Loire Valley

• • 93

  • Biodynamic

  2022 Arnaud Lambert Breze Midi Chenin

  Saumur, Loire Valley, FRANCE

  $49. 99

  Bottle

  $599.88 Dozen

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  Cellar: Drink now - 4 Years (2023-2027)

  ABV: 13.5%

  Closure: Diam Cork

  Brilliant pale straw colour with a watery hue. Aromas of pear, baked apple and gentle honeysuckle are followed by hints of musk and wet stone. Delicious pear, red apple and lime fruits intermingle with honeysuckle and wet slate characters. Nicely rounded river stone like texture finishing dry and minerally with brisk acidity. Excellent intensity with a long stony, Chablis like conclusion.
  Drink over the next 3-4 years.
  Alc. 13.5%

  Delivery Information
• • 93

  2022 Chateau La Rabotine Sancerre

  Sancerre, Loire Valley, FRANCE

  $54. 99

  Bottle

  $659.88 Dozen

  Minimum 12 bottles

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  Cellar: Drink now - 3 Years (2023-2026)

  ABV: 13%

  Closure: Diam Cork

  Brilliant pale straw colour with a faint greenish tinge around the edges and a watery hue. Aromas of lime, green apple and delicate grassy notes emerge from the glass with some fresh asparagus and stony mineral elements also evident. Crunchy green apple and lime fruits are underscored by zippy acidity with some herbaceous grassy characteristics, light asparagus and stony mineral nuances lingering through the dry finish. Concludes elegant, energetic and minerally.
  Drink over the next 2-3 years.
  Alc. 13%

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• • 93

  • Nick's Import

  2020 Domaine Didier Dagueneau Blanc etc…

  Pouilly Fume, Loire Valley, FRANCE

  $255. 00

  Bottle

  $3060.00 Dozen

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  ABV: 13%

  Closure: Cork

  Pouilly Fumé and Sancerre are the global benchmarks for Sauvignon Blanc, and there is no bigger name or more highly regarded producer in the area than Domaine Didier Dagueneau. Now under the guidance of Didier's talented son Louis-Benjamin, the wines still follow his ethos that authentic Pouilly Fumé requires healthy fruit from low yielding, old vines to produce the purest, and most intense and vibrantly fresh wine. That's not to say these wines are typical of the appellation. Given the severely low yields and approach to élevage, Dagueneau wines emphasise a creamy texture rather than bracing acidity, and combine mineral flavours with exotic fruits to supreme effect.

  Previously labelled as Blanc Fumé de Pouilly, now reborn as Blanc Etc… and looking better than ever. Generally speaking this is the most approachable wine in the range, and since Louis-Benjamin came aboard the wine is now far closer in quality and class to the other releases. While each of the other wine focus on a single soil type or terroir, Blanc etc… blends some young vine parcels on their Saint-Andelain hill with two parcels planted on flinty clay and limestone white clay soils nearby. It was fermented in a mix of new and three-four year old barrels and then matured in both wood and tank.

  Other Reviews....
  The 2020 Blanc etc. is developing into a mellow style with the richness of the vintage showing. It is what the French would call gourmand and, close to three years after being harvested, has entered a delectable stage of its evolution. Yes, it's still young but has improved and opened up since tasting a year ago. It now offers baked apple, honey and pastry flavors while retaining freshness. It is long and concentrated with a firm sense of structure, doing the mouth equivalent of providing a firm, reassuring handshake, likely due to the clay-flint soils, which make up two-thirds of the blend. Drink 2023-2032.
  93 points
  Rebecca Gibb MW - Vinous

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• • Nick's Import

  2018 Domaine Didier Dagueneau Les Jardins de Babylone Jurancon Sec

  Jurancon, FRANCE

  $220. 00

  Bottle

  $2640.00 Dozen

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  ABV: 13.5%

  Closure: Cork

  Pouilly Fumé and Sancerre are the global benchmarks for Sauvignon Blanc, and there is no bigger name or more highly regarded producer in the area than Domaine Didier Dagueneau. Now under the guidance of Didier's talented son Louis-Benjamin, the wines still follow his ethos that authentic Pouilly Fumé requires healthy fruit from low yielding, old vines to produce the purest, and most intense and vibrantly fresh wine. That's not to say these wines are typical of the appellation. Given the severely low yields and approach to élevage, Dagueneau wines emphasise a creamy texture rather than bracing acidity, and combine mineral flavours with exotic fruits to supreme effect.

  In 2002 on his search to find a worthy source of grapes to produce sweet wines, Didier Dagueneau happened across a spectacular natural amphitheatre vineyard in Jurançon at the foot of the Pyrenees. With the vines in good shape and only minor changes needed for his farming techniques, Didier set about to produce wines that highlight the natural minerality of the soil along with his trademark balance and poise. While a sweet wine is also made from this vineyard (100% Petit Manseng), this sec (dry) release is incredibly rare and utilises all five of the permitted grapes for Jurançon. Regional heroes Petit Manseng and Gros Manseng are included, along with obscure local varieties Courbu, Lauzet, and Camarelet, the last of which is the rarest of the group and is the dominant varietal in the blend. Winemaking is similar to the Blanc etc… release with both cigar shaped barrels and steel tanks used for maturation.

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• • 95

  • Nick's Import

  2020 Domaine Didier Dagueneau Buisson Renard

  Pouilly Fume, Loire Valley, FRANCE

  $330. 00

  Bottle

  $3960.00 Dozen

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  ABV: 13.5%

  Closure: Cork

  Pouilly Fumé and Sancerre are the global benchmarks for Sauvignon Blanc, and there is no bigger name or more highly regarded producer in the area than Domaine Didier Dagueneau. Now under the guidance of Didier's talented son Louis-Benjamin, the wines still follow his ethos that authentic Pouilly Fumé requires healthy fruit from low yielding, old vines to produce the purest, and most intense and vibrantly fresh wine. That's not to say these wines are typical of the appellation. Given the severely low yields and approach to élevage, Dagueneau wines emphasise a creamy texture rather than bracing acidity, and combine mineral flavours with exotic fruits to supreme effect.

  Buisson Renard is a cool, mid-slope terroir on the southwest side of the Saint-Andelain slope, and the soils are a mixture of clay and flint. This was barrel fermented and aged in Dagueneau’s bespoke, cigar-shaped barrels (450 and 600 litres) which are designed to increase lees contact.

  Other Reviews....
  Perhaps the most Sauvignon-esque of all the vintage, the 2020 Buisson Renard is richly aromatic with distinctive lime, elderflower, ginger and honeysuckle aromas. It is currently most appealing for its tension as if a strong muscle is being stretched taut. It has masses of concentration and curves in the right places with an attractive sense of bitterness on the long finish. This is even better than when I tasted it from tank last year. Drink 2024-2033.
  95 points
  Rebecca Gibb MW - Vinous

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• • 94

  • Nick's Import

  2020 Domaine Didier Dagueneau Pur Sang

  Pouilly Fume, Loire Valley, FRANCE

  $330. 00

  Bottle

  $3960.00 Dozen

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  ABV: 13%

  Closure: Cork

  Pouilly Fumé and Sancerre are the global benchmarks for Sauvignon Blanc, and there is no bigger name or more highly regarded producer in the area than Domaine Didier Dagueneau. Now under the guidance of Didier's talented son Louis-Benjamin, the wines still follow his ethos that authentic Pouilly Fumé requires healthy fruit from low yielding, old vines to produce the purest, and most intense and vibrantly fresh wine. That's not to say these wines are typical of the appellation. Given the severely low yields and approach to élevage, Dagueneau wines emphasise a creamy texture rather than bracing acidity, and combine mineral flavours with exotic fruits to supreme effect.

  Pur Sang is a superstar in the Dagueneau cellar, and is widely considered one of the great white wines of the world. The close planted vineyard is situated about five kilometres north of Saint-Andelain, with a generous layer of flint and silica clay soils.

  Other Reviews....
  Forget aromatic Sauvignon, the 2020 Pur Sang is clear, pure and restrained. An evident nutty note to this is likely derived from the 20-25% new oak employed for all the Dagueneau cuvées. The oak combines with ripe, white stone fruit and almond meal, which lingers on the taut, grippy finish, and reveals that this wine is still in its infancy. Drink 2023-2032.
  94 points
  Rebecca Gibb MW - Vinous

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• • 93

  • Nick's Import

  2020 Domaine Didier Dagueneau Silex

  Pouilly Fume, Loire Valley, FRANCE

  $465. 00

  Bottle

  $5580.00 Dozen

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  ABV: 13.5%

  Closure: Cork

  Pouilly Fumé and Sancerre are the global benchmarks for Sauvignon Blanc, and there is no bigger name or more highly regarded producer in the area than Domaine Didier Dagueneau. Now under the guidance of Didier's talented son Louis-Benjamin, the wines still follow his ethos that authentic Pouilly Fumé requires healthy fruit from low yielding, old vines to produce the purest, and most intense and vibrantly fresh wine. That's not to say these wines are typical of the appellation. Given the severely low yields and approach to élevage, Dagueneau wines emphasise a creamy texture rather than bracing acidity, and combine mineral flavours with exotic fruits to supreme effect.

  For many, the aptly named Silex is the pinnacle not only in the Dagueneau range, but in all of Pouilly Fumé. Hailing from a north facing vineyard rich in flint soils, the emphasis with Silex is the pure mineral traits Pouilly Fumé is famous for, yet with intensity and focus dialled up to eleven. Silex can take a few years in the cellar to fully express the core of citrus fruit among the smoke and flint notes; however history has proven it is well worth the wait. Dagueneau's Silex is a class leading icon of the Loire Valley.

  Other Reviews....
  While this was a warm season leading to richness in many wines from the region, the Silex 2020 shows ripe fruit, but there's no sense of being overblown. The fine line that races through many wines relying on flint-based parcels is there, carrying the nectarine and oak-derived vanilla flavors, but its influence never tips into austerity nor firmness. There's a sense of tenderness that runs through its core while remaining light in body. Drink 2023-2033.
  93-94 points
  Rebecca Gibb MW - Vinous

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• • 93

  2019 Domaine Didier Dagueneau Silex

  Loire Valley, FRANCE

  $450. 00

  Bottle

  $5400.00 Dozen

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  ABV: 14%

  Closure: Cork

  Pouilly Fumé and Sancerre are the global benchmarks for Sauvignon Blanc, and there is no bigger name or more highly regarded producer in the area than Domaine Didier Dagueneau. Now under the guidance of Didier's talented son Louis-Benjamin, the wines still follow his ethos that authentic Pouilly Fumé requires healthy fruit from low yielding, old vines to produce the purest, most intense and vibrantly fresh wine. That's not to say these wines are typical of the appellation. Given the severly low yields and approach to élevage, Dagueneau wines emphasise a creamy texture rather than bracing acidity, and combine mineral flavours with exotic fruits to supreme effect.

  In many ways the ultimate Dagueneau wine, Silex is super-mineral, pure and crystalline, and is typically driven, intense and very long-lived. Silex means flint and this wine is produced only from the flint-rich soils on the north-facing slopes of the hill of Saint-Andelain. The vines here mostly range between 35 and 65 years old, and yields are kept lower than most other vineyards. Silex is fermented and aged in the famed Dagueneau cigar-shaped barrels as well as other casks.

  Other Reviews....
  The 2019 Pouilly Fumé Silex shows an initial tenderness, sitting quietly and not shouting that it's made it into your glass. This is a wine that has its act together, feeling integrated and balanced with plentiful concentration and a savory long finish. A delicate dill note, which is a characteristic of oaked Sauvignon peeks out amid the hush. Drink 2022-2034.
  93 points
  Rebecca Gibb MW - Vinous

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• • 95

  2017 Domaine Didier Dagueneau les Monts Damnes Sancerre

  Sancerre, Loire Valley, FRANCE

  $450. 00

  Bottle

  $5400.00 Dozen

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  ABV: 13%

  Closure: Cork

  Pouilly Fumé and Sancerre are the global benchmarks for Sauvignon Blanc, and there is no bigger name or more highly regarded producer in the area than Domaine Didier Dagueneau. Now under the guidance of Didier's talented son Louis-Benjamin, the wines still follow his ethos that authentic Pouilly Fumé requires healthy fruit from low yielding, old vines to produce the purest, most intense and vibrantly fresh wine. That's not to say these wines are typical of the appellation. Given the severly low yields and approach to élevage, Dagueneau wines emphasise a creamy texture rather than bracing acidity, and combine mineral flavours with exotic fruits to supreme effect.

  It was long Didier Dagueneau’s dream to make a great Sancerre from the legendary, chalky slopes of Chavignol. He was finally able to acquire a half-hectare site in the late 1990s, smack-bang in the middle of the renowned vineyard of Les Monts Damnés. He soon began planting it to his exacting specifications. This location is south-facing and extremely steep, with white soil packed with chalk. The historical name of the parcel or climat (within Monts Damnés) is Les Vignes Blanches. Dagueneau noted that in spite of the aspect, it is one of the cooler terroirs of Monts Damnés.

  Other Reviews....
  The Dagueneau family has been making Sancerre off the steep slopes of the Monts Damnés since the early 2000s, and it's a rather different beast than their Pouilly-Fumés. The 2017 Le Mont Damné is incredibly pure and transparent with arrow-like precision, citrus and floral nuances and some nutty influence. Precise and refined, delivering glacial purity of fruit; the Kimmeridgian terroir gives this wine line, length and direction. The lengthy finish is scented with florals, citrus and spiced apples. Lip-smacking, no-holds-barred Sauvignon. Drink 2022 - 2034.
  95 points
  Rebecca Gibb MW - Vinous

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• • 94

  2018 Domaine Didier Dagueneau Pur Sang

  Pouilly Fume, Loire Valley, FRANCE

  $299. 00

  Bottle

  $3588.00 Dozen

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  ABV: 13.5%

  Closure: Cork

  Pouilly Fumé and Sancerre are the global benchmarks for Sauvignon Blanc, and there is no bigger name or more highly regarded producer in the area than Domaine Didier Dagueneau. Now under the guidance of Didier's talented son Louis-Benjamin, the wines still follow his ethos that authentic Pouilly Fumé requires healthy fruit from low yielding, old vines to produce the purest, most intense and vibrantly fresh wine. That's not to say these wines are typical of the appellation. Given the severly low yields and approach to élevage, Dagueneau wines emphasise a creamy texture rather than bracing acidity, and combine mineral flavours with exotic fruits to supreme effect.

  Pur Sang (French for thoroughbred) is a superstar in the Dagueaneau cellar, and is widely considered one of the great white wines of the world. It comes from a densely planted, 30 year old vineyard in Saint-Laurent-l’Abbaye called La Folie (the madness), hidden between two parcels of woodland about five kilometres north of Saint-Andelain. The vineyard is named for the local farmers, who thought Didier Dagueneau was mad when he purchased the land which was not a vineyard at the time and full of huge boulders. Back then it was not even registered as part of the Pouilly-Fumé AOC. It turns out that Didier had done his homework; not only was La Folie a historical Pouilly vineyard, but its vein of pure flint and Ludian silica clay (chaille roulées) as well as its gently sloping south/south-east exposure, made it potentially one of Pouilly’s finest.

  Other Reviews....
  Sourced from a south-facing single vineyard on flint and clay over chalk, the 2018 Pur Sang is all white flowers and spiced apple pastry. Seemingly effortless and silken, its Sauvignon edges rounded out in barrels. It offers excellent concentration on the mid-palate, a line of acidity acting like a thread and holding the core together like a ball. Delectably textured, with a hint of tannic sensation holding the mouth gently on a lengthy conclusion that's drawn-out and precise. A complex, multifaceted wine. Drink 2022 - 2032.
  94 points
  Rebecca Gibb MW - Vinous

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• • 96

  2020 Domaine Belargus Ronceray Anjou

  Loire Valley, FRANCE

  $125. 00

  Bottle

  $1500.00 Dozen

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  ABV: 13.5%

  Closure: Cork

  Domaine Belargus is the realisation of a dream by former Parisian investor Ivan Massonnat. While it was his love and respect for Burgundy that ignited his passion for wine, his family connection to Chinon opened his eyes to the potential of Chenin Blanc from the great terroirs of the Loire Valley. A chance encounter with retiring vigneron Jo Pithon lead the pair to meet at the foot of the legendary Coteau des Treilles vineyard one frosty morning, and the fate of each was sealed. Further acquisitions followed, including one quarter of Les Quarts in the historic heart of the Quarts-de-Chaume appellation, along with sites across the river in Savennières. This new estate is 100% dedicated to Chenin Blanc and celebrates the grape's versatility regarding terroirs and wine style. Ivan has installed a young team, and together they are currently converting to biodynamics, with a single-plot approach inspired by Ivan's first love: Burgundy.

  Adapting their approach each vintage, the various plots are harvested at their optimum maturity at incredibly low yields of around 25 hectolitres per hectare. Fermentation occurs in barrel using indigenous yeasts, and can last from less than a month to more than a year, depending on each plot and the vintage characteristics. This is one of the most exciting new ventures in France today, and should appease lovers of high quality, terroir specific wines.

  This cuvée comes from a blend of all the plots of the Domaine on the Quarts-de-Chaume rump. Its name refers to the abbey of the same name, owner of the Chaume vineyards since the 11th century. A terroir with complex geology, the marriage of schists and pudding sandstone gives this cuvée a sharp minerality and a floral and fruity richness. A fine bitterness, signature of this terroir, brings complexity and length in the mouth.

  Other Reviews....
  From Massonnat’s biodynamic vineyards in Anjou. Enticing nose of citrus and honey. This has a rich, saline grip in the mouth, and an attractive touch of bitterness. Taut and focused, with a sense of restrained energy and mineral drive. Vibrant and very intense, with lovely finesse. Very fine, and should unfurl beautifully. Drink 2023 - 2030.
  96 points
  Rupert Joy - Decanter

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• • 96

  2020 Domaine Belargus Quarts Anjou

  Loire Valley, FRANCE

  $240. 00

  Bottle

  $2880.00 Dozen

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  ABV: 13.5%

  Closure: Cork

  Domaine Belargus is the realisation of a dream by former Parisian investor Ivan Massonnat. While it was his love and respect for Burgundy that ignited his passion for wine, his family connection to Chinon opened his eyes to the potential of Chenin Blanc from the great terroirs of the Loire Valley. A chance encounter with retiring vigneron Jo Pithon lead the pair to meet at the foot of the legendary Coteau des Treilles vineyard one frosty morning, and the fate of each was sealed. Further acquisitions followed, including one quarter of Les Quarts in the historic heart of the Quarts-de-Chaume appellation, along with sites across the river in Savennières. This new estate is 100% dedicated to Chenin Blanc and celebrates the grape's versatility regarding terroirs and wine style. Ivan has installed a young team, and together they are currently converting to biodynamics, with a single-plot approach inspired by Ivan's first love: Burgundy.

  Adapting their approach each vintage, the various plots are harvested at their optimum maturity at incredibly low yields of around 25 hectolitres per hectare. Fermentation occurs in barrel using indigenous yeasts, and can last from less than a month to more than a year, depending on each plot and the vintage characteristics. This is one of the most exciting new ventures in France today, and should appease lovers of high quality, terroir specific wines.

  "Les Quarts" is the original plot, facing south, which gave its name to the Quarts-de-Chaume appellation. As a matter of fact, until the French Revolution, the lords of Haute Guerche, tenants of the Chaume vineyards, used to pay the nuns of the Ronceray Abbey with “the best quarters of the harvest” ... The name “Quarts-de-Chaume” was born. The soils are based on Precambrian schists, which bring finesse and length to this legendary cuvée.

  Other Reviews....
  Made with fruit from the Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru vineyard, a south-facing slope of mainly schist, the nose is reminiscent of a sweet Chenin: hugely scented, honeyed and smoky with hints of truffle. The sumptuous fruit glides across the palate, until the 'wow!' moment when the acidity and bitter minerality kick in. Saline intensity with honey and baked apples offer a lingering softness held together in the gentlest skein of freshness. Effortless star quality. Drink 2024 - 2044.
  96 points
  Beverley Blanning MW - Decanter

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• 2020 Domaine Belargus Bonnes Blanche Anjou

  Loire Valley, FRANCE

  $170. 00

  Bottle

  $2040.00 Dozen

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  ABV: 12.5%

  Closure: Cork

  Domaine Belargus is the realisation of a dream by former Parisian investor Ivan Massonnat. While it was his love and respect for Burgundy that ignited his passion for wine, his family connection to Chinon opened his eyes to the potential of Chenin Blanc from the great terroirs of the Loire Valley. A chance encounter with retiring vigneron Jo Pithon lead the pair to meet at the foot of the legendary Coteau des Treilles vineyard one frosty morning, and the fate of each was sealed. Further acquisitions followed, including one quarter of Les Quarts in the historic heart of the Quarts-de-Chaume appellation, along with sites across the river in Savennières. This new estate is 100% dedicated to Chenin Blanc and celebrates the grape's versatility regarding terroirs and wine style. Ivan has installed a young team, and together they are currently converting to biodynamics, with a single-plot approach inspired by Ivan's first love: Burgundy.

  Adapting their approach each vintage, the various plots are harvested at their optimum maturity at incredibly low yields of around 25 hectolitres per hectare. Fermentation occurs in barrel using indigenous yeasts, and can last from less than a month to more than a year, depending on each plot and the vintage characteristics. This is one of the most exciting new ventures in France today, and should appease lovers of high quality, terroir specific wines.

  The "Clos des Bonnes Blanches" is one of the emblematic plots located in Saint-Lambert du Lattay, cultivated as single-plot by generations of local winegrowers. Located on a slight slope facing North, these cool soils rest on talc shales and small rocks of quartz. This late terroir produces delicate and somewhat intellectual wines. They show floral aromas, with a touch of fenel and mint, backed by a strong mineral spine. They are renowned for their long ageing potential.

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• • 93
  • 94

  2018 Domaine Belargus Clos des Rucheres Savennieres Magnum (1500ml)

  Loire Valley, FRANCE

  $530. 00

  Bottle

  $6360.00 Dozen

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  ABV: 13%

  Closure: Cork

  Domaine Belargus is the realisation of a dream by former Parisian investor Ivan Massonnat. While it was his love and respect for Burgundy that ignited his passion for wine, his family connection to Chinon opened his eyes to the potential of Chenin Blanc from the great terroirs of the Loire Valley. A chance encounter with retiring vigneron Jo Pithon lead the pair to meet at the foot of the legendary Coteau des Treilles vineyard one frosty morning, and the fate of each was sealed. Further acquisitions followed, including one quarter of Les Quarts in the historic heart of the Quarts-de-Chaume appellation, along with sites across the river in Savennières. This new estate is 100% dedicated to Chenin Blanc and celebrates the grape's versatility regarding terroirs and wine style. Ivan has installed a young team, and together they are currently converting to biodynamics, with a single-plot approach inspired by Ivan's first love: Burgundy.

  Adapting their approach each vintage, the various plots are harvested at their optimum maturity at incredibly low yields of around 25 hectolitres per hectare. Fermentation occurs in barrel using indigenous yeasts, and can last from less than a month to more than a year, depending on each plot and the vintage characteristics. This is one of the most exciting new ventures in France today, and should appease lovers of high quality, terroir specific wines.

  Located at the bottom of La Roche-aux-Moines, the “Clos des Ruchères” (Monopole) rests on a slope of purple schists, covered with a very thin layer of soil of only twenty centimetres. This tiny steep plot, worked like a garden, gives birth to a wine carried by a great mineral tension. Two years of maturation give it length and aromatic complexity, as well as a significant aging potential.

  Other Reviews....
  Located at the bottom of La Roche-aux-Moines, the steep, southwest-facing 0.4-hectare Clos des Ruchères monopole rests on a slope of purple schists, covered with a very thin layer of soil of only 20 centimeters. Aged two years on the lees, the 2018 Savennières Clos des Ruchères has a golden-yellow color and opens with an intense but also quite developed nose of ripe and stewed yellow fruits, whereas the crystalline, flinty schist notes remain in the background. Round, highly elegant and refined on the fruit-intense and aromatic palate, this is a crystalline, linear but also juicy and well-concentrated Ruchères with great mineral tension but most of all finesse. The finish is much fresher and purer than expected from the nose and very long and intense. Given the elegant and sustainable finish, the 2018 should have significant aging potential. Tasted in June 2021. Drink 2021 - 2045.
  93 points
  Stephan Reinhardt - Wine Advocate (July 2021)

  Clos des Ruchères is a tiny plot, facing south-west. Chenin Blanc planted in 2008, and a terroir of loam and clay on purple schist. A nose of hazelnut, almond and perfectly integrated oak. After some swirling, the bouquet develops with aromas of spices, flowers and flint. Superb mouthfeel with a texture that is both fine-grained and fleshy. This wine has remarkable freshness, also some salinity while also leaving a slight sensation of tannins. A Savennières of crystalline clarity. Drinking Window 2025 - 2040.
  94 points
  Yohan Castaing - Decanter

  Still in élevage, this cuvée is sourced from a tiny 0.4-hectare vineyard on degraded purple schist and clay. The total crop amounts to just three barrels, and this is a sample from one barrel rather than a blending, so not entirely representative. Compared to Gaudrets the nose offers a huge step up in character, showing a very pure schistose style, much more focused, and dressed with a fragrant floral minerality. This is very fine, but the palate is heavily marked by vanillin oak at the moment, all wrapped up in threads of stone and schist, along with very fresh acidity. Really focused, with a very fine-boned style, swirled with liquorice, vanilla and fennel from the oak. It is difficult to judge on this sample taken from one obviously new barrel. Nevertheless it feels evidently superior to Gaudrets.
  92-94 points
  Chris Kissack - Winedoctor

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• • 99
  • 95

  2018 Domaine Belargus Quarts Quarts de Chaumes Grand Cru (375ml)

  Loire Valley, FRANCE

  $175. 00

  Bottle

  $2100.00 Dozen

  Add

  ABV: 11%

  Closure: Cork

  Domaine Belargus is the realisation of a dream by former Parisian investor Ivan Massonnat. While it was his love and respect for Burgundy that ignited his passion for wine, his family connection to Chinon opened his eyes to the potential of Chenin Blanc from the great terroirs of the Loire Valley. A chance encounter with retiring vigneron Jo Pithon lead the pair to meet at the foot of the legendary Coteau des Treilles vineyard one frosty morning, and the fate of each was sealed. Further acquisitions followed, including one quarter of Les Quarts in the historic heart of the Quarts-de-Chaume appellation, along with sites across the river in Savennières. This new estate is 100% dedicated to Chenin Blanc and celebrates the grape's versatility regarding terroirs and wine style. Ivan has installed a young team, and together they are currently converting to biodynamics, with a single-plot approach inspired by Ivan's first love: Burgundy.

  Adapting their approach each vintage, the various plots are harvested at their optimum maturity at incredibly low yields of around 25 hectolitres per hectare. Fermentation occurs in barrel using indigenous yeasts, and can last from less than a month to more than a year, depending on each plot and the vintage characteristics. This is one of the most exciting new ventures in France today, and should appease lovers of high quality, terroir specific wines.

  "Les Quarts" is the original plot that gave its name to the Quarts-de-Chaume appellation. The magic of the Quarts-de-Chaume terroir is the sunny hillside facing south, exposed to the morning mists of the Layon river and ventilated by constant winds resulting in a botrytis of rare concentration. The schists in the subsoil give this cuvée a vertical structure and an elegant freshness.

  Other Reviews....
  "Les Quarts is the original plot that gave its name to the Quarts-de-Chaume appellation," reminds Ivan Massonnat, spiritus rector of Domaine Belargus. The Quarts-de-Chaume terroir—a sunny, south-facing hillside on schists, exposed to the morning mists of the Layon River and ventilated by constant winds—results in "a botrytis of rare concentration," says Massonnat, as the 2018 Quarts-de-Chaume Grand Cru Liquoreux Les Quarts demonstrates impressively. Amber-orange colored, the nose is deep, intense and concentrated, very complex and elegant, with spicy and balsamic apricot notes, nougat and porcini aromas as well as flinty-mineral notes and associations of crispy ham hock. Round, smooth and sweet but with great finesse and elegance, this is a rich yet almost weightless and perfectly balanced liquoreux from the central Les Quarts plot of the QDC appellation that develops a vertical, highly stimulating and filigreed structure that leads to a long, crisp and frisky piquancy and salty finesse that makes this grand cru wine extremely digestible, even at this very early stage. Belargus's 2018 Les Quarts pairs richness and sweetness with crystalline finesse and elegance in an unrivaled way. A fabulous, irresistible grand cru! 11% alcohol. Tasted in June 2021. Drink 2021 - 2100.
  99 points
  Stephan Reinhardt - Wine Advocate (July 2021)

  South-facing plot on pudding-stone bedrock. More gingerbread than Les Rouères, Les Quarts displays right from the first whiff all its power and complexity. Density and energy join forces for a full, unctuous wine with significant ageing potential. Superb. Drinking Window 2030 - 2060.
  95 points
  Yohan Castaing - Decanter

  One of two cuvées currently made available in this appellation, this comes from 3.08 hectares of vines planted on schist with a south-facing slope of 10% to 20%. The team filled several barrels ranging from new to a few years old, and this is a sample from a new barrel. The nose is simply huge and well-toasted, loaded with scented vanillin lactones, carrying rich scents of dried fruits especially dried fig. I find the same character on the palate, the oak showing quite strongly, but it soon opens up to release the fruit as it fills out on the palate. It presents seams of dried fruits, dried figs, dates and raisins, with a soft and slightly chalky phenolic backbone, and the requisite acidity. I think there is fine potential here but it is a bit difficult to predict from this limited oak-dominated sample.
  94-96 points
  Chris Kissack - Winedoctor

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• • 95
  • 93

  2018 Domaine Belargus Roueres Anjou

  Loire Valley, FRANCE

  $170. 00

  Bottle

  $2040.00 Dozen

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  ABV: 14%

  Closure: Cork

  Domaine Belargus is the realisation of a dream by former Parisian investor Ivan Massonnat. While it was his love and respect for Burgundy that ignited his passion for wine, his family connection to Chinon opened his eyes to the potential of Chenin Blanc from the great terroirs of the Loire Valley. A chance encounter with retiring vigneron Jo Pithon lead the pair to meet at the foot of the legendary Coteau des Treilles vineyard one frosty morning, and the fate of each was sealed. Further acquisitions followed, including one quarter of Les Quarts in the historic heart of the Quarts-de-Chaume appellation, along with sites across the river in Savennières. This new estate is 100% dedicated to Chenin Blanc and celebrates the grape's versatility regarding terroirs and wine style. Ivan has installed a young team, and together they are currently converting to biodynamics, with a single-plot approach inspired by Ivan's first love: Burgundy.

  Adapting their approach each vintage, the various plots are harvested at their optimum maturity at incredibly low yields of around 25 hectolitres per hectare. Fermentation occurs in barrel using indigenous yeasts, and can last from less than a month to more than a year, depending on each plot and the vintage characteristics. This is one of the most exciting new ventures in France today, and should appease lovers of high quality, terroir specific wines.

  “Les Rouères” is one of the three plots listed in the original decree creating the Quarts-de-Chaume appellation, on the eastern side. The soils, thin and hot, rest on pudding sandstone (sand concretions and rolled gravel) accumulating the heat of the day and restoring it at night. This solar terroir gives birth to charming, ample and complex wines.

  Other Reviews....
  Located on the eastern side, Les Rouères is one of the three plots listed in the original decree creating the Quarts-de-Chaume Grand Cru appellation, says Ivan Massonnat. The shallow and warm soils rest on pudding sandstone (sand concretions and rolled gravel), which accumulate the heat of the day and restore it at night. This solar terroir gives birth to fruit-intense, complex and ample wines, and the Belarus 2018 Anjou Les Rouères is a great example. The intensely straw-yellow wine offers an intensely aromatic bouquet of ripe, stewed and concentrated fruits intertwined with delicate schistous notes. The Les Rouères is much more fruit intense than all the other Anjous from this exciting domaine. On the palate, this is a silky-textured, rich and elegant, dense yet well balanced, finessed and aromatic Chenin with an exceptionally long and, due to firm tannins, sustainably structured finish that fits easily into Markus Molitor's infamous "physical drinking" category. It is a dense, rich and powerful, firmly structured and enormously fruity Rochefort (or better: dry Quarts-de-Chaume) from late-harvested Chenin Blanc grapes. You shouldn't look for the purity and crushed stones and fresh fruits here. Although the wine has tension, finesse and purity, it is a rather baroque style made to enjoy in a decade and possibly for decades. 14% alcohol (according to the back label, possibly more). Tasted in June 2021. Drink 2030 - 2060.
  95 points
  Stephan Reinhardt - Wine Advocate (Jul 2021)

  This is produced from a special type of soil with pudding stones, which makes for powerful wines. A complex nose – floral, gentian and spices – for this racy yet fleshy, dense wine. The texture is superb, with a succulent roundness, some beguiling bitterness and an overall precision and impressive freshness with a menthol flourish. Great ageing potential. Drinking Window 2025 - 2035.
  93 points
  Yohan Castaing - Decanter

  This cuvée is sourced from Les Rouères, one of the domaine’s parcels in the Quarts de Chaume zone, where the slope ranges from 10% to 30%. The 2.96 hectares of vines are planted on warm soils over conglomerate rocks known as poudingue, or puddingstone. At the time of tasting this was still in élevage, this sample drawn from a ten-year-old barrel. It has a focused nose, elegant with notes of elderflower and an effusive minerality suggested. There follows great harmony on the palate, fresh and charming, again full of convincing minerality here, with no real impact from the oak. The middle shows focused and tightly expressed energy with lots of vivacious acidity, wrapping up a core of peach and mirabelle fruits. Really nice potential here.
  93-95 points
  Chris Kissack - Winedoctor

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  2020 Domaine de Belle-Vue (Jerome Bretaudeau) La Justice Savagnin Chardonnay

  Loire Valley, FRANCE

  $84. 99

  Bottle

  $1019.88 Dozen

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  ABV: 12%

  Closure: Cork

  Jérôme Bretaudeau is one of a small handful of serious, young winemakers devoted to the compelling terroir of Muscadet, the most western appellation in the Loire Valley. In stark contrast to most of Muscadet, which is dominated by overcropped, industrial-production cooperatives, Domaine de Belle Vue comprises 12 hectares of organically-certified vineyards in active transition to full biodynamic viticulture. Jérôme is, moreover, innovative and experimental, crafting wines not only from the appellation’s signature Melon de Bourgogne but also from eccentric cuvées of Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Franc.

  La Justice is made from a parcel of Chardonnay and Savagnin on gneiss soils.

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• • 92
  • 95

  • Organic

  2019 Domaine de Belle-Vue (Jerome Bretaudeau) Muscadet Gaia

  Loire Valley, FRANCE

  $84. 99

  Bottle

  $1019.88 Dozen

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  ABV: 12.5%

  Closure: Cork

  Jérôme Bretaudeau is one of a small handful of serious, young winemakers devoted to the compelling terroir of Muscadet, the most western appellation in the Loire Valley. In stark contrast to most of Muscadet, which is dominated by overcropped, industrial-production cooperatives, Domaine de Belle Vue comprises 12 hectares of organically-certified vineyards in active transition to full biodynamic viticulture. Jérôme is, moreover, innovative and experimental, crafting wines not only from the appellation’s signature Melon de Bourgogne but also from eccentric cuvées of Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Franc.

  Other Reviews....
  From the very first whiff, the 2019 Gaïa from Jerôme Bretaudeau has surprisingly compelling scents of menthol, mint, white fruits, butter and minerals. Full-bodied and perfectly balanced, seamless and concentrated, layered and deep, it has a delicate, exquisite texture that segues into a tense, crystalline finish with aromas of licorice and lemon oil. It will offer a broad drinking window. Drink 2023 - 2030.
  95+ points
  Yohan Castaing - Wine Advocate (Aug 18, 2023)

  The 2019 Gaïa is a bit of a Muscadet anomaly in that it is biodynamically grown and is fermented and matured in concrete egg. It's a rich style with a high level of intensity. Having gone through malolactic, it has a soft and full mouthfeel. The finish is salty and citrussy with a fine element of bitterness and nutty savory character. In a blind tasting, I'd probably have mistaken it for a Chenin Blanc, but that doesn't make it any less valid. Drink 2021 - 2030.
  92 points
  Rebecca Gibb MW - Vinous

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• 2021 Domaine de la Pepiere Muscadet Sevre et Maine Clos des Briords Vieilles Vignes

  Loire Valley, FRANCE

  $39. 99

  Bottle

  $479.88 Dozen

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  ABV: 12%

  Closure: Cork

  While Domaine de la Pépière are quiet achievers, fine wine devotees agree they are one of the greatest estates in the Loire Valley. Their reputation comes from the vibrancy and density of the wines which reflect their terroir of mostly decomposed Granite, Gabbro and Gniess. There are 28 hectares of vines with 8 hectares planted on the granite of Clisson in the more southerly part of the appellation, another 12 hectares further north on the granite of Château Thébaud, both of which contain veins of metamorphic gneiss with amphibolite stones.

  The Clos des Briords Vieilles Vignes cuvée was first produced in 1988 and hails from a three hectare parcel of old massale-selection vines (all over 60 years old, with a high percentage much older) on a slope above the Maine. The bedrock is Granit de Château Thébaud, a fissured rock that allows the vines to penetrate deeply, with ideal thin topsoils of clay, with sand and gravel allowing good drainage.

  Other Reviews....
  Tasted blind. Certified AB organic. 70-year-old vines in a 3-ha vineyard on granite. Hand-picked. Eight months on lees in underground vats. No malo. RS <1 g/l. Winemakers are Gwénaëlle Croix (since 2014) and Rémi Branger (since 2011).
  Almond-blossom perfume and then, oh-oh-oh so beautiful. This is shimmering with depth and excitement. Absolutely thrilling wine. Quince and bitter orange, wrinkling apricot skin and baobab-fruit tang, sweet cardamom and cumin seeds. The fruit is violin-string sonorous and complex, soaring up through my fruit, sending goosebumps down the length of my spine. There is an alto line of roasted-hazelnut nuttiness, a kind of praline undertow, and then clouds of white pepper and nutmeg and allspice finely sifting through the light above the fruit. Stunning. A coup de coeur. Drink 2023 – 2035.
  18/20 points
  Tamlyn Currin - jancisrobinson.com

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• 2021 Domaine de la Pepiere Muscadet Sevre et Maine

  Loire Valley, FRANCE

  $33. 99

  Bottle

  $407.88 Dozen

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  ABV: 12%

  Closure: Cork

  While Domaine de la Pépière are quiet achievers, fine wine devotees agree they are one of the greatest estates in the Loire Valley. Their reputation comes from the vibrancy and density of the wines which reflect their terroir of mostly decomposed Granite, Gabbro and Gniess. There are 28 hectares of vines with 8 hectares planted on the granite of Clisson in the more southerly part of the appellation, another 12 hectares further north on the granite of Château Thébaud, both of which contain veins of metamorphic gneiss with amphibolite stones.

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• 2020 Domaine de la Pepiere Muscadet Sevre et Maine Les Gras Moutons

  Loire Valley, FRANCE

  $36. 99

  Bottle

  $443.88 Dozen

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  ABV: 12%

  Closure: Cork

  While Domaine de la Pépière are quiet achievers, fine wine devotees agree they are one of the greatest estates in the Loire Valley. Their reputation comes from the vibrancy and density of the wines which reflect their terroir of mostly decomposed Granite, Gabbro and Gniess. There are 28 hectares of vines with 8 hectares planted on the granite of Clisson in the more southerly part of the appellation, another 12 hectares further north on the granite of Château Thébaud, both of which contain veins of metamorphic gneiss with amphibolite stones.

  This lovely wine clearly illustrates the difference between the granite and gneiss terroirs in Muscadet. Gras Moutons is a great parcel on gneiss, in layers that permit a deep penetration by the vines, with sandy clay and amphibolite stones. The vines are at the top of a hill and on the south-facing slope overlooking the Maine. This terroir produces lovely, classic Muscadet to drink over the next 5 to 8 years, it has a more herbal and floral bouquet than the granite-based wines and the palate, although refreshing and bright, is softer and more open.

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• • 94

  2017 Domaine de Ladoucette Baron de L Pouilly Fume

  Pouilly Fume, Loire Valley, FRANCE

  $180. 00

  Bottle

  $2160.00 Dozen

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  Cellar: Drink now - 4 Years (2023-2027)

  ABV: 12.5%

  Closure: Cork

  Brilliant pale straw colour with a greenish tinged outskirts and watery hue. Aromas of lime and green apple have a herbaceous grassy overlay with some green pear skin and stony mineral notes also evident. Vibrant lime and green apple fruits are underpinned by crunchy acidity with some herbaceous grassy characters, wet stone and minerals lingering through the long, elegant and zesty finish.
  Drink over the next 3-4 years.
  Alc. 12.5%

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• • 93

  2018 Domaine Didier Dagueneau Silex Magnum (1500ml)

  Pouilly Fume, Loire Valley, FRANCE

  $850. 00

  Bottle

  $10200.00 Dozen

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  ABV: 13.5%

  Closure: Cork

  Pouilly Fumé and Sancerre are the global benchmarks for Sauvignon Blanc, and there is no bigger name or more highly regarded producer in the area than Domaine Didier Dagueneau. Now under the guidance of Didier's talented son Louis-Benjamin, the wines still follow his ethos that authentic Pouilly Fumé requires healthy fruit from low yielding, old vines to produce the purest, and most intense and vibrantly fresh wine. That's not to say these wines are typical of the appellation. Given the severely low yields and approach to élevage, Dagueneau wines emphasise a creamy texture rather than bracing acidity, and combine mineral flavours with exotic fruits to supreme effect.

  For many, the aptly named Silex is the pinnacle not only in the Dagueneau range, but in all of Pouilly Fumé. Hailing from a north facing vineyard rich in flint soils, the emphasis with Silex is the pure mineral traits Pouilly Fumé is famous for, yet with intensity and focus dialled up to eleven. Silex can take a few years in the cellar to fully express the core of citrus fruit among the smoke and flint notes; however history has proven it is well worth the wait. Dagueneau's Silex is a class leading icon of the Loire Valley.

  Other Reviews....
  Perhaps the most famous of the Dagueneau cuvées, the 2018 Silex is flowing and accessible on entry, but then it coils and tightens. The silex (flint) soil gives firmness, imbuing structure and steely tension. Power and concentration combine, providing an almost waxy texture on the finish. Flavors of spiced apples, almonds and pastry linger. It's just not quite as long as expected. Tasted over three days. Drink 2021 - 2028.
  93 points
  Rebecca Gibb MW - Vinous

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• 2016 Domaine Didier Dagueneau Silex Magnum (1500ml)

  Pouilly Fume, Loire Valley, FRANCE

  $899. 00

  Bottle

  $10788.00 Dozen

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  ABV: 13%

  Closure: Cork

  Pouilly Fumé and Sancerre are the global benchmarks for Sauvignon Blanc, and there is no bigger name or more highly regarded producer in the area than Domaine Didier Dagueneau. Now under the guidance of Didier's talented son Louis-Benjamin, the wines still follow his ethos that authentic Pouilly Fumé requires healthy fruit from low yielding, old vines to produce the purest, and most intense and vibrantly fresh wine. That's not to say these wines are typical of the appellation. Given the severely low yields and approach to élevage, Dagueneau wines emphasise a creamy texture rather than bracing acidity, and combine mineral flavours with exotic fruits to supreme effect.

  For many, the aptly named Silex is the pinnacle not only in the Dagueneau range, but in all of Pouilly Fumé. Hailing from a north facing vineyard rich in flint soils, the emphasis with Silex is the pure mineral traits Pouilly Fumé is famous for, yet with intensity and focus dialled up to eleven. Silex can take a few years in the cellar to fully express the core of citrus fruit among the smoke and flint notes; however history has proven it is well worth the wait. Dagueneau's Silex is a class leading icon of the Loire Valley.

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• • 94
  • 

  2022 Domaine Pichot Clos Berger Vouvray Demi-Sec

  Vouvray, Loire Valley, FRANCE

  $34. 99

  Bottle

  $419.88 Dozen

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  Cellar: Drink now - 5 Years (2023-2028)

  ABV: 12%

  Closure: Stelvin

  Domaine Pichot is a 24Ha family estate in Vouvray on the right bank of the Loire, where vignerons dedicate their time to the cultivation of Chenin Blanc, locally coined ‘Pineau de la Loire’, to produce dry, sweet and sparkling whites.
  Demi-sec Vouvray is, after sparkling Vouvray, the most popular wine of the appellation and perhaps the most typical, showing Chenin Blanc at it most perfumed and expressive with just a delicate sweetness balancing the lively acidity.
  Brilliant pale straw colour with a subtle tinge of green around the edges and a watery hue. Elevated baked pear, Jonathan apple and honeysuckle aromas mix with hints of quince and cinnamon spice. Luscious pear, baked apple and musk flavours are texturally full and round with some honeysuckle and quince elements lurking in the background. Excellent concentration finishing off dry with fresh acidity. A dash of spice emerging on the long enveloping conclusion.
  Drink over the next 4-5 years.
  Alc. 12%

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• • 94

  2022 Domaine Pichot Clos Cartaud Vouvray Sec

  Vouvray, Loire Valley, FRANCE

  $39. 99

  Bottle

  $479.88 Dozen

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  Cellar: Drink now - 5 Years (2023-2028)

  ABV: 12%

  Closure: Stelvin

  Brilliant pale straw colour with a very faint tinge of green around the edges and a watery hue. Lifted Jonathan apple and baked pear aromas are trailed by quince, hints of honeysuckle and spice. Delicious ripe pear, baked apple and honeysuckle flavours are delivered with terrific intensity underscored by subtle quince and spicy musk elements. Nicely rounded textually it finishes dry and fresh with a long flavoursome aftertaste.
  Drink over the next 4-5 years.
  Alc. 12%

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• • 95
  • 

  2020 Domaine Pichot L’Electron Libre Vouvray Eleve en fut de chene

  Vouvray, Loire Valley, FRANCE

  $89. 99

  Bottle

  $1079.88 Dozen

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  Cellar: Drink now - 6 Years (2023-2029)

  ABV: 12%

  Closure: Cork

  A new cuvee for Domaine Pichot this wine comes from a selection of each of the 10 plots of the Pichot family vines situated among the best placed premier coteau vineyard sites of the village and near the family winery in the Vallee de Nouys. It was fermented in stainless steel then aged in 100% new oak barrels for 12 months. Only 10 barrels were made.
  Bright straw colour with a watery hue. Lifted baked pear and apple aromas are interwoven with quince, honeysuckle and spicy cinnamon notes. Rich, full and textural the palate is engulfed with luscious ripe Jonathan apple, baked pear, honeysuckle and cinnamon flavours. Some musk and spicy quince characteristics lurk in the background. Fantastic depth, volume and concentration. Finishes fresh, long and spicy with a dash of residual sweetness.
  Drink over the next 5-6 years.
  Alc. 12%

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• • 93
  • 

  2022 Domaine Pichot Coteau de la Biche Vouvray Sec

  Vouvray, Loire Valley, FRANCE

  $31. 99

  Bottle

  $383.88 Dozen

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  Cellar: Drink now - 6 Years (2023-2029)

  ABV: 12%

  Closure: Stelvin

  Domaine Pichot is a 24Ha family estate in Vouvray on the right bank of the Loire, where vignerons dedicate their time to the cultivation of Chenin Blanc, locally coined ‘Pineau de la Loire’, to produce dry, sweet and sparkling whites. The Coteau de la Biche is the only vineyard of the estate, planted on silex layered over limestone slopes. It is the spot of choice to make dry whites of great class, displaying the richness of ripe Chenin with a minerality that can rival that of the grandest Chablis. The la Biche undergoes a combination of ferments in both stainless steel and 400 litre barrels. 2022 was an exceptional vintage for Vouvray yielding wines of perfume, finesse and lip-smacking freshness.
  Brilliant very pale straw colour with a subtle glimmer of green around the edges and a watery hue. Fresh pear and red apple scents are trailed by hints of cinnamon, honeysuckle and quince. Showing good intensity and possessing a nicely rounded feel are fleshy pear and red apple fruits. Also chiming in are quince, delicate honeysuckle and traces of cinnamon. Fresh acidity finishing dry with plenty of energy and length.
  Drink over the next 5-6 years.
  Alc. 12%

  Delivery Information
• • 94

  • Organic
  • Biodynamic

  2022 Domaine Vacheron Sancerre

  Sancerre, Loire Valley, FRANCE

  $79. 99

  Bottle

  $959.88 Dozen

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  Cellar: Drink now - 3 Years (2024-2027)

  ABV: 13%

  Closure: Cork

  Domaine Vacheron stands out as one of the top properties in Sancerre, crafting both white and red Sancerre wines with exceptional clarity and precision. Under the leadership of two young cousins, Jean-Laurent and Jean-Dominique Vacheron, the domaine has fully embraced biodynamic farming practices. They refrain from using any synthetic materials in the vineyard, conduct hand-harvesting, and rely solely on fertilizer derived from compost. They intentionally keep yields low to enhance quality.
  With access to prized vineyard parcels, the cousins adopt a Burgundian approach to winemaking in Sancerre. They ferment grapes from individual parcels separately and create unique blends each year. This approach allows them to explore the diverse terroirs of Sancerre and produce wines that reflect the nuances of each site.
  Brilliant very pale straw colour with highlights of green around the edges and a watery hue. Pronounced green pear and lime aromas are trailed by hints of Granny Smith apple, wet slate, subtle grassy notes and flinty minerals. Mouth filling and intense, the palate features lime, pear and grapefruit flavours over a stony mineral and fresh herb infused back drop. Racy acidity counterpoints the wines textural volume finishing very long and moreish.
  Drink over the next 2-3 years.
  Alc. 13%

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• 2022 Gerard Boulay Sancerre Comtesse

  Sancerre, Loire Valley, FRANCE

  $185. 00

  Bottle

  $2220.00 Dozen

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  ABV: 13%

  Closure: Cork

  Just like any other well-known wine region in France, Sancerre has its own de-facto vineyard hierarchy. Officially endorsed or not, there’s no doubt that Sancerre’s greatest sites (barring an exception or two) are concentrated around the hamlet of Chavignol. Chavignol’s steep, south and south-east facing limestone slopes are home to historically revered sites like Les Monts-Damnés, La Grande Côte and Le Clos de Beaujeu—are, without doubt, the most potent terroirs of Sancerre. It’s no fluke that the top wines from this village regularly draw comparison to the great white wines of the world. Nor is it a fluke that this tiny village is home to an unusual concentration of Sancerre’s most revered winegrowing families. In Chavignol, the best wines have little (or nothing) to do with varietal character. They are fleshier, rippling, more textural—and less Sauvignon. No other terroir in Sancerre brands its wines with the same kind of flesh and saline minerality.

  Gérard Boulay can trace his wine growing roots back to 1380, so you could figuratively say that the Boulay family wrote the book on Chavignol. He works predominantly with old vines, all planted by massale selection on quality rootstock and at a higher density than most Sancerre vineyards at 7500 vines per hectare. The soil is ploughed, or grass is grown to prevent erosion, and the Domaine has been practicing organics for decades. In the cellar, Gérard works with wild ferments, old oak (his 10- to 12-year-old barrels are sourced from Alphonse Mellot) and very little sulphur during élevage. The wines are bottled without filtration. It has been said many times that with the remarkable limestone-rich Chavignol holdings, the outstanding work of Boulay and his team in the vines, and the fact that this artisan is currently crafting the finest wines of his career, all place this Domaine at the apex of France’s white wine hierarchy.

  This rare bottling comes from just 0.40 hectares of 70-year-old vines in the Comtesse lieu-dit at the chalky epicentre of Les Monts-Damnés. For hundreds of years or more, this vineyard has been considered by locals to be the finest single terroir of Chavignol. The soil composition is pure Kimmeridgian limestone and consists of a miserly 30 to 40cm layer of topsoil over solid limestone bedrock. This brings intense minerality and also warmth, as the rocky soil absorbs the heat of the sun and irradiates back at night. Therefore, it’s a site that always produces fully ripe fruit, together with intense freshness—hence the historical fame.

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• 2022 Gerard Boulay Sancerre La Cote

  Sancerre, Loire Valley, FRANCE

  $160. 00

  Bottle

  $1920.00 Dozen

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  ABV: 13%

  Closure: Cork

  Just like any other well-known wine region in France, Sancerre has its own de-facto vineyard hierarchy. Officially endorsed or not, there’s no doubt that Sancerre’s greatest sites (barring an exception or two) are concentrated around the hamlet of Chavignol. Chavignol’s steep, south and south-east facing limestone slopes are home to historically revered sites like Les Monts-Damnés, La Grande Côte and Le Clos de Beaujeu—are, without doubt, the most potent terroirs of Sancerre. It’s no fluke that the top wines from this village regularly draw comparison to the great white wines of the world. Nor is it a fluke that this tiny village is home to an unusual concentration of Sancerre’s most revered winegrowing families. In Chavignol, the best wines have little (or nothing) to do with varietal character. They are fleshier, rippling, more textural—and less Sauvignon. No other terroir in Sancerre brands its wines with the same kind of flesh and saline minerality.

  Gérard Boulay can trace his wine growing roots back to 1380, so you could figuratively say that the Boulay family wrote the book on Chavignol. He works predominantly with old vines, all planted by massale selection on quality rootstock and at a higher density than most Sancerre vineyards at 7500 vines per hectare. The soil is ploughed, or grass is grown to prevent erosion, and the Domaine has been practicing organics for decades. In the cellar, Gérard works with wild ferments, old oak (his 10- to 12-year-old barrels are sourced from Alphonse Mellot) and very little sulphur during élevage. The wines are bottled without filtration. It has been said many times that with the remarkable limestone-rich Chavignol holdings, the outstanding work of Boulay and his team in the vines, and the fact that this artisan is currently crafting the finest wines of his career, all place this Domaine at the apex of France’s white wine hierarchy.

  First made as a single parcel in 2010, La Côte comes from the majestic Grande Côte vineyard, a south- to southeast-facing hillside on the Côte d’Amigny on the outskirts of Chavignol. La Côte has quickly become one of the heavyweights of Boulay’s range. It’s the Domaine’s coolest terroir and the last to be picked. The site’s pure Kimmeridgian limestone and late picking date deliver both density and absurd precision on the palate; a more expressive style, yet still bristling with tension and mineral notes.

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• 2022 Gerard Boulay Sancerre Monts-Damnes

  Sancerre, Loire Valley, FRANCE

  $150. 00

  Bottle

  $1800.00 Dozen

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  ABV: 13%

  Closure: Cork

  Just like any other well-known wine region in France, Sancerre has its own de-facto vineyard hierarchy. Officially endorsed or not, there’s no doubt that Sancerre’s greatest sites (barring an exception or two) are concentrated around the hamlet of Chavignol. Chavignol’s steep, south and south-east facing limestone slopes are home to historically revered sites like Les Monts-Damnés, La Grande Côte and Le Clos de Beaujeu—are, without doubt, the most potent terroirs of Sancerre. It’s no fluke that the top wines from this village regularly draw comparison to the great white wines of the world. Nor is it a fluke that this tiny village is home to an unusual concentration of Sancerre’s most revered winegrowing families. In Chavignol, the best wines have little (or nothing) to do with varietal character. They are fleshier, rippling, more textural—and less Sauvignon. No other terroir in Sancerre brands its wines with the same kind of flesh and saline minerality.

  Gérard Boulay can trace his wine growing roots back to 1380, so you could figuratively say that the Boulay family wrote the book on Chavignol. He works predominantly with old vines, all planted by massale selection on quality rootstock and at a higher density than most Sancerre vineyards at 7500 vines per hectare. The soil is ploughed, or grass is grown to prevent erosion, and the Domaine has been practicing organics for decades. In the cellar, Gérard works with wild ferments, old oak (his 10- to 12-year-old barrels are sourced from Alphonse Mellot) and very little sulphur during élevage. The wines are bottled without filtration. It has been said many times that with the remarkable limestone-rich Chavignol holdings, the outstanding work of Boulay and his team in the vines, and the fact that this artisan is currently crafting the finest wines of his career, all place this Domaine at the apex of France’s white wine hierarchy.

  Monts-Damnés (pronounced mon-dannay) is perhaps the best-known vineyard in Chavignol. Drinking some great juice from this site leaves you in little doubt that Chavignol is home to the most textural, mineral, uplifting and sublime Sancerre. Boulay’s bottling comes from 45-year-old vines on one of the steepest inclines of this majestic vineyard—a 40-degree gradient, south-facing plot on terres blanches soil (white, chalky clay and limestone), directly adjacent to Edmond Vatan’s Clos la Néore vineyard. It's a parcel of vines that gift a wine of great hedonism and complexity.

  Delivery Information
• 2022 Gerard Boulay Sancerre Clos Beaujeu

  Sancerre, Loire Valley, FRANCE

  $150. 00

  Bottle

  $1800.00 Dozen

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  ABV: 13%

  Closure: Cork

  Just like any other well-known wine region in France, Sancerre has its own de-facto vineyard hierarchy. Officially endorsed or not, there’s no doubt that Sancerre’s greatest sites (barring an exception or two) are concentrated around the hamlet of Chavignol. Chavignol’s steep, south and south-east facing limestone slopes are home to historically revered sites like Les Monts-Damnés, La Grande Côte and Le Clos de Beaujeu—are, without doubt, the most potent terroirs of Sancerre. It’s no fluke that the top wines from this village regularly draw comparison to the great white wines of the world. Nor is it a fluke that this tiny village is home to an unusual concentration of Sancerre’s most revered winegrowing families. In Chavignol, the best wines have little (or nothing) to do with varietal character. They are fleshier, rippling, more textural—and less Sauvignon. No other terroir in Sancerre brands its wines with the same kind of flesh and saline minerality.

  Gérard Boulay can trace his wine growing roots back to 1380, so you could figuratively say that the Boulay family wrote the book on Chavignol. He works predominantly with old vines, all planted by massale selection on quality rootstock and at a higher density than most Sancerre vineyards at 7500 vines per hectare. The soil is ploughed, or grass is grown to prevent erosion, and the Domaine has been practicing organics for decades. In the cellar, Gérard works with wild ferments, old oak (his 10- to 12-year-old barrels are sourced from Alphonse Mellot) and very little sulphur during élevage. The wines are bottled without filtration. It has been said many times that with the remarkable limestone-rich Chavignol holdings, the outstanding work of Boulay and his team in the vines, and the fact that this artisan is currently crafting the finest wines of his career, all place this Domaine at the apex of France’s white wine hierarchy.

  Boulay farms two parcels in this terroir, including one within the original Clos of the vineyard (established by the monks of Beaujeu in the Middle Ages). Vines on this slope of Kimmeridgian limestone and clay (terre blanches) are aged between 30 and an incredible 110 years! The soils here are particularly rocky and strewn with fossils, much like parts of Chablis. These textured soils make this parcel very difficult to farm. A second, even steeper parcel lies closer to the village. Together these southeast-facing plots make Clos de Beaujeu the source of some of the Domaine’s most structured and nervy wines. This wine was naturally fermented and raised in large, upright cask (60%) and in three- and four-year-old 300 litre barrels (40%), for 10 months.

  Delivery Information
• 2022 Gerard Boulay Sancerre a Chavignol

  Sancerre, Loire Valley, FRANCE

  $86. 99

  Bottle

  $1043.88 Dozen

  Add

  ABV: 13%

  Closure: Cork

  Just like any other well-known wine region in France, Sancerre has its own de-facto vineyard hierarchy. Officially endorsed or not, there’s no doubt that Sancerre’s greatest sites (barring an exception or two) are concentrated around the hamlet of Chavignol. Chavignol’s steep, south and south-east facing limestone slopes are home to historically revered sites like Les Monts-Damnés, La Grande Côte and Le Clos de Beaujeu—are, without doubt, the most potent terroirs of Sancerre. It’s no fluke that the top wines from this village regularly draw comparison to the great white wines of the world. Nor is it a fluke that this tiny village is home to an unusual concentration of Sancerre’s most revered winegrowing families. In Chavignol, the best wines have little (or nothing) to do with varietal character. They are fleshier, rippling, more textural—and less Sauvignon. No other terroir in Sancerre brands its wines with the same kind of flesh and saline minerality.

  Gérard Boulay can trace his wine growing roots back to 1380, so you could figuratively say that the Boulay family wrote the book on Chavignol. He works predominantly with old vines, all planted by massale selection on quality rootstock and at a higher density than most Sancerre vineyards at 7500 vines per hectare. The soil is ploughed, or grass is grown to prevent erosion, and the Domaine has been practicing organics for decades. In the cellar, Gérard works with wild ferments, old oak (his 10- to 12-year-old barrels are sourced from Alphonse Mellot) and very little sulphur during élevage. The wines are bottled without filtration. It has been said many times that with the remarkable limestone-rich Chavignol holdings, the outstanding work of Boulay and his team in the vines, and the fact that this artisan is currently crafting the finest wines of his career, all place this Domaine at the apex of France’s white wine hierarchy.

  Boulay's entry-level, if we must call it that, is drawn from mature, 35- to 40-year-old vines rooted entirely in the limestone soils of Chavignol. This is the only blended cuvée in the Boulay line-up, yet even here we can taste the kind of finesse, texture and stony/earthy/salty minerality that has made this humble grower one of France's most respected vignerons. The multiple sites are largely sloping vineyards on the lower flanks of the Chavignol hillside terroirs of Les Chasseignes, Les Longues Fins and La Rue de Vaux. Importantly, Boulay also includes fruit from his younger vines on the great hillside of La Grande Côte. The juice was naturally fermented and aged for eight months in tank on lees, with a small volume also fermented in a single large wooden cask.

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• • 94
  • 

  2022 Marc Bredif Classic Vouvray

  Vouvray, Loire Valley, FRANCE

  $29. 99

  Bottle

  $359.88 Dozen

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  Cellar: Drink now - 8 Years (2023-2031)

  ABV: 12.5%

  Closure: Cork

  The domaine of Marc Bredif is one of the most famous names in the Loire, renowned for the longevity and quality of their Vouvray. Established in 1893 under the name of Chateau les Roches it wasn't until 1919 when Marc Bredif took over from his uncle, that the name was changed to reflect the change in ownership.
  Brilliant pale straw colour with highlights of green around the edges and a watery hue. Lifted pear, lime and green apple aromas combine with hints of quince and flinty mineral notes. Dancing across the vivid palate are energetic pear, lime and red apple fruits with some delicate quince, musk and stony mineral elements lurking underneath. Finishes dry with nervy acidity and a long invigoratingly crisp, mineral laced conclusion.
  Drink over the next 6-8 years.
  Alc. 12.5%

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• • 93

  2022 Pascal et Nicolas Reverdy Terre de Maimbray Sancerre

  Sancerre, Loire Valley, FRANCE

  $49. 99

  Bottle

  $599.88 Dozen

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  Cellar: Drink now - 4 Years (2023-2027)

  ABV: 14%

  Closure: Cork

  Pascal Reverdy’s domaine is based in the tiny hamlet of Maimbray. Maimbray is located in a valley surrounded by chalk hills adjacent to Chavignol and Verdigny. From their small cellar they produce one of France’s most highly awarded Sancerres’.
  Brilliant very pale straw colour with a watery hue. Aromas of lime and green apple infused with fresh herbs drift from the glass trailed by some light grassy and stony mineral scents. Lime and green apple fruits abound on the intensely flavoured palate underscored by fresh acidity. Good textural volume in the mouth with herbaceous grassy characters and stony mineral elements lying underneath. The dry, refreshing finish showing ample length.
  Drink over the next 3-4 years.
  Alc. 14%

  Delivery Information
• 2021 Thibaud Boudignon Anjou Blanc

  Loire Valley, FRANCE

  $99. 99

  Bottle

  $1199.88 Dozen

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  ABV: 12.5%

  Closure: Cork

  Based in Savennieres, Thibaud Boudignon is one of the new young stars of the Loire Valley. In addition to his prime plots in Savennieres, Thibaud also owns two small vineyards across the river on the south side of the Loire in the Anjou. Thibaud has worked with Philippe Charlopin in Gevrey Chambertin, Chateau Lafite Rothschild in Bordeaux (amongst others) and also in Australia before settling in the Loire, thereby building up a wealth of experience without having been born into a wine producing family. Working organically in the vineyards he harvests by hand making successive tries throughout each vineyard ending with yields that are much lower than the appellation rules allow. In the winery the grapes are whole bunch pressed with no settling and the juice is kept cold before starting a long slow fermentation. He vinifies with natural yeasts and ages the wines on lees with minimal SO2 in a mixture of barrels ranging from 300-600 litres.

  Thibaud Boudignon's Anjou Blanc is a crystalline and pure expression of Chenin Blanc from 39 year-old vines planted at 8000 vines/ha on shallow soils of grey schist and rhyolite. Fermentation occurs in stainless steel with native yeasts for 2-3 weeks, followed by maturation in 300L and 750L barrels (30% new) for 15-18 months.

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• 2021 Thibaud Boudignon Savennieres Clos Fremine

  Loire Valley, FRANCE

  $210. 00

  Bottle

  $2520.00 Dozen

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  ABV: 11.5%

  Closure: Cork

  Based in Savennieres, Thibaud Boudignon is one of the new young stars of the Loire Valley. In addition to his prime plots in Savennieres, Thibaud also owns two small vineyards across the river on the south side of the Loire in the Anjou. Thibaud has worked with Philippe Charlopin in Gevrey Chambertin, Chateau Lafite Rothschild in Bordeaux (amongst others) and also in Australia before settling in the Loire, thereby building up a wealth of experience without having been born into a wine producing family. Working organically in the vineyards he harvests by hand making successive tries throughout each vineyard ending with yields that are much lower than the appellation rules allow. In the winery the grapes are whole bunch pressed with no settling and the juice is kept cold before starting a long slow fermentation. He vinifies with natural yeasts and ages the wines on lees with minimal SO2 in a mixture of barrels ranging from 300-600 litres.

  This Clos Fremine site adjoins Clos de la Hutte separated only by stone walls surrounding each Clos and a tiny road between and is planted to 1.5ha of vines from massale selection, with the original material coming from vines of more than 100 years old. Sloping towards the Loire the soils have a fine cover of sand blown over the underlying schist across many millenia which conveys a silky elegance to the resulting wine, giving more immediacy and enabling this wine to be appreciated in its youth.

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• • 96

  2020 Thibaud Boudignon Savennieres Clos de la Hutte

  Loire Valley, FRANCE

  $260. 00

  Bottle

  $3120.00 Dozen

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  ABV: 12.5%

  Closure: Cork

  Based in Savennieres, Thibaud Boudignon is one of the new young stars of the Loire Valley. In addition to his prime plots in Savennieres, Thibaud also owns two small vineyards across the river on the south side of the Loire in the Anjou. Thibaud has worked with Philippe Charlopin in Gevrey Chambertin, Chateau Lafite Rothschild in Bordeaux (amongst others) and also in Australia before settling in the Loire, thereby building up a wealth of experience without having been born into a wine producing family. Working organically in the vineyards he harvests by hand making successive tries throughout each vineyard ending with yields that are much lower than the appellation rules allow. In the winery the grapes are whole bunch pressed with no settling and the juice is kept cold before starting a long slow fermentation. He vinifies with natural yeasts and ages the wines on lees with minimal SO2 in a mixture of barrels ranging from 300-600 litres.

  Situated in the commune of La Possonnière, the Clos de la Hutte is an ancient religious site of 7 hectares, of which 2.6 are planted with vines. At the heart of this ancient monastery are vines produced from a massal selection of Chenin Blanc coming from the best domaines of the Loire. Vinification occurs in 50% oval demi muid, 25% in 320 liter cigars, and 25% in 500 liter barriques. The ageing lasts one year in wood and a minimum of 3 months in stainless steel.

  Other Reviews....
  Move over Luther Vandross, Thibaud Boudignon is in town and the Clos de la Hutte makes you want to slow dance with it. The 2020 is a wine that makes your shoulders drop such is its tranquility and sense of comfort in your mouth. It blooms in the mouth and does so without any sense of heaviness. The finish, scented with flowers and nectarines, is long, fragrant and textural. I hate using the word minerality as it means so many different things to people, but in my opinion, this has it in spades. It is incredible that the vines were only planted in 2011 on the schistous site on the grounds of a former monastery. Aged in larger format barrels, there's no sense of oakiness, allowing the purity of this wine to shine bright. Drink 2023-2042.
  96 points
  Rebecca Gibb MW - Vinous

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• • 91

  • Organic

  2020 Thibaud Boudignon Anjou Blanc a Francois(e)…

  Loire Valley, FRANCE

  $135. 00

  Bottle

  $1620.00 Dozen

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  ABV: 13%

  Closure: Cork

  Based in Savennieres, Thibaud Boudignon is one of the new young stars of the Loire Valley. In addition to his prime plots in Savennieres, Thibaud also owns two small vineyards across the river on the south side of the Loire in the Anjou. Thibaud has worked with Philippe Charlopin in Gevrey Chambertin, Chateau Lafite Rothschild in Bordeaux (amongst others) and also in Australia before settling in the Loire, thereby building up a wealth of experience without having been born into a wine producing family. Working organically in the vineyards he harvests by hand making successive tries throughout each vineyard ending with yields that are much lower than the appellation rules allow. In the winery the grapes are whole bunch pressed with no settling and the juice is kept cold before starting a long slow fermentation. He vinifies with natural yeasts and ages the wines on lees with minimal SO2 in a mixture of barrels ranging from 300-600 litres.

  Named in honour of his mother Françoise, who passed away when Thibaud was 17, and his father François, Anjou Blanc a Francois(e)… is an electric and powerful expression of Chenin Blanc. Hailing from the same vineyard in St-Lambert-du-Lattay as his regular Anjou Blanc, this however sees fermentation in wood including some 300L cigares, used to build lees complexity. Maturation then occurs in these cigares along with 700L demi-muids (30% new) for 15–18 months.

  Other Reviews....
  The 2020 Anjou Blanc à Francois(e) has the purity of mountain air. Hailing from a single parcel named Les Gats, it is a mid-weight style that's not about aromatic appeal but texture. From a clay-based vineyard, this is one of the more weighty, rounded styles that Boudignon produces with a structured frame that clamps the mouth and acidity that pierces the wine's core like an arrow. There's no malo at this estate which somewhat explains its character. Drink 2022-2037.
  91 points
  Rebecca Gibb MW - Vinous

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• • 93

  • Organic

  2020 Thibaud Boudignon Savennieres Clos Fremine

  Loire Valley, FRANCE

  $185. 00

  Bottle

  $2220.00 Dozen

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  ABV: 12.5%

  Closure: Cork

  Based in Savennieres, Thibaud Boudignon is one of the new young stars of the Loire Valley. In addition to his prime plots in Savennieres, Thibaud also owns two small vineyards across the river on the south side of the Loire in the Anjou. Thibaud has worked with Philippe Charlopin in Gevrey Chambertin, Chateau Lafite Rothschild in Bordeaux (amongst others) and also in Australia before settling in the Loire, thereby building up a wealth of experience without having been born into a wine producing family. Working organically in the vineyards he harvests by hand making successive tries throughout each vineyard ending with yields that are much lower than the appellation rules allow. In the winery the grapes are whole bunch pressed with no settling and the juice is kept cold before starting a long slow fermentation. He vinifies with natural yeasts and ages the wines on lees with minimal SO2 in a mixture of barrels ranging from 300-600 litres.

  This Clos Fremine site adjoins Clos de la Hutte separated only by stone walls surrounding each Clos and a tiny road between and is planted to 1.5ha of vines from massale selection, with the original material coming from vines of more than 100 years old. Sloping towards the Loire the soils have a fine cover of sand blown over the underlying schist across many millenia which conveys a silky elegance to the resulting wine, giving more immediacy and enabling this wine to be appreciated in its youth.

  Other Reviews....
  The Clos de Frémine sits across a country lane from Clos de la Hutte, so it's a similar climate; however, at Clos de Frémine, the wine is lighter, more sandy with brighter light. The 2020 is a delicate, almost quiet wine that has a line of acidity that is like a taut wire. There's a silken, airy mouthfeel with delicate pineapple flavors and nectarine, which suffuses the mouth on the long, mineral finish. It gives the impression that it has a low pH due to its tangy acid and salinity, but the pH is actually at 3.6, which is rather high all things considered. Rather attractive. Drink 2022-2038.
  93 points
  Rebecca Gibb MW - Vinous

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• • 94

  2021 Vincent Pinard Flores Sancerre

  Sancerre, Loire Valley, FRANCE

  $74. 99

  Bottle

  $899.88 Dozen

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  Cellar: Drink now - 4 Years (2023-2027)

  ABV: 13%

  Closure: Cork

  Vincent Pinard is one of the most innovative and dedicated producers of the Loire Valley. He has 10 hectares of Sauvignon Blanc and 2.5 hectares of Pinot Noir, planted mainly on the hard chalky land of the commune of Bué. Fermented in a combination of 95% large oak casks and 5% stainless steel tanks. Brilliant pale straw colour with a watery hue. Aromas of pear, green apple and lime have a herbaceous grassy overlay with some asparagus and oyster shell like notes also evident. Crunchy green apple and lime flavours meld into a wet stone, fresh herb and mineral back drop. Finishes dry with crisp acidity and a refreshingly elegant aftertaste that has a lingering oyster shell like character to it.
  Drink over the next 3-4 years.
  Alc. 13%

  Delivery Information
• • 94

  2020 Alban Roblin Sancerre

  Sancerre, Loire Valley, FRANCE

  $37. 99

  Bottle

  $455.88 Dozen

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  Cellar: Drink now - 3 Years (2022-2025)

  ABV: 13.8%

  Closure: Cork

  Sourced from vines with an average age of 30 years old planted on a combination of Kimmeridgian limestone clay and Portlandian limestone. Fermented in stainless steel tanks and then matured on fine lees for 6 months.
  Bright pale straw colour with a watery hue. Aromas of lime and green apple infused with fresh herbs mix with some grassy characters and stony mineral notes. Quite ripe, full and texturally rounded in the mouth, concentrated lime and green apple flavours overlay subtle herbaceous asparagus elements, fresh herbs and delicate flinty mineral characters. Finishes dry with lively acidity and a lengthy, nicely proportioned yet crisp aftertaste.
  Drink over the next 2-3 years.
  Alc. 13.8%

  Delivery Information
• • 91

  2021 Arnaud Lambert Saint-Cyr-En-Bourg Saumur

  Saumur, Loire Valley, FRANCE

  $37. 99

  Bottle

  $455.88 Dozen

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  Cellar: Drink now - 4 Years (2022-2026)

  ABV: 13.5%

  Closure: Diam Cork

  Biodynamic Chenin Blanc matured on fine lees for about 5 months. Bright pale straw to straw colour with a glimmer of green to the edges and a watery hue. Spicy pear and baked apple scents mix with hints of bees wax and cinnamon. Lightly weighted and fresh yet possessing a subtle textural roundness, pear and green apple fruits are to the fore. Traces of bees wax and light slatey minerals are also evident. Finishes dry with lively acidity and an elegant aftertaste that shows plenty of focus.
  Drink over the next 3-4 years.
  Alc. 13.5%

  Delivery Information
• • 92

  2017 Arnaud Lambert Saumur Breze Clos de la Rue

  Saumur, Loire Valley, FRANCE

  $99. 99

  Bottle

  $1199.88 Dozen

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  ABV: 13%

  Closure: Cork

  Arnaud Lambert is considered to be one of the most talented winemakers in Loire, regularly producing what are amongst the best wines in and around Saumur. Arnaud studied in Dijon and has bought that Burgundian approach to his winemaking and to expressing each vineyard site. Bio-dynamic viticulture is practiced in the vineyards, and the goal is to highlight each individual terroir and realise each vineyard sites potential.

  Clos de la Rue is sourced from a 2 ha south facing site planted half 1965 and half 1990 on sandy silt over limestone. Vinification occurs with indigenous yeast 50% in aged foudres and 50% in barrel (35% new) and aged for 2 years on fine lees. Here the wine shows virtually no impact from the extended oak ageing or the new oak, such is the strength of the fruit it shows excellent integration and comfortably rides above the elevage.

  Other Reviews....
  The 2017 Saumur Brézé Clos de la Rue is deep, intense and fresh yet also pure, refined and wonderfully fruity on the complex and authentic nose that exhibits ripe white fruit aromas intertwined with notes of brioche and chalk. Lean, lush and finessed but also intense and with a persistent purity and mineral structure, this is an impressively light yet tight and sustainable Chenin with a stimulating chalky purity with lemon fruits and lingering salinity. A fabulous, lean and straight Brézé! Tasted over 14 days in April 2021. Drink 2021 - 2036.
  92 points
  Stephan Reinhardt - Wine Advocate (Oct 2021)

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• • 92

  2016 Arnaud Lambert Saumur Breze Clos David

  Saumur, Loire Valley, FRANCE

  $69. 99

  Bottle

  $839.88 Dozen

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  ABV: 13%

  Closure: Cork

  Arnaud Lambert is considered to be one of the most talented winemakers in Loire, regularly producing what are amongst the best wines in and around Saumur. Arnaud studied in Dijon and has bought that Burgundian approach to his winemaking and to expressing each vineyard site. Bio-dynamic viticulture is practiced in the vineyards, and the goal is to highlight each individual terroir and realise each vineyard sites potential.

  Clos David is 100% Chenin Blanc from a 1.3 ha north-east facing site planted in 1965 on medium sandy silt over limestone. Grapes are whole-bunch pressed, the free-run juice is fermented with natural yeast in 50% in foudres and 50% in barrel (2-3 year-old), and matured on fine lees for 12 months. Blended and further matured in tank for six months before being bottled unfined and unfiltered.

  Other Reviews....
  From a limestone monopole covered by loamy sand and born in a late vintage with a slow-ripening maturity, the barrel-fermented, straw-yellow colored 2016 Saumur Brézé Clos David offers a deep, chalky, fresh and complex nose of ripe pears and apples as well as tropical fruits intermixed with spicy-elegant mineral, even flinty aromas of crushed stones. Intense, round and juicy on the silky-textured palate, this is a dry, medium to full-bodied, very elegant and firmly structured Chenin with fine yet lively acidity, delicate tannins and a food-friendly bitterness on the dense, long and promising, salty finish. Very persistent aftertaste. Aged for 12 months in two- and three-year-old barriques, this is a deep, dark and powerful yet very juicy Chenin from Brézé that needs time to develop its promising talents. Tasted in February 2019. Drink 2022 - 2033.
  92+ points
  Stephan Reinhardt - Wine Advocate (Oct 2021)

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• 2015 Arnaud Lambert Saumur Breze “Clos de la Rue”

  Saumur, Loire Valley, FRANCE

  $99. 99

  Bottle

  $1199.88 Dozen

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  ABV: 13%

  Closure: Cork

  From a 2 ha south facing site planted half 1965 and half 1990 on sandy soil over clay with a limestone base. Vinified with indigenous yeast 50% in aged foudres and 50% in barrel (35% new) and aged for 2 years on fine lees. Here the wine shows virtually no impact from the extended oak ageing or the new oak, such is the strength of the fruit it shows excellent integration and comfortably rides above the elevage. This shows notable acid freshness giving great length and shape on the palate. Very long with terrific complexity and ageing potential.

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• 2015 Arnaud Lambert Saumur St Cyr en Bourg “Coulee de St Cyr”

  Saumur, Loire Valley, FRANCE

  $74. 99

  Bottle

  $899.88 Dozen

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  ABV: 13%

  Closure: Cork

  From vines averaging 70 year old on about 30cm of clay over limestone. Vinified with indigenous yeast after separating free run and press juices and aged on fine lees for 12 months in a combination of older foudres and barrels. The wine is then returned to tank for another 8 months of ageing on fine lees. This is deep and complex with a touch of noble reduction giving more than a nod to Burgundy in terms of texture and structure.

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