Easing back into my deep dive into the Loire Project, I was excited and curious about this particular region of the Loire Valley named Jasnieres. I was not familiar with any wines from here with an exception of a chenin that I have enjoyed from the broader appellation of the Coteaux du Loire.
After an exhausted search of Maine's distribution channels and local wine shops, I was able to acquire just 2 bottles. One a single appellation Jasnieres from Pascal Janvier, the same producer who made the Coteaux du Loire wine I just alluded too, along with a unique bottle of Domaine Gigou I found lurking on the shelves of Brown Trading in Portland, ME. It seems much of the information available on this northern most wine growing region in the Loire seems to be a small paragraph that eludes to being a Chenin Blanc dominant region where people like Rabelais and King Henry enjoyed drinking from. Much like the rest of the Loire Valley the soil seems to consist of a combination of clay, limestone, sand and flint. In fact Janvier also has a wine designated as a Cuvee du Silex which along with the Jasnieres pictured here is grown on 35-40yr old vines. The difference is this wine list soil types as clay and limestone here, where the Cuvee du Silex also has vines in the flintier heavy vineyard sites. In contrast the Domaine Gigou is from 100yr old vines in Jasnieres, hand harvested in their most prized vineyard site of Saint Jacques, which soil is listed as composed of silex, limestone, clay and tuffeau. Distinct differences and similarities in these wines had me excited to evaluate them... however after pouring I quickly realized they would be much different styles of wine. The Janvier is strictly stainless and obviously a fresh vintage, where the Gigou sees wood for 5-6 months through initial fermentation and then some battonage in barrels for another 5-6 months. So finding the "soul" of Jasnieres in these wines would be a little more complicated, but none the less, it was an thought provoking dichotomy of two very distinct wine making methods and it was a pleasure and a learning experience to sip them side by side... ok lets get to the tasting!
(As you can see in the map, Jasnieres is a tiny appellation in the northern most reaches of the Loire, surrounded by Coteaux du Loir and Coteaux du Vendomois.)
Pascal Janvier Jasnieres 2024 (88pts)
Pours a light pale golden color with precision clarity and some light green reflections.
Aromas are wet flint alongside bright clean mineral water, honeysuckle, granite dust, steely citrus, soft guava, blanched almonds and cotton candy grapes,
Palate is tart Rhode Island Greening apple, stoney granite dust with flint, grilled lemon, cucamelon, guava, tangelo oils and tulsi basil linger with a soft lemon thyme that ebbs and flows with the minerality on the finish. Nice dance between sour tartness and sweet ripeness all held together by the cohesive focused minerality.
Domaine Gigou Clos Saint Jacques Jasnieres 2019 (87pts)
Aromas of smoked pear, flint, cotton candy, green orchid, vanilla and toasted oak.
Palate is supple and weighty with a aura of soft vanilla mingling with baked apple, nutmeg, marzipan.
The wood aspect really eases the minerality of the wine and warms the fruit. Layers of baking spice, floral honey and hints of lavender and chamomile. The flavors are complex and inviting and I could see this wine being a real hit with the oaky California chardonnay drinkers. I can appreciate this wine for what it is but heavily oaked wines, especially whites, are not typically my favorite sippers. I would like to say this wine is quite well made and would be a great out of the box wine to share with someone who finds oaky wines like California chardonnay pleasurable.
Needless to say these wines have peaked my interest in Jasnieres, there is something unique about these wines and the way they harmonize the bright acidity and minerality with an opulence and tropical fruit ripeness that is unique and intriguing.
