80 estates from across 40 appellations, iconic names and pleasing prices, recent bottles and mature vintages, dry wines and sweet ones, star estates and hidden gems…all featuring in our focus on the Loire Valley.
Iconic estates
The Loire region is full of top signatures, each of which expresses its own style, offering a unique depth of range: Domaine Charles Joguet, from which we offer a nice selection, particularly the 2010 vintage; Domaine Gérard Boulay and its delicious 2020 Sancerre; La Taille aux Loups with its Montlouis Brut Tradition; Domaine Vincent Pinard with its centuries of family know-how; Domaine Delaporte with its Silex 2020 Sancerre, an energetic and long-lasting wine; the great Nicolas Joly and Domaine de la Coulée de Serrant with its Savennières-roche-aux-moines Clos de la Bergerie…
Chenin, star grape variety
Chenin is indeed a favourite grape variety in the hearts of all Loire wine lovers. Quintessential of the region, it is highly versatile and expresses itself equally well in magnificent sparkling whites, sweet nectars and dry wines. It is particularly well suited to cool climates and retains a marked acidity that helps to maintain the aromas on the finish when mastered by the vintner.
Some ideas? The white Anjou from Château de Plaisance, a straightforward and fresh wine; the Effusion cuvée from the great Patrick Baudouin, the fruit of careful cultivation and vinification, which will marry marvellously with freshwater fish and spring vegetables; the Ronceray Anjou from Domaine Belargus. As for bubbles, go for the Crémant de Loire from the Arnaud Lambert estate, the Bubulle cuvée from Lise and Bertrand Jousset – a perfect balance -, as well as the Ancestrale Vouvray from Vincent Carême. After a sweet wine? Don’t miss François Chidaine’s 2016 Vin de France Moelleux, or the Vouvrays from Domaine Huet and Clos Naudin.
Do you have a favourite appellation? Sancerre, Saumur-Champigny, Saumur…
A cuvée to introduce you to each of these emblematic appellations:
Sancerre Constellation du Scorpion 2019 from the Vincent Gaudry estate: €28
On the nose, this cuvée offers aromas of citrus, white fruit and flint. This fruity (citrus) and mineral Sancerre, with a taut mouthfeel and a salivating finish, produced by a rising signature of the region, is one you just have to try!
Clos Cristal’s 2017 Saumur-Champigny: €65
Created by a visionary who introduced red wine making to this region in 1890, Clos Cristal is a unique place, lined with stone walls around which the vines grow, taking advantage of the heat accumulated by the stones. This blend of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon has a bright ruby red colour and an intense nose with hints of ripe red berries, which harmoniously accompanies a juicy and smooth palate.
Arnaud Lambert’s 2020 Clos Mazurique Saumur: €12
Organic and biodynamic, Clos Mazurique has become one of the references of the Arnaud Lambert estate in Saumur. The Cabernet Franc is harvested by hand and vinified in stainless steel and concrete vats to preserve all the brightness of the fruit. It expresses itself in an extremely fresh and flavourful register. We detect notes of red fruits which persist for a long time and end on peppery touches.
Vin de France, a gamble for wine growers
The Loire is also a region that strays from the norm: many winegrowers have chosen to leave the appellation system and produce their wines freely as Vin de France (ie without a label and without specific criteria). This particularity brings even more depth to the range we offer, through wines such as the great Carpe Diem 2013 from Domaine de l’Ecu, a magnificent white Muscadet aged in amphorae, truly natural (biodynamic, unfined, unfiltered and without added sulphur), rich, smooth and delicate. The same estate also produces the 2011 Taurus cuvée, a unique wine, deep, taut, mineral and with great ageing potential. You might also want to check out Alexandre Bain, François Chidaine and Patrick Bouju.
