since retired. Today, the young, eager, and talented Kevin Fontaine oversees the vineyards and the cellars. He and his team farm thirty-six hectares of Cabernet Franc. Closely adhering to the tradition of Charles, who stills lives on the property and stops by frequently, the domaine bottles nine different cuvées, handling each one as a unique terroir and microclimate with individualized care and attention. That ethic trickles into the cellars as well, where careful deliberation and experimentation bring about gradual change.
The wines are divided into two lines: precocious cuvées and those for long-aging. Precocious cuvées, like the “Cuvée Terroir” and “Les Petites Roches” (Little Rocks), are made to be consumed young. If premier crus were permitted in Chinon, Les Varennes du Grand Clos would certainly be considered one of them. Clos du Chêne Vert and Clos de la Dioterie are perhaps their greatest wines—certainly of grand cru quality—with excellent aging potential. Those who are convinced that the best Cabernet Franc grows in Bordeaux may quickly transfer their allegiance to the Loire upon tasting these classic, appellation-defining Chinons. The purity of fruit, the exceptional delineation of aromas and flavors, the soulful reflection of terroirs, and the extraordinary seductiveness of the texture make the wines from Joguet second to none.
Jean-Paul Thévenet
Jean-Paul Thévenet is the third generation to produce wine at his family estate in Morgon, but as a young man he took the domaine in an unexpected direction. In the early 1980s Beaujolais was flooded with mass-produced, over-commercialized wine, pushing winemaker and viticultural prophet Jules Chauvet to invoke a return to more traditional practices. Jean-Paul and three other local vignerons, Marcel Lapierre, Guy Breton, and Jean Foillard, soon took up the torch of this “natural wine” movement. Kermit dubbed this clan the Gang of Four, and the name has stuck ever since. These rebels called for a return to the old practices of viticulture and vinification: starting with old vines, never using synthetic herbicides or pesticides, harvesting late, rigorously sorting to remove all but the healthiest grapes, adding minimal doses of sulfur dioxide or none at all, and refusing both chaptalization and filtration. These techniques allow the character of Morgon to express itself naturally, without any cosmetic surgery: rustic and spicy yet also refreshing and loaded with the minerality of the granitic vineyards.Known as “Paul-Po” among friends, Jean-Paul is reserved yet fun-loving. He farms his small five-hectare domaine with his son, Charly, who also makes his own wine from the neighboring Grand Cru Régnié. Charly is a staunch advocate of natural wine just like his father, and since 2008 the two have taken the domaine to the next level by adopting organic and biodynamic viticultural practices. While the rest of the Gang works the Parisian market, hand-selling their wines, Jean-Paul maintains a low profile. Producing only 2,000 cases per year, he simply focuses on creating the best wines possible, and we are always eager to buy as many cases as he can spare!
Éric Chevalier
Éric Chevalier is a rising star in the Nantais of the Loire Valley. For ten years, he sourced fruit for a large négociant in the Touraine. In 2005, he decided to return to his hometown of Saint-Philbert de Grandlieu, just southwest of Nantes, and ended up taking over the family domaine, Domaine de l’Aujardière, the next year. His father, a talented vigneron who did not bottle much of his wines and was well-known as a high-quality source of bulk wine, had stopped working the vineyards and the vines were either going to have to be pulled up and replanted, or sold. Éric was anything but enthusiastic. Little by little his passion grew, and today he is proud to be the fourth generation to farm the domaine. He is also proud to be bottling more and more of the family’s production himself. Éric sustainably farms twenty-five hectares of vines, producing wines of great character and finesse. He found his future in his family’s past.The Nantais is a maritime climate, and the vineyards are not far from the Atlantic Ocean. Consequently, there is an interesting variety of sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rocks, as this area once was ocean floor. Of the twenty-five hectares he farms, a large percentage of his production is dedicated to the production of Melon de Bourgogne (Muscadet Côtes de Grand Lieu, mostly from old vines in the superb lieu-dit of La Butte). The soils here are comprised primarily of serpentinite and quartz, with the exception of his ancient granite parcel known as La Noë. The other half of his crop (Chardonnay, Fié Gris, and Pinot Noir, among others) goes towards the production of Vin de Pays du Val du Loire, and the soils are rich in granite, sand, and silt. Of these “country” wines, the most notable is Éric’s Fié Gris. This grape, pulled out of vineyards for many years to be replaced with the more profitable Sauvignon Blanc, is indigenous to the Loire. Also known as Sauvignon Rose or Sauvignon Gris, Éric’s vines are one of the few remaining strongholds of this elegant and luscious varietal. It makes an impression, with almost an Alsatian exoticism.
Jean Foillard
Jean and Agnès Foillard took over his father’s domaine in 1980, and soon thereafter began to make Kermit Lynch customers very happy. The biggest part of their vineyards are planted on the Côte du Py, the famed slope outside the town of Villié-Morgon and the pride of Morgon. These granite and schist soils sit on an alluvial fan at the highest point above the town and impart great complexity. However, great real estate is not the only key to Foillard’s success. Early on, Jean began to follow the teachings of Jules Chauvet, a traditionalist who defied everything that the more commercial brands were touting in the region. Jean and three other local vignerons, Marcel Lapierre, Jean-Paul Thévenet, and Guy Breton, soon joined in on the movement. This Gang of Four, as Kermit christened them, called for a return to the old practices of viticulture and vinification: starting with old vines, never using synthetic herbicides or pesticides, harvesting late, rigorously sorting to remove all but the healthiest grapes, adding minimal doses of sulfur dioxide or none at all, and refusing both chaptalization and filtration. The end result allows Morgon to express itself naturally, as it should be without the bubblegum and banana aromas of so many other Beaujolais available today. Its rustic structure, spicy notes, and mineral-laden backbone are what real Morgon is all about.This estate comprises nearly fourteen hectares. Foillard’s Morgons are deep, structured, and complex, with a velvety lushness that makes them irresistible when young despite their aging potential. Jean raises his wines in older barrels sourced from top estates in Burgundy, a logical decision for someone crafting Gamay in a Burgundian style. Would that all Burgundies were as consistent as Foillard’s Morgon! It is the passion and dedication of vignerons like this that have brought pride back to the crus of the Beaujolais.
Jean-François Ganevat
The green, rolling landscape of the Jura is a sight to behold, and the perfect picture of how a mountainous region nestled in between Burgundy and Switzerland should appear in the mind’s eye. In this cooler climate, vineyards are planted on slopes at varying altitudes and gradients. This region is home to forty different grape varietals with styles so different that they tend to shock the uninitiated. And at the heart of it all, in the charming hamlet of La Combe (just south of Lons-le-Saulnier), Jean-François Ganevat is making wine with the inspired magic of an alchemist. Known as “Fanfan” to his friends, Jean-François’ wines have occupied the better part of the hamlet, filling picturesque country cottages with barrels and barrels of his diverse yet traditional wines. He comes from a long line of winegrowers, dating as far back as 1650, although the family supplemented their grape growing with a dairy that produced milk destined for the local cheese, Comté, until 1976. After working both for his father and for the prestigious Domaine Jean-Marc Morey in Chassagne-Montrachet, Jean-François returned to the Jura in 1998 to take over the family domaine. With only eight-and-a-half hectares under vine, the family had seventeen different local varietals planted of both red and white grapes—an incredible amount of variation to consider for holdings of such small size. For such a fervent perfectionist and insatiable lover of details as Jean-François, the decision to have the domaine certified as biodynamic was a natural choice.Jean-François creates a stunning number of cuvées, ranging between thirty-five and forty every year! His methodology goes far beyond the details of the average vigneron. For some, his process would be maddening, as each cuvée calls for a highly individualized élévage. All of his wines are de-stemmed by hand, each cluster carefully trimmed with scissors. Jean-François is committed to minute doses of sulfur, so low in fact, that many fear it hurting the wines during transport. He curbs this issue entirely by aging many of his whites on the lees for extended periods of time, anywhere from two to eleven years! In all of his years making wine, he has never had a problem. In the Jura, many of the wines go through a traditional, intentional oxidation; however Jean-François aims to lend a greater lightness and elegance to wines of this style than are typical. He gravitates toward the Burgundian style, using ouillage to top off barrels. Jean-François Ganevat is a master of his craft, one of the true magicians of the eclectic. To say that his grapes are spun into gold would not be far from the truth; they are entirely otherworldly.
Domaine de Durban
To walk through the high-altitude vineyards at Domaine de Durban is to walk through an astounding span of history. On the site of a former Roman healing springs destination, a mere handful of soil reveals well-preserved, ancient Roman roof tiles and medieval pot shards. The domaine and its vineyards sit atop a picturesque plateau in the Vaucluse, sheltered by the Dentelles de Montmirail, just above of the village of Beaumes-de-Venise. The scenic views put one at pause considering the timelessness—wine has been a part of the culture here for millennia, and ancient philosopher Pliny the Elder was the first known to praise the Muscat from this place. During the Middle Ages, it was a fortified farm, where it has run regularly since 1159. Jacques Leydier bought the property in the 1960s when the farm had fallen into disrepair. Today, his grandsons, Henri and Philippe, are running the domaine. This magical spot has assumed a higher purpose today, producing some of the most memorable wines of the Southern Rhône. The Leydiers farm fifty-five hectares of vineyards to make a powerful and aromatic Gigondas, a velvety Beaumes-de-Venise Rouge, and undeniably the most celebrated Muscat in the entire appellation.A constellation of fortune seems to converge at this particular spot. Pine trees protect the area from the intensity of the persistent mistral. The soils are rich and deep, with clay, limestone, and the soft, ochre Trias, lending finesse and freshness to the wines. The high altitude in the vineyards means a slightly cooler microclimate with strong sun exposure, a blessing that the Leydiers credit for the amazing consistency their wines enjoy year after year. (Even The Oxford Companion to Wine takes space to note the terrific concentration that Durban’s vineyards achieve.) The Leydiers are particularly proud of their Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise, a vin doux naturel, as they are among the last to craft it in the traditional style. Leydier’s old-fashioned vinification keeps the spirits as low as possible, so that they may hold on to the bright freshness in the grapes. One can find more powerful Muscats, but none as tasty and fine.
Domaine Ostertag
To call André Ostertag a revolutionary winemaker is to tell just half the story. He is a pioneer, certainly, but also an ardent environmentalist (as demonstrated in both his wine and his sculpture, another passion). After training in Burgundy, André returned to the family domaine in Alsace with renewed zeal: he lowered yields considerably and introduced viticultural and vinification techniques from other regions to his own home ground. The 1996 vintage marked his first collaboration with KLWM, and the following year he brought biodynamic viticulture to his fourteen hectares of vineyards, including his flagship parcel in the Muenchberg Grand Cru.There is poetry to Ostertag’s practices. He looks for the nuance of terroir rather than the typicity of a grape varietal. In an act of rejection against the official classifications dictated by the A.O.C., he made up his own categories: Vins de Fruit that express fruit character rather than that of a specific vineyard site, Vins de Pierre reflecting the terroir from which they originate, and Vin de Temps that rely on time and weather to encourage the development of botrytis. He ferments the majority of his wines completely dry, so their versatility at the table surpasses that of many other wines from the region. In Ostertag’s experience, a careful use of oak subtly enhances the traditional Alsatian varietals from the Pinot family, giving them greater depth on the palate. He uses oak sourced exclusively from the Vosges Mountains and, for his Pinots, prefers barriques to the traditional foudres. He rejects formulaic, scientifically engineered wines, and since going biodynamic in 1997, has been an active member of the natural farming community. As he so beautifully explains in Kermit Lynch’s Inspiring Thirst,
…true quality is that which succeeds in surprising and moving us. It is not locked inside a formula. Its essence is subtle (subjective) and never rational. It resides in the unique, the singular, but it is ultimately connected to something more universal. A great wine is one in which quality is contained. Such a wine will necessarily be uncommon and decidedly unique because it cannot be like any other, and because of this fact it will be atypical, or only typical of itself. (p 279)
That is a quote we wish more wine critics would take to heart.
Blog posts on Domaine Ostertag:
New Website from Ostertag
White Wine For Aging? It Is Time To Look To Alsace
Champagne Paul Bara
The Montagne de Reims boasts some of the best Pinot Noir in the region, and Bouzy is its capital. The key to Bouzy’s inherent greatness lies in its deep, chalky subsoil which imparts intense expression of fruit and great mineral complexity in its grand cru wines. The village of Bouzy and Champagne Paul Bara are practically synonymous. As the published village historian, Paul is indelibly linked to the lore of his hometown. Many argue that he is their most renowned producer, being one of the rare récoltants-manipulants in a region inundated with the mass-produced wines of the large, corporate champagne houses. These récoltants-manipulants, or R.M.s as they are known, are of the few that still grow their own grapes and make their own wines. Champagne Paul Bara is the quintessential example, where everything is done with a personalized touch.Over the years, gradual improvements have been made to the estate: the surface area of the vineyards was expanded to eleven hectares (only 26 acres!), the winery and press modernized, and the cellar extended – and what an impressive cellar! It is carved entirely out of pure chalk and reaches a depth of over thirty feet below ground. When Paul returned home at the end of World War II, he found these same cellars raided, pillaged of nearly all inventory, and irreverently trashed by the German occupying forces. Of the few bottles that were salvaged, one can still experience the longevity and timeless quality of the Bara’s classic style. When Paul retired, he passed the direction of the estate over to his eldest daughter, Chantale, who has kept their family traditions and their house style very much alive. The Baras make their wines by hand, with low-yielding vines. Chez Bara, good maturity is ensured by prolonged bottle aging: four years minimum for the vintage Champagnes and two years for the non-vintage. Andrew Jefford, author of The New France, calls them, “…essential references for anyone who wants to enjoy and understand the ripe, dry richness of Bouzy…”
Cantine Elvio Tintero
In 1900 a Frenchman named Pierre Tintero set out for Piedmont in search of work. He found an opportunity to do odd jobs at a small estate where widow Rosina Cortese was struggling to handle all the work herself. Pierre, called “Pietrin” by the locals, quickly became a vital part of the estate and also fell in love with the widow, whom he married two years later. The couple continued to work the vines together and bottled their own Dolcetto for the first time just as war fell in 1914. Years later their grandson would find a stash of this vintage hidden within the walls of the cellar, certainly a precaution against ransacking troops who passed through the area.Pietrin and Rosina’s two sons, Giovanni and Carlo, eventually took over the estate and expanded it by purchasing adjacent vineyard plots. Moscato was just a tiny part of their production since it is only practical to produce it in large quantities, but after the Second World War giants Cinzano and Martini began producing the wine, so the brothers planted more of the variety to sell to these negociants while they continued bottling their still wines themselves. It was not until the 1980s that Carlo’s son Elvio began experimenting with the challenging process of frizzante wine production, allowing the family to take advantage of the grape’s special affinity to the local terroir. Elvio has now handed the reins over to the next generation, but he continues to help his son Marco and daughter-in-law Cinzia run the estate.
The commune of Mango is the heart of Moscato country, and 20 of the Tinteros’ 30 hectares are planted to this grape. Their largest parcel is in the Sorì Gramella vineyard, whose full southern exposure and gradient of more than 20% pamper the grapes with many long hours of sunshine, without even casting shadows from one row to the next as is the case in most vineyards. The resulting wine is delightfully fizzy and slightly sweet, an irresistible combination that makes it a universal favorite. Marco also maintains that same spirit in his other wines, which are all fresh, easy, and fun to drink with friends.
From the Blog
April Newsletter: 2012 Les Pallières P-A, Spring Sampler, We Flock to Faury, Meet the Winemaker
The April newsletter is now available.
Click here to download the pdf.
Highlights from this month’s newsletter...
SOUTHERN Class
by Clark Z. Terry
2012 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc
Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe
In February we featured the pre-arrival of the 2012 Vieux Télégraphe Rouge, but now it is time to cast the spotlight on their Blanc, sourced from the same stone-laden vineyard as the Rouge, La Crau. And my, oh my, how those stones express themselves in the white. A hallmark of the Vieux Télégraphe style (and all the wines produced by the Bruniers, for that matter) is an underlying elegance. Even amid the stoniness, the rustic fruit lies on a bed of velvet texture and true finesse. The Vieux Télégraphe Blanc focuses on elegance and pure balance perhaps more than any of their other wines. It is light on the palate yet still has full weight and presence. It has a minerally structure, not unlike premier cru Burgundy, which is one of the reasons it has a reputation for aging ten or more years. But you’ll find great pleasure now in this wine, and any true fan of the Vieux Télégraphe would be remiss to pass by this opportunity. Availability is very limited.
$74.00 per bottle $799.20 per case
2008 Bandol “Saint Ferréol”
Domaine de la Tour du Bon
I wasn’t around on this earth when Kermit began travelling to Provence in the 1970s, developing his obsession with the region and the wines. That said, I’ve heard about it, read about it, and had the great fortune to taste many of the wines from that time. Back then, the wines of Bandol had a touch more funk than they do now. In general less is a good thing, but a little funk can go a long way in creating wines of intrigue and character. In Tour du Bon’s Saint Ferréol you’ll find that touch of funk and a whole lotta Mourvèdre, too. I might be naïve in saying this, but it strikes me that this wine is somewhat of a throwback to the wilder wines of Provence from a number of decades ago. For the old-timers out there, check this bottle out to relive the glory days of your early wine-buying experiences. For those with only recent Bandol experience, prepare to be transported back to a time and place that thankfully can still be found in bottles like this.
$62.00 per bottle $669.60 per case
LOIRE REDS: A POWERHOUSE TRIO
by Anthony Lynch
2011 CHINON “LA CROIX BOISSÉE” • BERNARD BAUDRY
Whoever said Loire reds are light wines, think again. From south-facing vineyards in limestone soils, Cabernet Franc can display impressive magnitude, attaining full ripeness and sporting a firm tannic backbone. La Croix Boissée, perhaps Baudry’s top cuvée, expresses the full inky potential of Chinon, along with the freshness to create a harmonious balance. This wine’s muscle, coupled with the quality of the 2011 vintage, suggests it will live a very long and prosperous life. It’ll get better and better, more and more of a bargain, with age.
$39.00 per bottle $421.20 per case
2011 CHINON “CLOS DE LA DIOTERIE”
CHARLES JOGUET
This legendary parcel holds honorary grand cru status among Chinon vineyards. What’s more, the Cabernet Franc vines here date back to the 1930s, giving low yields and a concentrated Chinon of real consequence. This wine’s powerful structure, marvelous texture, and overall grandeur make me dream of the possibilities at table. Some suggestions, taken from Joguet’s website: “tournedos rossini, beef short ribs, and even stronger game in great vintages: venison steak, wild boar stew.” Or take the easy way out: an old-fashioned chuck roast with carrots, onions, and potatoes.
$52.00 per bottle $561.60 per case
2010 BOURGUEIL “LES PERRIÈRES”
C. & P. BRETON
Crossing the Loire river from Chinon brings us to Bourgueil, where the dynamic and biodynamic duo Catherine and Pierre Breton have focused their red wine production. Les Perrières is the Bretons’ answer to Baudry’s Croix Boissée and Joguet’s Dioterie: old-vine Cabernet Franc planted on clay and limestone slopes, giving a full-bodied and extremely long-lived Bourgueil that warrants decanting to be appreciated in its youth. The 2010 Perrières highlights that vineyard’s terroir with its chalky minerality, giving it a chiseled edge to complement the savory depth and fleshy berry fruit.
$42.00 per bottle $453.60 per case
Click here to download the pdf.
Highlights from this month’s newsletter...
SOUTHERN Class
by Clark Z. Terry
2012 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc
Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe
In February we featured the pre-arrival of the 2012 Vieux Télégraphe Rouge, but now it is time to cast the spotlight on their Blanc, sourced from the same stone-laden vineyard as the Rouge, La Crau. And my, oh my, how those stones express themselves in the white. A hallmark of the Vieux Télégraphe style (and all the wines produced by the Bruniers, for that matter) is an underlying elegance. Even amid the stoniness, the rustic fruit lies on a bed of velvet texture and true finesse. The Vieux Télégraphe Blanc focuses on elegance and pure balance perhaps more than any of their other wines. It is light on the palate yet still has full weight and presence. It has a minerally structure, not unlike premier cru Burgundy, which is one of the reasons it has a reputation for aging ten or more years. But you’ll find great pleasure now in this wine, and any true fan of the Vieux Télégraphe would be remiss to pass by this opportunity. Availability is very limited.
$74.00 per bottle $799.20 per case
2008 Bandol “Saint Ferréol”
Domaine de la Tour du Bon
I wasn’t around on this earth when Kermit began travelling to Provence in the 1970s, developing his obsession with the region and the wines. That said, I’ve heard about it, read about it, and had the great fortune to taste many of the wines from that time. Back then, the wines of Bandol had a touch more funk than they do now. In general less is a good thing, but a little funk can go a long way in creating wines of intrigue and character. In Tour du Bon’s Saint Ferréol you’ll find that touch of funk and a whole lotta Mourvèdre, too. I might be naïve in saying this, but it strikes me that this wine is somewhat of a throwback to the wilder wines of Provence from a number of decades ago. For the old-timers out there, check this bottle out to relive the glory days of your early wine-buying experiences. For those with only recent Bandol experience, prepare to be transported back to a time and place that thankfully can still be found in bottles like this.
$62.00 per bottle $669.60 per case
LOIRE REDS: A POWERHOUSE TRIO
by Anthony Lynch
2011 CHINON “LA CROIX BOISSÉE” • BERNARD BAUDRY
Whoever said Loire reds are light wines, think again. From south-facing vineyards in limestone soils, Cabernet Franc can display impressive magnitude, attaining full ripeness and sporting a firm tannic backbone. La Croix Boissée, perhaps Baudry’s top cuvée, expresses the full inky potential of Chinon, along with the freshness to create a harmonious balance. This wine’s muscle, coupled with the quality of the 2011 vintage, suggests it will live a very long and prosperous life. It’ll get better and better, more and more of a bargain, with age.
$39.00 per bottle $421.20 per case
2011 CHINON “CLOS DE LA DIOTERIE”
CHARLES JOGUET
This legendary parcel holds honorary grand cru status among Chinon vineyards. What’s more, the Cabernet Franc vines here date back to the 1930s, giving low yields and a concentrated Chinon of real consequence. This wine’s powerful structure, marvelous texture, and overall grandeur make me dream of the possibilities at table. Some suggestions, taken from Joguet’s website: “tournedos rossini, beef short ribs, and even stronger game in great vintages: venison steak, wild boar stew.” Or take the easy way out: an old-fashioned chuck roast with carrots, onions, and potatoes.
$52.00 per bottle $561.60 per case
2010 BOURGUEIL “LES PERRIÈRES”
C. & P. BRETON
Crossing the Loire river from Chinon brings us to Bourgueil, where the dynamic and biodynamic duo Catherine and Pierre Breton have focused their red wine production. Les Perrières is the Bretons’ answer to Baudry’s Croix Boissée and Joguet’s Dioterie: old-vine Cabernet Franc planted on clay and limestone slopes, giving a full-bodied and extremely long-lived Bourgueil that warrants decanting to be appreciated in its youth. The 2010 Perrières highlights that vineyard’s terroir with its chalky minerality, giving it a chiseled edge to complement the savory depth and fleshy berry fruit.
$42.00 per bottle $453.60 per case