A little love for the loire
At 634 miles (1,020 km) in length, France’s Loire River is the longest in the whole of the country. Add to that the countless meanderings of the river itself, the Valley is rife with unique microclimates and a complex array of terroirs which suit specific varieties of vinifera (wine grapes) and their oh-so-many varieties cultivated here, including but not limited to Melon, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Cabernet Franc, Malbec (referred to locally as Cot), Gamay, Grolleau, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot d’Aunis and the like. Styles range from bone dry to sweet, still to sparkling, with some best enjoyed earlier in their life and others with significant aging potential.
The Loire Valley
Discussing the full range of soil types, elevation, and styles would take an entire book to even scratch the surface. However, we have some spectacular Loire Valley wines at The Wine Press(es), all either Organically or Biodynamically produced, which offer terrific representations of varietal typicity and a true sense of place, in a dynamic range of prices.
From the Anjou subregion of the Loire where soils range from the darker Schist to the blonder, chalk-rich, crumbly soils called Tuffeau, we have some laser-focused Chenin Blanc from Biodynamic pioneer, the iconic bad-ass from Savennières, Nicolas Joly. For the 2019 ‘Clos de la Bergerie’, this ALWAYS DRY appellated wine is typically reticent of lemon and almond with intense mineral notes and high potential for aging. With perhaps one or two exceptions, Joly’s wines are intentionally oxidative in style to varying degrees due to the use of old, neutral barrels (these wines are NOT oaky). The result is mind-boggling texture and complexity as well as enhanced compatibility with a wider array of cuisine. If you’re feeling particularly fresh and fancy, we also have a bottle or two of the pinnacle of the appellation, Joly’s 2019 ‘Clos de la Coulée de Serrant’ . This wine lives nearly forever and requires quite a bit of time in a decanter to enjoy, but it is as Grand Cru as you can get in an area that doesn’t use that term. These wines are a little bit funky AND a little bit rock and roll, but VERY special with a near meditation-worthy complexity.
Joly, Clos de la Bergerie
Joly, Savennières-Coulée de Serrant
Anjou
Another gem from Anjou of a different hue, is Anne-Claude Leflaive’s 2017 Grolleau from her ‘Clau de Nell’ project . The label eschews the place name of Anjou, because well, Anjou Rouge can only contain a maximum of 10% Grolleau. This is the same Leflaive of Burgundy’s legendary Domaine Leflaive and though we sadly lost Anne-Claude in 2015, her impact as a revolutionary flag-bearer of Biodynamics will remain in perpetuity. This is not your typical Grolleau, as it hails from a tiny parcel of older vines with super low yields and the aforementioned lunar-oriented viticulture and wine-making. This medium-bodied wine has notes of red cherries, raspberries, and strawberries in a fresh and crunchy style, enhanced by a spicy and floral touch. A delicate structure emerges in the mid-palate with a long and precise finish. Think Charcuterie, Tapas, and Steak Frites…or just fun with some close friends.
As we continue further inland into Touraine [two-WREN) we find ourselves in Vouvray. Vouvray is a Chenin Blanc based wine that can run the gamut between dry, off-dry, sweet, still and sparkling. Regardless of its amount of residual sugar, one must keep in mind that Chenin Blanc is a generally high acid grape, so underlying freshness keeps these wines well…fresh and in great balance. Designated as ‘Sec’ (French for ‘dry’) the 2020 Vigneau-Chevreau ‘Cuvée Silex’ and all ‘BIO’, this is a truly dynamic crowd-pleaser of a wine exhibiting a stony/flinty minerality, with the essence of honeysuckle, pears and something called ‘lanolin’, which is wine-nerd for ‘smells like clean laundry’. Terrific with cheeses and lighter fish dishes, green vegetables and poultry with or without a cream-based sauce, it’s hard to find this wine less than supremely delicious. It is also excellent on its own, with or without company – we won’t tell.
Anne-Claude Leflaive Clau de Nell, Grolleau
Domaine Vigneau-Chevreau, Vouvray Cuvée Silex Sec
Vouvray & Montlouis
Alas we find ourselves in the Central Vineyards of the Loire Valley where Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir reign supreme. Sauvignon Blanc is not a shy grape. An aromatic variety that wears its heart on its sleeve; Sauvignon Blanc is fresh and lively generally with varying degrees of citrus. What is a grapefruit? Well, it’s a fruit sure, but it comes in a spectrum of expressions from the tart white grapefruit to the sweet-tart, slightly floral nature of ruby red. 2020 Régis Minet Pouilly-Fuissé Vieilles Vignes is just on the other bank of the river when compared to the more renowned appellation of Sancerre, but it shares a similar complex array of limestone, stony and flinty soil and generally offers a bit of value with extremely high quality. The older vines make for a bit more concentration and presence in the glass and the organic farming practices ensure a more detectable sense of place. This is clean and fresh and easy drinking with a high-toned nearly ruby red grapefruit leaning core, forming a terrific companionship with fresh goat’s cheese, fried foods, shellfish and anything with a citrus component.
Minet, Pouilly Fumé
Of course, in Boston, we can experience nearly 12 seasons in one day, especially in the early days of spring. The Loire Valley is a cooler growing region, but there’s a plethora of different grapes, terroirs and crowd-pleasing styles to enjoy as the weather begins to warm - whenever that may be! If you’re drinking French, best to adopt the saying, ‘Santé’, acknowledging that ”Cheers” is trés Anglais!!!
