Saumur-Champigny is the Place to Be.

 Easing back into the Cabernet Franc side of the Loire Project, after we recently navigated through the Anjou & Saumur, leaving a few notable stones and bottles unturned for the moment.

It is time to explore the appellation of Saumur-Champigny!

Saumur-Champigny Vineyard 

(image courtesy of istock)

As you can see from this map above we are headed just northeast of Anjou and Saumur, though technically still located in both as a sub appellation, we slowly meander further up the Loire River where Saumur-Champigny is located. Tucked right into a slight bend of the river, where the land plateaus and flattens, opening to one of the warmest spots in all the Loire. Saumur-Champigny which means "fields of fire" is well known for its red wines. These red wines are most commonly 100% Cabernet Franc but the region does allow up to 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and/or Pineau d'Aunis. Saumur-Champigny got its AOP designation in 1957 and today is home to over 100 different growers spread over 1,500 hectares. There is a great diversity of soil types through these vineyards, similar to neighboring Saumur, but here lies a bedrock predominately made of limestone or tuffeau as its locally known. The tuffeau is the foundation throughout the appellation. Its what the caves that house the cellars and sometimes even the homes of its residents reign supreme. The overall landscape of Champigny is more flat with much thinner layers of the alluvial gravel top soils compared to those of Chinon & Bourgueil.  This thinner top soil is highly sought after for planting Chenin, but the white grape are not favored in Saumur-Champigny. Reds that can possess a supple fruity quality with bright acidity and substance are the majority of wines produced here!

the Lineup

Clotilde Legrand Les Terrages 2019

Chateau du Hureau Lisagathe 2014

Chateau du Hureau Tuffe 2021 (375ml)

Fabien Duveau Les Menais 2021

Poured blind and assessed on aromas, palate and overall drinkability and complexity!

My Thoughts and the Results...

Chateau du Hureau Tuffe 2021 (375ml) (90pts)

Aromas have a dark umami driven red fruit base, tart cherry, white pepper, herbaceous tomato leaf, potpourri of violets and roses.

Palate is a mixture of ripe field berries, composted forest, thyme, sage, lovage, tart apple skins, crunchy red fruit and berry compote lingers with structured earthiness and silky tannins.

Delicious in every aspect, yet highly contemplative and complex interplay of dense fruit and mysterious earthy herbaceousness showing glimpses of dark composted earth and floral complexity.  

Chateau du Hureau Lisagathe 2014 (88pts)

Aromas of musty red fruit, dried cherry, apple skins, licorice, thyme, composted forest, cedar and hints of frankincense and graphite.

Palate is layered with soft plump blueberry, blackberry, mossy bark, black plum skins, orange pith and a floral earthy backbone that integrates nicely and lengthens the finish nicely.

Silky body with dense earth intertwined with harmonious layers of fruity acidity and herbal earthen spice.

Clotilde Legrand Les Terrages 2019 (85pts)

Aromas of candied red fruit, soft vanilla, dough sugar cookie, red clay and reserved hints of composted forest floor, black raspberry, raspberry leaf tea, dried cherry, cedar and rosehips.  

Palate is earthy but bright with  macerated black raspberry acidity evolving with mysterious layers of earthy licorice, unripe alpine strawberry, rosemary, wet moss and 

Easy on the palate, varietal correct, just not as complex as the other offerings here.

Fabien Duveau Les Menais 2021 (86pts)

Aromas are mossy tree bark, dried cherry, cedar chips, apple skins and a light mint kissed rosemary warmth.

Palate is fresher and brighter than the nose offered with ripe red fruits, crunchy gala apple, berry compote, grape soda, blood orange and plum skin linger with a touch of herbal hints but way more restrained in the earthy undertones.

Soft inviting wine with a velvety structure, guided by ripe focused red fruits and hints of earthy mystery but more subdued than most of the others.

A great grouping of wines from Saumur-Champigny with a two on two lineup from Chateau Yvonne and Domaine des Roches Neuves on deck for later this week!

Enough Anjou... Just Give Me Saumur! (the Loire Project 2025)

       

As my foraging through Chenin Blanc from the Loire Valley continues to uncover more discoveries, the terroir of the Anjou and Saumur regions gain more clarity and focus on my palate as the understanding of these appellations grows with every cork I pull.

(Chateau de Saumur)

As I approached the last flight of Chenins from the Anjou and Saumur section of my cellar. My excitement and enthusiasm continues to grow as I compare and contrast each offering as the week evolves and the wines along with them. I typically go through two blind flights with each grouping of wines, the first one within 24hrs of opening them and then another 48-72hrs down the road. So far the results have been consistent with each flight, give or take a point here and there, and one occasion where the VA aka volatile acidity in the wine seemed to overtake it but overall its a nice opportunity to get to know the tendencies of these wines and to better grasp each expression in all of its stages.

As I stated in my previous Two Anjou vs Two Saumurs tasting, I was very excited to work my way up the ladder of offerings and these four wines are among my final crescendo of Chenins that I was eager to taste from the Anjou and Saumur regions. The exception to that being a choice bottle or two along with the highly esteemed Savenniers appellation and a couple sweet wines from along the Layon River that I haven't quite decided on the occasion to sip. But for now lets introduce this stellar group of chenins! 

the Lineup 

Chateau Yvonne Saumur Blanc 2022

Benoit Courault Gilbourg Blanc 2021

Chateau Bois Brincon Terre de Gres Anjou Blanc 2020

Thierry Germain L'Insolite Saumur 2023 

(pictured left to right)

Poured blind and evaluated on aroma, palate and overall drinking experience.

My Thoughts and the Results.

Thierry Germain L'Insolite Saumur 2023 (94pts)

Aromas of wet slate, beeswax, grilled pears, dried apple, savory spice, cardamom, thyme, lemon oil & wildflower honey.

Palate has focused acidity balanced by a supple weight.  Layered apple, pear and quince fruit with undertones of tropical glimpses and swirling layers of citrus. Lemon balm, lemon thyme, arugula, beeswax and complex minerality that leans on limestone and granite dust. 

Lengthy palate with harmonious balance between bright angular acidity and austere softness.

Chateau Bois Brincon Terre de Gres Anjou Blanc 2020 (93pts)

Aromas of unripe stonefruits, crunchy apple, tight citrus, dried straw and nuanced hints of dried mango, honeydew melon, springwater, wet stone.

Palate has some old neutral wood unifying it with just a whispered presence as the freshness and minerality shine. Fleshy crisp apple, lemon peel, sorrel, pithy orange zest, beeswax and wildflowers.

Bright refreshing wine with just a touch of austereness adding complexity throughout.

Chateau Yvonne Saumur Blanc 2022 (90pts)

Aromas of smoked apples, musk melon, pineapple spears, wet wool, dandelion blossoms, spearmint and soft baking spice.

Palate is fleshy baked orchard fruits, bitter almond, wet wool, slightly oxidative bruised apple, black trumpets, white flowers, oak spice, wet gravel and wood ash.

Definitely more evocative and austere than vibrant with stewed fruit complexity mingling with earthy mushroom and composted fruits.

Benoit Courault Gilbourg Blanc 2021 (89pts)

Aromas of juicy fruit gum, orange marmalade, lemon curd, grilled pineapple, crushed stone, candied fennel, marzipan and a flinty smoke accent.

Palate has a nice balance of weight and acidity with layered complexity of flavors. Apple skins, baked blood orange, cumin, asparagus, grilled pears, banana, lemon thyme, beeswax.

Cohesive wine with rustic appeal but loses a bit of complexity from nose to tongue but finds harmony within its contrasts. 

As the spring weather does what it does here in Maine, my focus has not waned and the vast bottles of Loire Valley delights I have cracked has only just begun. It has been a hectic few weeks full of wine shows and seminars as Spring is always the busy time of new vintages to taste, portfolio additions to consider and the floodgates begin to crack as the importers and distributors start making more frequent appearances. The tariff talks have been front and center of a lot of conversations while the ground continues to thaw and the future of trade as we know it dangles in the wind, we can only urge you to go grab a few bottles of your favorite wines and try to find a touch of focus and contemplation during these choppy times.

Vintage Lambic Cellar Dwellers.

As the years have slipped away, my passion for beer has waned a bit but the cellar still has remnants of my passions of yesteryears that scratch the itch when needed. I still have alot of respect and admiration for some of the "OG"s in the New England scene like Allagash, Hill Farmstead, Maine Beer Co., Oxbow and the Alchemist among a few others that I am probably blanking on, and if I find myself at a restaurant or event with a crappy wine list, outrageous spirit prices or slim choices, one of my old "stand bys" will always come from this camp of OG's. Recently, while sipping a few wines with a friend from the wine industry, he glanced at the beer shelfs in my cellar and stated he had never tried a vintage beer... and as I mentioned back in the Chinon post, we cracked a De Struise Pannepot Reserve 2011 and it was everything I hoped it to be. After this moment, I began to wonder how some of these lambics and gueuzes were doing as some have crested into the 10-15yr old time frame. Knowing the same wine industry buddy along with a longtime tasting partner and friend that has wandered through similar journeys of beer, wine and spirits were converging on the homestead for a tasting I though it apt to do a cellar check on some bottles I had multiples of and see where they are at. 

I'm happy to report each and every one proved to be expressing itself beautifully with even more grace and complexity then both of us expected, I leave my wine bud out of this equation of assessment as he has had limited experience with any lambics and my longtime tasting partner is just as versed if not more than myself in tasting these funky Belgian gems. In fact the Framboise was from his cellar!

My Brief Thoughts:

Brouwerij Boon Mariage Parfait 2011 (88pts)

(Dusty old wood, earthy mushroom, limestone, lemon pith, dried apricot, tangelo oils, dry floral hay) 

Bzart Lambiek 2012 (86pts)

(Dried straw, floral grass, horseblanket, lemon peel, lavender, extra dry still but evolving with some nice oxidative orchard fruit undertones)

Hanssens Oude Gueuze 2013 (93pts)

(Juicy tangerine, citrus bomb with bright acidity, great supple stonefruit interplay of sweet nectarine and  fuzzy peach, wet basement stones, med plus mouthfeel adds some nice weight to this one making is a standout with the bright acidity and layers of citrus punch!)

De Cam Oude Lambiek 2015 (92pts)

(Old wood, earthy mushroom, tangy citrus, nectarine, slight herbal sage, pineapple, soft and supple with no bubble on release but a touch of prickle now at 10yrs old. Nice balance and focus from start to finish)

De Cam Framboise Lambiek 2015 (86pts) *not pictured

(Musty old raspberry fruit, tomato leaf, funky wood, lemon peels, the acidity and the old stewed raspberry kind of leans into a ketchup hint that I couldn't get away from, but there was some freshness and brightness that was highly enjoyable, just a lil wonky)

Overall, as I spoke about at the start of this post... these were all showing beautifully and I feel like they are only getting better with age. It will be interesting to watch them mature even more as the years of rest seemingly bring a cohesive balance between funk and acidity!

What is the oldest Lambic or Gueuze you have sipped? 

15 Stars Triple Cask

Some call this a cigar blend kind of whiskey, I just call it a flavor bomb that requires a steady hand and a contemplative moment. After getting our maple syrup evaporation set up and building the fire to achieve optimal evaporation, I decided to take a contemplative moment to catch my breath and enjoy the early spring firepit along with a healthy pour from this newly acquired bottle!

15 Stars is a non distilling producer or "NDP" comprised of a father and son blending team who have taken it upon themselves to produce some exciting offerings over the past couple of years. One of which is their First West Rye that ranked 2nd in my end of 2024 Best Ryes, so needless to say seeing a bottle like this was hard to pass up. What is a NDP? Well simply put, they do not distill whiskey but instead blend whiskey that they purchase on the open market and through relationships they have built in the industry. Along with buying barrels they source some unique empty barrels for finishing off these purchased whiskeys. This concept is not new and in fact is a very regular method in Scotland for Scotch, but until recently it was seen as something to hide from the consumer and not something to open the conversation with. However in recent years, projects like Barrell, Penelope, Found North, Lost Lantern and countless others have steered the whiskey connoisseurs like myself into the world of NDP's and what once seemed taboo is now home to some of the most highly sought after bottles hitting the market today. Also important to note along with blending and finishing, 15 Stars has also created custom mash bills that they have contract distilled through Bardstown and part of those mash bills contain some specialty heirloom grains that they have contracted directly with local farmers in their area! It is NDP projects such as these that I daydream about as I construct my own lil 5 gallon barrel blends in the homestead cellar. Keeping on top of what flavors these blenders and finishing operations are creating is not only inspiring but also informative in helping me guide my own actions, flavor profiles and overall understanding of barrel characteristics of wood and grain varieties along with mashbills. I guess its time to get on top of this recently acquired bottle of 15 Stars Triple Cask.

15 STARS TRIPLE CASK WHISKEY (105 proof)

(a Blend of Straight 16yr & 8yr Bourbon Whiskey finished in Cognac, Port & Rum Casks)

 

My Thoughts:

Pours a deep caramel amber color with long, slow tears and a touch of fading leading into the edges.

Nose is straight up peanut butter and jelly off the pour, leading into more complexity of macerated raspberry, honey roasted peanuts, cocoa powder, black plum skins, graham cracker, spicy clove, orange peel and toffee.

Palate evolves just like the nose with creamy caramel & burnt sugar notes coaxing the layers of jammy berry, soft nutty richness and layered dark fruit complexity across the length of the sip. Spice, sweet heat and rolling layers of powdered jelly donuts, pine needles, vanilla, classic burnt sugar caramel, almond joy candy and tannic plum soaked old wood. Everything comes together harmoniously and ebbs and flows with grace on the palate from start to finish.

(Final Score: 95pt)  

Another fantastic expression from 15 Stars that I would highly recommend if you can find it.

Ok, I got to go stoke this fire back up and split some more wood for now!

Anjou Blanc ditty Blancs. (the Loire Project 2025)

This past week we continued down the Chenin Blanc road that we finished on in our last post. Pouring  a blind, composed of two Anjou based Chenin Blancs and two others from Saumur. As you can see in the map below the lines of the regions are quite blurry, ebbing and flowing from riverbank to riverbank, with sprinkles of sub appellations like the Coteaux du Layon hugging the Layon River with sweet wines and Savennieres to the north. Anjou, like I stated in the previous post can be somewhat confusing but when you condense it down, it really is just a rich variety of soil, in a landscape of vignerons dedicated to the making the best wines possible on the soil type they inhabit. Those variables along with being the "in-between" zone from the maritime Atlantic ocean influenced eastern Loire to the continental climate in the west side of the Loire make is a rich region for producers pushing the boundaries and embracing the nuances Anjou and its storied sub appellations have to offer!

 

As we continue to research, investigate and taste our way up the ladder of Chenin Blancs from Anjou we present this weeks 4 Wines of Loire.

The Wines and Blind Notes in order of preference.

CLOTILDE LEGRAND A L'ECARTE SAUMUR BLANC 2021 (88PTS)

Aromas of baked apple, limestone, straw and almond blossoms.

Palate is bright and angular with lots of citrus on the front initially. As it opens and evolves the midpalate fleshes out and a richer more mineral driven wine emerges with a complex balance of stonefruit and nuances that roll into the finish with grace. Lemon peel, beeswax, dried chamomile, rustic apple, old wood, crushed stone and a touch of herbal savory hints linger in the finish. Complex yet inviting with just the right amount of austereness to balance out the fruit.

CHATEAU SOUCHERIE ANJOU BLANC 2023 (86PTS)

Subtle crisp clean citrus aromas up front with gentle savory accents of bouillon cube, dandelion and hay that open into green apple, floral dry grass, lemon and a touch of sea urchin. Palate is apple skins, fresh citrus zest, wild flowers, spring water, wet stone, saffron and tart apple. Fresh bright and springy wine with interesting complexity that adds depth and intrigue. Clean and bright but underlying nuances that keep it interesting throughout!

EMMANUEL HAGET ANITYA SAUMUR BLANC2019 (85PTS)

Complex aromas of campfire kissed pears, wool blankets layered with earthy rye grain, wet stone, beeswax, green apple skins, nutmeg and unripe stonefruit. Interesting wine with lots of austere character that masks some of the ripe autumn orchard fleshy fruit on the front, but as the fruit emerges so does the acidity that continues to slowly build into the finish. Stoney fruit with glimpses of wet wool and barnyard, apple skin, mustard greens, earthy mushroom, composted orchard, rustic rye, spearmint and lemon balm. Some aspects of this wine I absolutely loved but just lacked a touch of cohesion to bring the whole experience together. 

NICOLAS REAU ATTENTION CHENIN MERCHANT ANJOU 2023 (80PTS)

Aromas of tart apple cider, limestone, wet straw and citrus zest.

Palate follows and is very cideresque. Juicy apple flesh, baked pear, juicy fruit gum, light fennel and warm spice glimpses that linger with citrus peel zest and minerality on the finish. Easy drinker, lacks real complexity and structure but as a cider fan, I enjoyed it.

After sipping these over the course of a few days, I spent a little time organizing the Loire library of cellar bottles and trying to find more rabbit holes of information on the distinction between Anjou whites and Saumur whites. My findings have been limited and most information glosses past Saumur describing it as a bridge from Anjou to Saumur Champigny and talk about how it is also the heart of sparkling wines of the Loire.  Personally after sipping through a handful of them so far in this deep dive, my observations are that Anjou Blancs tend to express themselves on the linear, leaner side with citrus and white floral crispness and the Saumur Blancs tend to have more depth and roundness and lean on the more austere and fleshy apple & pear notes. With a round of heavy hitting wines chilling in the fridge for this week expect another round with higher prices and hopefully more mind blowing results, not that any of these were showing poorly, I am just excited to be moving up the price ladder and am optimistic that some of this weeks offerings will really wow me!

In the meantime I was finally able to track down a few bottles of sweet chenin based wines from Anjou. 

DOMAINE DE CLAYOU COTEAUX DU LAYON 2023 (84PTS)

Viscous body with long slow tears sticking to the glass. 

Aromas of honey dipped stonefruit, lemon peel, dried straw, mango and pineapple spears.

Palate follows with bright acidity interwoven with sweet lush fruit. Sweet, yes... but never gets too cloying with layers of citrus brightness to contrast the round honey dipped tropical notes. Soft botrytis nuances linger with depth and interest. Solid sweet wine for right around $20.

I will talk more about the sweet side of Chenin as we move into the depths of Anjou and I let some recently acquired older vintage Moulin Touchais offerings from 2006 and 1997 settle in the cellar.

Below is another reference for where in the Loire you can find the wines sipped above.

                          

Thanks for all of the new readers that seem to be making their way over to the Bottle Forager.

And for those not as enthralled in the Loire Valley wines as I am just yet, I will have some more whiskey content and cider talk coming soon as I get acquainted with some recently acquired bottles in the cellar and have a tasting with a few whiskey heads happening at the end of this week.

Till then, cheers!

Anjou... it's Complicated (the Loire Project 2025)

As we take a pause from the Chinon region of the Loire Valley we move slightly west into Anjou and open the can of worms that comes with it. Anjou is kind of a little bit of everything. It's been called the most & least interesting region of the Loire. There are wines from Anjou that define the valley and are the most esteemed sought after bottles in all the world like Clos Rougeard or the fine Savenniers from Coullee Serrant. Anjou can hold some of the brightest stars in the wine world but also is known for some mass marketed juice that simply checks a few boxes but lacks the transcendental nature of what Anjou wines can be!

The Anjou region is broad and can be broken down into into quite a few sub regions with styles and characteristics varying greatly. From the laser focused Chenins of Savenniers to the Deep Savory Cab Francs of Saumur Champigny to the sweet nectars of Quarts de Chaume. Anjou is well, yeah it's complicated!

 ANJOU

-A third of all wine production in Loire comes from Anjou

-Most of the production comes from a broad sweep just south of the Loire River and stretches west to the Nantes Region and east to into the Saumur, that nestles against neighboring Chinon and Saint-Nicolas-du Bourgueil.

-Two small tributaries of the Loire River define its sub appellations (those bering the Layon & Aubance Rivers)

-the Layon River flows from southeast to northwest following the line of the Layon fault. To the west of the fault lies Anjou Noir (west) and Anjou Blanc (east). Not named after the grape colors which is typical for noir and blanc but to describe the soils color.

-Anjou Noir (west bank of the Layon) Amorican Massif, dark soils comprised of ancient volcanic metamorphic rocks and gentle slopes.

-Anjou Blanc (east bank of the Layon) Younger limestone based schist soils of the Paris basin with steep rocky inclines sometimes described as chaotic!

-After Phylloxera most vineyards in Anjou were replanted on the Anjou Noir side or left bank (gentle slopes) of the Layon, with shortages of labor from WWII many classic chenin blanc areas were replanted with cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon along with a few other red varieties and less care was taken in soil health and general care of the vineyards. More focus went into high volume, easy to work vineyards. The result was an awkward period for Anjou and the lack of high quality grapes created a catalyst for rose' production.

-Rose d'Anjou and Cabernet d'Anjou became the budget roses of France and were embraced as a quaffable day drinker that it continues in reputation today. The high acid red grapes of Anjou led to a style of rose that contained some residual sugar to balance its tartness with sweetness. This has become the flagship rose of Anjou. 

-Along with increased rose production, sparkling wine from chenin blanc became another marketable offering but the reputation of Anjou still struggled to gain the reputation it once held.

-Anjou labeling became more scarce and some producers started opting for just putting the generic Vin de France on their labels as it gave them more stylistic freedom and it seemed the days of noble wines for the kings of Anjou were long gone...

This seems like a fitting moment to introduce the "two from Anjou tasting" I recently had that started this funhouse designed rabbit hole of what defines this region?

Bois Brincon BB Rouge Anjou 2021 (90pts)

Aromas of stewed red fruits mingle with touches of cured game, floral potpourri, black olive, macerated overipe raspberry glimpses cut into a green woodsy funk that adds layers of mystery as it whirls through nuances of fennel, hay and cherry skins. Palate is locked in with fleshy red apple accented by tart cranberry and raspberry. Ebbing and flowing with grace. Great interplay of fruit and earth, soft supple mouth but crisp clean acidity to balance. Finish is polished and focused and seems like its got just the right amount of age to harmonize and unify this wine into a delicious offering!

Nicolas Reau Anjou Ange 2022 (72pts)

Initial punch of brettanomyces on the nose with some classic dark red fruit and earthiness slowly emerging as I try to swirl the barnyard out of the glass. Sour bing cherry, tomato leaf, some savory herbaceous qualities but a pronounced horseshit forward glass of volatile acidity. Palate confirms what the nose kept telling me. Barnyard brett from the front to the back of the palate. Fruit opens a bit midpalate but never outshines the brett forward qualities inherent in every aspect of this wines flavors. 

So with my head swirling with how good that BB Rouge was, especially considering it was the cheapest of the bottles I have opened... I started to do some of that research I shared above. What is Anjou? I scoured more wine books, youtubes, podcasts and blogs and began learning some of the facts I shared above regarding its complicated layers of terroir, fruit quality and styles. I discussed, listened and researched even deeper as I sorted things out and started to get a bit more of a handle on the region. 

As I paused to regroup and absorb all this new info dealing with the facts and theory of Anjou, I was simultaneously offered an opportunity to attend a wine event down in Boston that being hosted by Kermit Lynch. It was called the "Next Generation Tour". I'm not going to get too long winded on who Kermit Lynch is and why he is so important, maybe a future post, but I will simply state, Kermit is an importer of some of the finest and exciting wines I have encountered in my life and a few of these producers pouring their wines are part of my Loire Valley selections. 

 After confirming my attendance and making arrangements to be away from the family for an afternoon, I reached out to my favorite wine buddy who lives in the greater Boston area and it just so happened that he also was planning on attending. I had been in the midst of long winded email conversations with him over this current deep dive into Loire and it is actually through this friend that I have gotten to try some of the most sought after and eye opening offerings in my life. After talking about meeting up he suggested we get lunch after and hunker down to taste a few choice Chenin Blancs before I head back to Maine.

Plans were made and off I went road trippin to my old stomping grounds in Boston.

Not that much of my high school days were spent on Newbury st. but yes I was a child of the greater Boston area and spent many of my high school days bouncing from Harvard Square to Cambridge and anywhere I could catch a good jam band playing or take in some art and culture. Needless to say, a Boston trip is always slightly nostalgic for me.

The tasting event was well done, spread out enough that we were able to make our way through the different producers and sample through the "Next Generation" of winemakers taking on the legacy their parents built!

After checking all our boxes and taking some notes on the highlights and lowlights of the event we wasted no time making an exit, grabbed some soup dumplings for lunch and made our way back to my buddies house to crack open a few wines.

I had brought a unique offering that was recommended by the folks that run Maine & Loire up in Portland, Maine and my buddy had a treat in store for me to sip alongside.

Domaine Belargus Quarts 2020

Wow my original impression and tasting notes on this were:

Matchy nose on the front opens to some tangy peach fuzz, rocky citrus, beeswax, flint, and orange blossom.

Evolving palate that rolls along the line of austere yet playful as it ebbs and flows with funky fruit and layered minerality.

Salted lemons, musty old lambic wood, dried apricot, floral honey, flint. dandelion, bergamot, crushed rocks, glacial melt.

Complex wine that kept on giving after sipping side by side with a few other chenin blancs, this one kept whispering to revisit over and over.

Since sipping this wine this past week, research has taken me into a deep dive into this producer. Ivan Massonnat, the man behind Domaine Belargus and what once seemed a peculiar move by a Parisian businessman to purchase part of the Quarts-du-Chaume (Loires only Grand Cru designation) has turned out a great move. Historically the Quarts is an area known for its sweet wines and to start producing dry electric chenins here seemed avante garde. However a new modern approach seems very much to be creating results that are getting the wine worlds attention. Along with his site in Quarts-du-Chaume, he also has parcels in Savennieres and the Layon Valley where he practices biodynamic growing, hand harvesting in multiple passes, and letting the terroir speak. Sourcing from these distinct sites,  Ivan conjures up electric dry chenins and in exceptional vintages also a line of unicorn status sweet wines. He is pushing boundaries and has good company in his endeavor. More to come about Domaine Belargus as we work our way through the Chenin Blancs' of Anjou!

Speaking of which, this bottle of Les Perruches I brought along was a nice contrast and comparison to the Quarts. Along with these two, my friend also opened a Sadie Family Skurfberg Chenin Blanc from South Africa, which was lovely but had more on the opulence side and lacked acidity to stand up with these racey Anjou Chenins! 

Bruno Dubois Les Perruches 2020

Ripe fruits on the nose with grilled pineapple, smoked apples and floral honey setting the foundation and touches of herbal whiffs underneath.

Palate follows with layered apple compote, baked pear, lemon peel acidity, some rocky limestone chalkiness adds some

depth and complexity with a soft warm spice that lingers. Ripe fruit galore.

Well here I stand, toe dipped into Anjou with a mixed case of Saumur Blanc, Anjou Blanc and Savennierers ready to be investigated, stay tuned for some in depth compare and contrasts as we taste the terroir of Anjou and learn more about Anjous' sub appellations!

Blinded by Chinon (the Loire Project 2025)

 Into Chinon we go... 

 I was so in the zone for the last few weeks of searching and organizing "the Loire Project" lineup that I kept putting the start of it off, because I was waiting to see if this bottle was gonna arrive, or I just needed to research this producer a lil more, but in the end it just took a little nudge from a fellow wine enthusiast who arrived with a bottle of Chinon in hand and boom, we are underway! 

Our night started with a bottle of rose champagne and then dove into some interesting high acid, slightly oxidized white wines from around the world. After sipping and tasting for a bit, we got some water and a little cheese plate and decided it was time for some reds! My buddy was pretty excited about a recent bottle he had acquired (Thouars, L'Amiral) and after a lil bit of coaxing we decided to side by side a couple of Cabernet Francs from Chinon. Of course once two were open, all of a sudden 4 were open, as we bounced from one to another and weighed the things we enjoyed about each and what we thought others were lacking. It is always fun to try and compare wines with others as we taste with our own palates and our taste references and preconceived notions and preferences always differ. After a generous time of sipping we moved onto some vintage Madeira and even cracked an old bottle of De Struise Pannepot Reserve from 2011 as he mentioned he had never had a "vintage" beer!

Good Times for sure and a great way to embark on this project! Sharing bottles with friends who are enthusiastic about trying things is the greatest pleasure in bottle foraging. As excited as I get about opening special bottles for myself, I get more pleasure out of sharing. 

Having the 4 bottles of Chinon opened I was excited to put them to the test of the previous nights conversation but today I worked them blindly and added in 2 more options to round out the appellation as the week progressed!

Before I get into these wines, lets talk a bit about the Chinon region!

CHINON

-Chinon was granted its AOC in 1937 (adjusted in 2016)

-Currently consists of 2,354 Hectares

-Produces 12 Million Bottles Annually (86% Red/ 9% Rose/ 5% White)

-Deep connection to the author, poet and physician known as Rabelais and the origin of "Breton" a local term used for Cabernet Franc is said to have come from him

-The grape of focus in Chinon is Cabernet Franc

-Most of the vineyards of Chinon are located south of the Loire River just along the northern banks of the Vienne. The Vienne is a major tributary of the Loire and the two rivers converge just west of Chinon.

-Chinons climate is the warmest & driest in all of Touraine which is helped by substantial forests to the north and east. giving added protection to the vineyards from the cold winds of the north.

-Chinon has three major soil types 

1.Alluvial Terraces (sand & gravel located closest to the river banks and produce lighter more aromatic floral wines that are great for youthful drinking.)

2.Turonian Yellow Limestone Slopes (addition of clay and limestone results in denser more black fruit forward, age worthy wines with structured tannin)

3.Siliceous Clay & Sand Over Senonian Limestone (found on the plateaus at higher elevations)

Ok now lets get into these wines.

Tasting, smelling, experiencing...

My thoughts:

Dom Pallus Les Pensees Pallus 2018 (92pts)

Complex aromas of dark cherry & eucalyptus on the front that open into more dark red fruits, decaying autumn forest, earthy mushroom, thyme and mint. Palate follows with graceful interplay between herbaceous woodsy notes and bright red fruits, soft baked apple flesh, rich composted earth, pine needles, blood orange, cherry cola, pomegrante and twizzlers. Focused yet mysterious throughout.

Dom Pallus Messanger Rouge 2020 (90pts)

Initial aromas of dense red fruits with hint of toasted marshmallow that mingles with some green earthy pepper tone accented by cherry skin, black trumpet mushrooms and some rustic woodsy character. Palate is focused on red fruits initially but has great balance of density and playful woodsy character showing glimpses as well. Cherry pulp, apple skins, wet leaves, forest humus. Complexity and vibrancy, dark but not brooding. 

Couly-Dutheil  La Coulee Automnale 2020 (86pts)

Earth forward aromas open into dried cranberry, mossy forest boulders, raspberry, iron, herbal mountain berry. Palate is brighter on the red fruit initially but assimilates into the earthen backbone as is gets more stewed with nuances of black plum, cherry, currant, walnut, apple skins. Earthy notes lean more on floral than herbal here and less green. Bright acid throughout but fights the finish a bit on the end.

Olga Raffault Les Picasses 2017 (86pts)

Aromas of moist dark forest floor with soft strawberry fruit, violets, dried cranberry, pencil shavings and a slight confectionary candied fennel glimpse underneath. Palate is dense with unctuous dark plum tones that roll into a wild blueberry compote. On the palate the earth is more integrated than the nose initially lead me to expect. Focused red fruits, seemless integration of woodsy earth notes and acidity come together in great balance on the finish. Slight lingering green herbaceousness on the finish.

Bernard Baudry Les Grezeaux Chinon 2021 (84pts)

Aromas are green pepper and macerated cherries upfront with a subtle touch of old wood,  barnyard funkiness that is integrated at a level that I find appealing with hints of dried floral hay, fleshy apple and baked plums. Palate has a medium body with less density but still prominent red fruits lead the way weaving through undertones of composted forest floor humus that holds the fruits hands from start to finish. Tart blueberry, rosemary, pine needles, cedar and a deep woodsy berry compote finish.

Chat Petit Thouars L’Amiral 2018 (78pts)

Aromas are dominated by a sandalwood incense note that is cloying and distracting from the floral violets and red fruits you would expect. Some classic red fruit underlays the perfumed awkwardness as it opens into some pencil shavings and tannic plum skin. The fruit continues to be secondary leaving the predominate note that of a hippie store oozing with nag champa and sandalwood. Some classic chinon glimpses but always fleeting and never getting past the awkwardness that started with my first whiff.

Below you can see where along the Vienne each vineyard is located.

Wrapping up with Chinon for now... and with the exception of the Thouars, they were all extremely enjoyable wines. Happily surprised to see Domaine de Pallus taking the top two spots in my blind as they are the two Chinons I always try to keep stocked at the shop I am the wine buyer at. I think my conclusions here are that I am on the right path of exploring. Finding the different nuances between producers and vintage variation will come with time and experience and while I type these I just acquired 4 offerings from the father of Chinon, Charles Joguet... so yes done with Chinon "for now" and stoked to dive into more of the Loire catalog of wines we have lined up for this project!

 Stay tuned....