LOIRE VALLEY

REDS/ROUGE/ROSE

2018 CHATEAU DU PETIT THOUARS CHINON “LES GEORGES” $19 (ORGANIC)

100% Cabernet Franc from organically farmed vineyards. The friendliest of the estate’s three red-wine offerings, “Les Georges” is produced entirely from the free-run juice of the younger vines of Cabernet Franc, and is vinified and aged in steel tank. This cuvée comes primarily from “Les Plantes,” the thirteen hectares of Cabernet Franc immediately behind (to the west of) “Le Clos” which Sébastien’s father planted between 1978 and 1988. Far from a simple gulper, however, “Les Georges” is classic Chinon in its marriage of vibrant fruit, honest tannins, and refreshing earth-mineral interplay.

2019 MAISON FOUCHER CHINON “Le Verre en Vignon” $15

This property continues to turnout fabulous wines at really really good prices. 100% Cabernet Franc

2018 CHATEAU DES CHAINTRES SAUMUR CHAMPIGNY $25

The vines that plunge the deepest into the tuffeau below are bottled separately, with the “Vieilles Vignes” cuvée comprising parcels ranging from 50 to 80 years of age. Maceration is extended here up to 30 days (the 2018 underwent 25 days), and aging occurs in a combination of stainless steel and used barrels of varying shapes and sizes (demi-muid, cuve tronconique, various foudres). Despite the expected increase in concentration and structure with this wine compared to “Les Sables,” the same sense of freshness permeates this wine—making it “très digeste” indeed. Tannins are again graceful, but the underlying sense of minerality is more assertive here, contributing a salty-savory edge absent in the more fruit-driven “Les Sables.”

2015 DOMAINE du CEDRE BOURGUEIL $16

sustainable Farming.Medium Intensity, displays floral notes as well as wild strawberry aromas.
Medium Bodied, Dry, and balanced. Soft tannins. It is traditionally served slightly chilled.

Slightly woody flavors and aromas of red berries. Harmonious, supple, elegant while having a powerful structure

2019 LE LOGIS DE BRAY ANJOU $13

cherry and raspberry aromas, with slightly woody hints. It is round, supple and well-balanced with a long finish. Pair with spicy salami, soft cheeses, and shepherd’s pie.

2018 CHATEAU SOUCHERIE ANJOU $19 (SUSTAINABLE)

This lively, fruity red retains a strong minerality to its finish that lends class and balance to this simple and reasonably priced wine. Cabernet Franc forms the backbone of this wine (90%) but is blended with a touch of Grolleau (10%). The vines are planted to gravel and schist soils. The elevage is in cuve on the fine lies for approximately eight months.

2019 DOMAINE DU SALVARD CHEVERNY $20

80% Pinot Noir, 20% Gamay

The vines average age is 21 years old and are planted on 10ha of siliceous clay and limestone soils. Harvested in mid-September with a maceration period of 15 days followed by fermentation in stainless steel lasting 15 days. Aged for 3-4 months in stainless steel tank and filtered. Certified Sustainable.

2018 DOMAINE DE LE PETIT MARIE BOURGUEIL “LES GALLUCHES” $25 ORGANIC

The cuvée “Les Galluches” is made from a blend of grapes harvested from different parcels, a majority of which are of sandy composition thus yielding a wine of intense aromatics and subtle tannins. This wine is aged in oak “foudres” or large casks for 4 to 6 months, then racked into cement cuves for several more months before bottling. The “Galluches” is a consistently impressive wine that is sophisticated in it subtle complexity and offers impeccable value.

2019 DOMAINE PHILIPPE GILBERT MENETOU SALON ROSE $27

2018 DOMAINE PHILPPE GILBERT MENETOU SALON $29

  Hand-harvested 100% Pinot Noir undergoes a maceration of three weeks at which point it is racked into conical-shaped barrels to pass its malolactic fermentation and spend eighteen months in elevage on the fine lees before bottling. An amazing estate to say the least.

WHITES/BLANC

2019 Chateau La Moriniere Muscadet $15

Pale yellow with green highlights. Floral and fruity. It is a fresh, fruity and elegant. This Muscadet is a blend of their different terroirs, which brings the richness and complexity. Fabulous Muscadet for the money.

2018 Monmosseau “Ammonite” Sec Vouvray Sec $19 ORGANIC

2018 Bourillon Dorleans Vouvray Sec “Montgowerne” $ 27

100% Chenin Blanc-dry crisp minerality balanced with ripe fruit. One of the appellations top estates

2019 Vignoble Gibault Sauvignon Blanc $12

2019 Domaine Desloges Sauvignon Blanc “ Vieille Vignes” $13

100% Sauvignon Blanc This gorgeous Sauvignon Blanc comes from 40+ year old vines grown on gabbro and volcanic soils, fermented in stainless, unfined, lightly filtered and lightly sulfured. The result is mouth-wateringly refreshing and easy to drink.

2019 Chateau Soucherie Anjou Blanc $20 SUSTAINABLE

The grapes, 100% Chenin Blanc, are sourced from the vineyard site “Les Rangs de Longue” which is on the northern part of the estate but with south-southeastern exposure. The soil is a mix of clay and sand and limestone with some schist. The wine is vinified totally dry in cuve and aged on the fine lies for eight to nine months before being bottled. Absolutely brilliant Chenin Blanc.

2019 Domaine des Voltonierre Sancerre $24

2019 Lucien Crochet Sancerre $32

The grapes for this basic cuvée of Sancerre are sourced from the vineyards in Bué, Vinon and Crézancy. After harvest, fermentation is done in stainless steel cuvees at temperatures between 14 and 18 degrees Celsius. As with all the whites at the domaine, this wine sits in contact with the fine lies for a considerable period of time with the racking being done late in the spring following harvest. The first bottling occurs no earlier than July and frequently does not occur until September of the year following harvest.

2018 Domaine Philippe Gilbert Menetou Salon $26

This is the classic cuvée in white of the domaine. The grapes are hand-harvested, the fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks and there is an elevage on the fine lees (without batonnage) of fourteen months before bottling. 

2019 Domaine Villalin Quincy $25

These are well-made, linear wines that would embarrass most wines from neighboring Sancerre!

2019 Domaine de Villargeau Coteaux du Giennois $20 o/s

100% Sauvignon Blanc-flinty, steely delicious

2017 Marc Deschamps Pouilly Fume “Les Porcheronnes” Pouilly Fume $27 ORGANIC

This cuvée is a blend of wine from several sites scattered on the hilltop of Les Loges, specifically “La Cote”, and “Les Griottes”. These are some of the younger vines of the estate, now (2012) averaging 20 years of age. Combined this is a two hectare site on clay-limestone soil. This is the most elegant and sprightly of the quartet of Pouilly Fumés produced by Deschamps.