French Wine

Our Professional Review 

Bart Hopkins, 67 Wine Buyer, writes:  A classic mineral driven Sancerre with a lovely bouquet of freshly squeezed lime, lemon zest, gooseberry and peach blossom with a pleasant grassy note. Crisp and lively in the mouth, deliciously refreshing,  with excellent precision and energetic focus on the finish.  

Winemaker Description 

Wave after wave of mouth-puckering acidity and a mineral-packed finish will keep you coming back for more! Perhaps the most impressive feature of the wine is its impeccable balance of flavor intensity, structural tension and length: everything is where it should be, making this Sauvignon Blanc almost too easy to drink. This is an exceptional seafood wine — think oysters, scallops, smoked trout, shellfish — but it is also perfect for a salad of fresh greens with apples, goat cheese and walnuts.

Winemaker Description 

Alix crafts this delicious and refined Sancerre Blanc in a gentle, flowery, mineral style. It is generous, yet perfectly balanced with a dry refreshing mineral finish, and it’s a terrific value. Serve with goat’s milk cheese, oysters, shellfish and white fishes, or as a the perfect aperitif.

Memo Notes

Pair with

• Goat Cheese: The classic pairing—especially Crottin de Chavignol.

• Seafood: Oysters, shellfish, and white fish (sole, cod, etc.)

  
  

   

Winemaker Description

A very different year from 2022! After the spring frosts, the sun was long in coming, and the end of spring was marked by a lot of rain and humidity.
No drought to deplore this year, but excess humidity throughout the year, and until the harvest.

Diseases (mildew and powdery mildew) set in very early in the vines, the result of a cool and humid summer.

The 2023 harvests were marked by a lot of loss of grapes, due to rot (acetic pitting), linked to excess humidity.

For wines, the 2023 vintage is fresher than the previous year, with less alcohol concentration.

The aroma is rather floral and very fresh, with a nice balance. For reds, the tannins are more supple and the aromas are finer and more delicate.

If no wine region on earth can rival the stylistic diversity on display in France’s Loire Valley, the appellation of Anjou offers the perfect microcosm of the region as a whole. Long a staple of the bistros of Paris, the area is home a to a mind-bogglingly vast array of expressions— from white to red, bone-dry lusciously sweet, still to sparkling— derived from a handful of different grapes, from Cabernet Franc and Gamay to Sauvignon Blanc and Charodnnay. But one grape variety could be called the most distinctive of all: Chenin Blanc.

Sourced from vineyards that fall exactly along the border of the two sub-regions of Anjou, this gorgeously subtle white from fourth-generation winemaker Pascal Biotteau comes from the village of Saint-Jean-de-Mauvrets, situated on the old Roman road from Angers to Poitiers. 

Memo Summary Notes

The Mary Taylor Anjou Blanc Pascal Biotteau 2023 is a beautifully fresh and expressive Loire Valley white, made from Chenin Blanc. It offers bright aromas of crisp green apple, ripe pear, white peach, and delicate floral notes, with hints of honey and citrus zest. On the palate, it is vibrant and well-balanced, with refreshing acidity and a clean, mineral-driven finish.

Sourced from the rolling vineyards of Anjou in the Loire Valley, France, this elegant Chenin Blanc captures the region’s signature freshness and purity. Pascal Biotteau crafts this wine with a focus on terroir-driven expression, resulting in a lively, food-friendly white that pairs beautifully with seafood, soft cheeses, or light poultry dishes. A perfect choice for lovers of crisp, mineral-driven wines.

Our Professional Review

Bart Hopkins writes:  One of our favorite recommendations for the past three years, Gerard Boulay Sancerre Rose is made of 100% Pinot Noir and is certain to make your mouth water!  The wine is balanced between juicyness and acidity, with obvious red berry notes.  Boulay’s Sibylle Rose is made from mature 35 to 40+ year old vines, in the village of Chavignol, where many believe the best Sancerre is made.  - 67Wine Buyer

Expert Review - Vintage 2024

Vinous by Rebecca Gibb writes 94 Points | The 2024 Sibylle is a fabulous Ros. There was no red made at Boulay in 2024 and what would normally go in the reds made it into the Sibylle. As a result, this is a high-quality, intensely concentrated style. There's an element of fleshiness, but then here comes the acidity to tie it all up. This is sophisticated, pale and vinous. Its a proper pink.

Winemaker Notes

Unlike many Sancerre Roses, Gerard harvests his Pinot specifically to make rose by direct press, then into tank. It is not a selection of young vines as he has no young Pinot vines. What makes the rosé one year could make red another, and vice versa, depending on what the vintage gives. 

Varietals: Pinot Noir. Organic: Practicing. Vineyard: From 35-40 year old Pinot Noir vines on the steep hillsides in front of the Boulay home in Chavignol. Orientation: Multiple parcels, varied exposure. Soil: Steep clay hillside. Viticulture: Gerard works the soil manually and lets nature make the wine. Vinification: Tank fermented. Boulay adds no yeast and minimal amounts of SO2. Aging: Tank aged. Production: 200 cases annually.

Winemaker Description 

Overall, Gerard Boulay's “terre blanche” vineyards produce some of the most distinctive and soil-inflected Sauvignon Blancs in the Loire, with a delineation and minerality often reminiscent of a top Chablis. Boulay is certainly among the top examples of the appellation, including Boulay's neighbors (Cotat Bros., Vatan).

These are gorgeous, highly complex wines that are a clear step above "regular" Sancerre, and can age easily for 10-20 years or more. In fact, we have had them all the way back to the 1959 which was magnificent! They confirm Boulay's place in the top ranks of Loire Valley vignerons."

Memo Pairing Notes 

This wine is a classic pairing for goat cheese, especially the local Crottin de Chavignol. Other excellent pairings include:

• Fresh oysters and grilled seafood.

• Arugula salad or roasted peppers.

• Lemon Chicken 

Our Professional Review 

Bart Hopkins, 67 Wine Buyer, writes: A lovely alternative to Sancerre, hands down delicious with refreshing purity and harmonious balance. The aroma is enticingly perfumed with scents of white peach, honeydew melon and lemon verbena. Lively and energetic in the mouth, with freshness and purity in every sip.  Nice mineral finish. Perfect with salads, light poultry and grilled fish.

Winemaker Description

Located in Pouilly-sur-Loire, in the heart of the France’s Loire Valley, the Domaine Gilles Chollet uses modern wine-making techniques to bring out the best of the Pouilly Fumé terroir. The 30 acres estate is comprised of clay-limestone and sandy soils and benefits from a south-western exposure. The vines are cultivated in accordance with sustainable agricultural methods known as “Lutte Raisonnée”. 

Gilles Chollet worked in the vineyards for over ten years before taking over the Domaine from his father to develop it with his wife. 

Little by little, Gilles has invested in high-performance equipment that allows him to better control the fermentation and to extract a maximum of aromas.

Concours Général Agricole Paris Silver Medal 

Winemaker Description

Classic Muscadet on granite. The core of the "La Pépie" Sur Lie bottling is the 10-hectare heart of the Pépière estate, which is part of the Clisson cru in the tiny commune of Pépière near the winery; there is also a significant percentage of their cru Château Thébaud fruit typically, as well as some purchased fruit from a nearby organic farmer friend in the mix. Farming is certified-organic and the harvest by hand. 100% Melon. 

The La Pépie cuvée is a blend of estate fruit from all of Pépière's terroirs, 50% of which fall within the Muscadet Sèvre & Maine appellation and 50% within the crus. Since 2016, the cuvée is is supplemented with purchased fruit from neighboring parcels with similar characteristics. This decision was not made lightly and results from a series of unsustainably low crops.

Memo Summary Notes

The Domaine de la Pépière Muscadet Sèvre et Maine "La Pépie" 2024 is the benchmark entry-point into one of the Loire Valley's most respected estates. The estate is now led by Rémi Branger and Gwénaëlle Croix, who have maintained the legendary standards set by founder Marc Ollivier—specifically, organic/biodynamic farming and the use of natural yeasts.

Pair with 

• The "Oyster Wine": This is arguably the world's most famous pairing for raw oysters. The saltiness in the wine mimics the brine of the shellfish.

• Other Matches: Steamed mussels, fried calamari, or a fresh Niçoise salad.

Winemaker Description

A great example of unique style of the maison. The Sancerre is a perfectly balanced wine, elegant, perfumed, with great depth and flavor definition. A dry, mineral palate is the perfect frame for delicate aromas of white fruit, orchard flowers and a subtle smokiness.

Each grape (Sauvignon Blanc) is sorted upon receipt of the harvest, we work by gravity in order to respect the natural circuit of vinification. Press lightly to maintain optimum fruitiness. Assembly of 50% limestone, 30% clay-limestone and 20% flint. Each soil is vinified separately in thermo-regulated stainless steel vats, the limestone brings minerality and finesse; the clay-limestone brings the fruit, the richness and the flint brings the structure and the minerality. Unique, precise, chic, timeless and divinely good.

Unique, precise, chic, timeless and divinely good. Ideal as an aperitif and a delicious accompaniment to oysters, sashimi or white fish. 

Memo Summary Notes

The Pascal Jolivet Sancerre Blanc (2024) is a quintessential expression of Sauvignon Blanc from one of the most respected names in the Loire Valley. Often referred to as the estate's "Signature" cuvée, this vintage continues Jolivet's legacy of "natural" winemaking—relying on indigenous yeasts and gravity-led processes to maintain purity.

Food Pairings

• Seafood: Fresh oysters, seared scallops, or grilled sea bass.

• The Classic Match: Crottin de Chavignol (local goat cheese).

• Fresh Fare: Asparagus risotto, citrus-based salads, or light sushi.

Winemaker Description 

For Pierre Chainier, the Loire was a case of love at first sight, with its vineyards and fresh, fruity wines: so easy to drink either young or venerably old: like the 1893 Vouvrays, still in perfect condition today. Today, the Maison Pierre Chainier is still a family business, based in Amboise, a royal town built on the banks of the River Loire. They are a family of wine merchants, specializing in Touraine wines. With average production of approximately 6 millions bottles.

The Vouvray vineyards are situated upstream from Tours in the North of the Loire valley. Vines are planted on clay limestone and clay siliceous grounds on the chalky “Tuffeau” soil. The vines roots overhang the cellars built in the rock nearby the houses called “Troglodytes”. The ripe grapes are handpicked during October. Some of the grapes have noble rot also known as botrytis which concentrates the sugar in the grapes. The wines ferment very slowly over a month. 

Produced from 100% Chenin Blanc This off-dry wine gives a sweet sensation with a dry finish on the palate. A concentration of rich flavors develops fruity aromas such as orange peel, honey and ripe quince. It has a great long finish with a slight honey taste. Delicious! 

Memo Food Pairing Suggestions

This wine’s off-dry profile makes it one of the most versatile "utility players" for food:

• Spicy Dishes: The perfect partner for Thai green curry, Szechuan peppercorn dishes, or spicy tuna rolls.

• Savory Meats: Pairs excellently with pork chops with apple sauce or honey-glazed ham.

• Dessert: Light enough to accompany fruit tarts or almond-based pastries.

Our Professional Review

Bart Hopkins of 67Wine.com writes | Citrus and green apples fill the glass with herbal complexity and detailed minerality. A great alternative to pricier Sancerre and perfect with all types of seafood.

Producer Description 

Purchased by the Comte Lafond, an ancestor of the current owner, Baron Patrick de Ladoucette, Château du Nozet and its surrounding vineyards have a reputation for producing the finest Pouilly-Fumé.

The delicate and complex olfactory expression opens on aromas which remind of white flower, exotic fruits. There is a very beautiful complexity for a vintage where the end-of-season’s sun brought a lot to the aromas. Excellent complexity that translates into great and elegant richness. Nice attack, straight and bright, it takes place with elegance on fruity notes associated with a dense structure and a beautiful acidity which brings a great length in the end of the mouth. There are aromas of exotic fruits (litchi, mango).

Expert Review - Vintage 2023

The Wine Spectator by Kristen Bieler writes 89 Points | Apple, pear and citrus cream are backed by a laser beam of acidity and crushed flint. Warm hay and heather notes add dimension, while the finish is crackling and linear. Drink now through 2026. 2,500 cases imported.

Memo Notes Summary 

De Ladoucette is unique in that it utilizes no oak in its vinification, aging the wine on its fine lees in glass-tiled tanks. This process maximizes the fresh, terroir-driven characteristics of the Sauvignon Blanc grape.

Color: Pale golden-green, bright and limpid.

The nose is delicate yet complex, exhibiting a beautiful array of white flowers (lilac, white blossoms), citrus fruits (grapefruit, lemon peel), and exotic fruit (lychee, mango). The quintessential flinty/mineral aroma, known as fumé (smoke), is usually present, especially as the wine opens.

The classic, mineral-driven profile of Pouilly-Fumé makes it one of the most versatile white wines for dining:

• Seafood: A perfect match for all shellfish, including oysters, scallops, and shrimp, as well as grilled white fish (sea bass, turbot).

  Cheese: The traditional pairing is goat cheese, especially Crottin de Chavignol or fresh Chèvre. Its acidity cuts through the cheese's creaminess beautifully.

  
  

  Poultry & Other: Light white meats, salads, and vegetable dishes like asparagus risotto or chicken with a cream/lemon sauce.

Our Professional Review

Bart Hopkins of 67Wine.com writes | Chenin Blanc is a grape that generally flies under the radar screen, which to me is baffling given its charming character and pleasant drinkability. Father and son Francois and Julien Pinon work exclusively with Chenin Blanc on their 15 hectare estate in the Vallée de Cousse. Their work in the vineyard is in complete in harmony with natural and they have been certified organic by Ecocert since 2003. 

The 2022 Vouvray Buvez du Bon Pinon sports a gorgeous bouquet reminiscent of a walk through an orchard field during spring blossom. Aromas of white stone fruits, peaches, pears, wildflower honey and quince emerge from the glass with lively fanfare. Energetic and effortless in the mouth with refreshing lift and well balanced vibrant acidity, with a long and tangy delicious finish. 

This is a wine that will add cheerful accompaniment to chicken, seafood, salads and vegetable dishes.

Expert Review - Vintage 2022 

John Gilman - The View From The Cellar writes 94 Points | The special old vine bottling of Vouvray Sec, “Buvez du Bon Pinon”, made its debut in the 2020 vintage. Readers may remember that Julien Pinon made this wine in hommage to his greatgrandfather, Camille Pinon, and the wine is made from vines planted by Camille in the immediate aftermath of World War II in 1945, in a parcel of Silex Noir soils. The wine is barrel-fermented and raised in the same old casks, which happen to be the oldest that the family still owns. The 2022 follow-up to the brilliant 2020 version is also outstanding, offering up a deep and complex bouquet of apple, quince, beeswax, flinty soil tones, white lilies, iris blossoms and a touch of citrus peel in the upper register. On the palate the wine is bright, full-bodied, young and complex, with a rock solid core of fruit from these ancient vines, great soil signature, zesty acids and superb balance on the long, vibrant and very promising finish. The 2022 version is a touch more reticent out of the blocks than the 2020, which wore its heart on its sleeve upon release, and tucking this beautiful bottle of Vouvray in the cellars for a handful of years before pulling corks would be well rewarded.

The Lucien Crochet Sancerre La Croix du Roy Blanc 2023 is a highly-regarded wine that represents a classic, structured style of Sancerre from the Loire Valley, France.
Lucien Crochet is one of Sancerre's most consistent and respected producers, and this bottling is praised for its balance of texture and freshness.

La Croix du Roy" is typically the most full-bodied and structured of Crochet's standard Sancerre offerings.

The wine's rich texture and vibrant acidity make it highly adaptable:

* Classic Pairing: Goat cheese (Crottin de Chavignol).
* Seafood: Poached salmon, sushi, oysters, or Moules Frites.
* Other: Dishes featuring fresh herbs and white sauces.

Winemaker Description 

Olivier Foucher followed a classic career path: studies in viticulture and oenology, a few years of collaboration with his parents and taking over the family estate after his father's retirement in 2011. Today, he and his wife cultivate 10.5 hectares of vines.

Light lemon in color, the wine has a delicate floral scent, with a touch of lime zest and tangerine on the nose. The palate is full of white-fleshed fruits — particularly peach and pear — that blend with more exotic, softer notes of grapefruit and papaya.

Wave after wave of mouth-puckering acidity and a mineral-packed finish will keep you coming back for more! Perhaps the most impressive feature of the wine is its impeccable balance of flavor intensity, structural tension, and length: everything is where it should be, making this Sauvignon Blanc almost too easy to drink.

Memo Summary Notes

"Le Chant du Silex" (The Song of the Flint) suggests, the grapes are grown in Silex (flinty) soils. This specific soil type is prized in Sancerre for imparting a smoky, "gunflint" minerality and great aging potential to the wine.

The focus is on precision and "tension," aiming for a wine that is energetic and bright rather than overly tropical.

Silver Medal: Awarded at the 2025 Concours Mondial du Sauvignon for the 2024 vintage.

67 Wine (Bart Hopkins): Praised as a "classic mineral-driven Sancerre with excellent precision.

Winemaker Description 

Instead of the typical tropical and grassy notes of Sauvignon Blanc, this wine offers refreshing hints of crushed rock and citrus. This distinct minerality comes from the limestone parcel where it originates, known as "Les Pierres Plates" or "the flat stones," which is filled with fossilized shells from the Kimmeridgian period. This same type of soil is found in Chablis and parts of Champagne, producing bone-dry, flinty, and almost saline wines that are ideal for pairing with shellfish.

Memo Summary Notes

The Domaine de Reuilly "Les Pierres Plates" Sauvignon Blanc 2024 is a striking example of why wine enthusiasts often call Reuilly the "hidden gem" of the Loire Valley. Produced by Denis Jamain, this wine is famous for its "Chablis-like" personality—bone-dry, intensely mineral, and chiseled.

The name translates to "The Flat Stones," referring to the specific vineyard site composed of Kimmeridgian limestone—the same ancient, fossil-rich soil found in Chablis and Sancerre. This provides the wine with its signature high-tension acidity and flinty "wet stone" finish.

This wine’s bracing acidity and saline notes make it a "super-pairing" for seafood and regional French snacks:

• Shellfish: Fresh oysters on the half-shell or chilled shrimp.

• Cheese: Classic Loire pairing with goat cheeses like Crottin de Chavignol or Valençay.

• Light Fare: Spring pea risotto, asparagus salad, or ceviche with plenty of lime juice.

Expert Review - Vintage 2024

The Wine Enthusiast by Reggie Solomon 90 Points | This lively wine refreshes the senses. Dried hay and field grass entice the nose, while bringing in a mix of sliced green apple and crabapple aromas that converge within a satisfying, savory frame. The mineral-driven palate washes across wet river stone with tart acidity accented by white blossom. 

Winemaker Description

Domaine Delobel is located in Ouchamps, on the Oisly vineyard in the Loire Valley . It was created by Benjamin Delobel , originally from Nord-Pas-de-Calais, in 2013. He has 12 hectares of vines, 10 hectares of Sauvignon Blanc and 2 hectares of Gamay and Pineau d'Aunis. The estate has been run in organic farming, certified since 2013. The farm's vines come from mass selections , which makes it possible to maintain the production quality of the old vines and a rich varietal complexity.

Angle Droit is made from Sauvignon Blanc . Manual harvests are carried out early in the morning, when temperatures are low to avoid oxidation of the juice. The grapes are pressed slowly in a pneumatic press then the wine is cooled in stainless steel vats. Aging is carried out on lees.

Memo Summary Notes

The 2024 Domaine Delobel Touraine "Angle Droit" is a quintessential organic Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley, crafted by Benjamin Delobel. The name "Angle Droit" (Right Angle) reflects Benjamin's philosophy of making wines that are "straight," pure, and technically precise.

For fans of Sauvignon Blanc who find New Zealand styles a bit too "loud" or Sancerre a bit too expensive, this wine hits the perfect middle ground.

Pairing:  Goat Cheese: The classic pairing for Touraine Sauvignon (specifically Selles-sur-Cher or Crottin de Chavignol).

• Seafood: Oysters on the half shell, fish ceviche, or grilled sea bass with salsa verde.

• Vegetables: Its herbal notes make it one of the few wines that pairs perfectly with fresh asparagus.

Expert Review - Vintage 2023 

Vinous 93 Points | The 2023 Vouvray Sec Le Haut-Lieu is a pure, refined, seamless style with pear, pineapple and nectarine flavors. It boasts excellent clarity and refinement, with lovely freshness hailing from calibrated acidity that bursts through this blossoming wine. Considering this was only bottled three weeks before tasting, I’m very encouraged by the results.

Wine Spectator 92 Points | Fresh-crushed apple, quince and spice notes have an earthy dimension, with hints of roasted agave and wet soil. There's beautiful range and just enough plumpness to make this generous, yet it's held in check by a chalky mineral element and very fine tannins. Toasted almond and salted butter notes move in, with lime-edged acidity cleaning up the finish. Refined and complex. Drink now through 2037.

Winemaker Description 

The original Huët vineyard is nearly 9 hA. It has the richest soils of the domaine’s three crus - a deep limestone-clay - and the wines are generally the estate’s most approachable. In some vintages, small quantities from nearby estate parcels may be added to Le Haut-Lieu. Winemaker Description.

Expert Review - Vintage 2024

The Wine Enthusiast by Aleks Zecevic writes 89 Points | Suave and polished in style, this Pinot offers ripe cherry and blackberry fruit, with silky tannins and a touch of spice. The structure is light but balanced, finishing with moderate length and good poise.

Winemaker Description 

Made from 100% Pinot Noir vines aged between 10 to 15 years old, the vineyard grows on a soil subtletly balanced between layers of clay and layers of rocky sand. The Pinot Noir flourishes in the mild Loire climate, necessary to the grape’s maturity

Memo Summary Notes

The 2024 Domaine Fournier Père & Fils Sancerre Rosé "Les Belles Vignes" is a premium, high-altitude expression of Pinot Noir. Fournier is one of the most prominent names in Sancerre, and their "Les Belles Vignes" cuvée is highly regarded for its "gastronomic" style—meaning it has the structure and complexity to be paired with a full meal, rather than just served as an aperitif.

This is a Rose that the French like to call a gastronomic, a wine made for food!  The Pinot Noir rose is tangy, red berry, and very juicy. From vines that are on average 15 years old the wine smells of raspberriy, watermelon and a touch of lavender.  The juicy, mouth watering flavors will remind you of red berries, redcurrants and perhaps a bit of peach.  A perfect Loire Rose for these warm day!

Food Pairings
    •    Seafood: Stir-fried prawns, grilled salmon, or lobster rolls.
    •    Exotic Cuisine: Its weight and fruitiness allow it to stand up to spicy Thai dishes or Moroccan couscous.
    •    Vegetarian: Fresh spring pea risotto, watermelon and feta salad, or herb-crusted goat cheese.

Expert Review

Kristen Bieler writes: Light notes of cherry, licorice root and plum are ripe and plush, with a silky feel and a subtle waft of alder smoke and tobacco leaf. Dried violet, pepper and sage elements add detail on the firm, incense-kissed finish. Elegant and light on its feet. Drink now through 2027. - Wine Spectator 90

Winemaker Notes

The historic property of Chteau du Hureau - one of the only wine producing Chateaux in the Loire - is among the top producers of Saumur-Champigny. The Chateau has been in the family for generations, and today, is run by fifth generation vigneron Philippe Vatan and his daughter Agathe.

Their entry-level "Tuffe" is 100 percent Cabernet Franc fermented with native yeasts and aged in stainless steel tank.

Dark, intense and sappy, with plenty of lovely fruit and floral notes, balanced by acidity and minerality from the underlying limestone soils. The quality and intrigue of the Chteau du Hureau wines continue to soar, as does their following at home and abroad."~Distributor Notes

Warehouse stored item - please allow two to five business days to fulfill.

Complices de Loire La Grande Parcelle Chenin Blanc from Montlouis-sur-Loire, France. This is an elegant white wine made from the Chenin Blanc grape, typical of this Loire region. This wine offers a wonderful balance between freshness and complexity, with aromas of citrus fruits, peach and white flowers, as well as a mineral undertone that reflects the calcareous soils.

The wine has a lively acidity and a soft, refined structure, which provides a refreshing and well-balanced taste. It is an ideal accompaniment to fish dishes, shellfish or goat cheese. La Grande Parcelle is a beautiful representation of the terroir of Montlouis-sur-Loire, with a subtle but present depth.

Winemaker Description 

The Pascal Cotat Sancerre Les Monts Damnés 2022 is a distinguished Sauvignon Blanc from the renowned Chavignol region in the Loire Valley, France. Cultivated on the steep, chalky slopes of the Monts Damnés vineyard—known as “the damned mountains” due to their challenging terrain—this wine embodies both elegance and power.

The 2022 vintage offers a complex bouquet of citrus peel, green apple, and white flowers, interwoven with a pronounced chalky minerality. On the palate, it delivers flavors of morello cherries, cracked black pepper, and juicy red plums, balanced by refreshing acidity and a medium-bodied structure. The wine's profile is marked by its freshness and approachability, making it suitable for various occasions.

Ideal pairings include shellfish, grilled fish, and creamy goat cheeses, making it a delightful choice for refined dining experiences.

This exceptional wine is a testament to Pascal Cotat's commitment to producing some of the most singular and age-worthy Sauvignon Blancs in the world.

Aromas of melons, fresh herbs, white flowers; a delicate note of sea salt. Creamy yet light on the tongue; poached white fruits, lime zest, grapefruit. Very long.

Winemaker Description

A wine best expressed in its youth, Amphibolite is citrusy and sizzling with a lovely salinity on the finish. Jo refers to Amphibolite as a "free-spirited" Muscadet! 

Organic (EcoCert) and biodynamic farming. 

Memo Summary Notes

The 2023 Jo Landron "Amphibolite" Muscadet Sèvre et Maine is widely considered the gold standard for high-energy, "oceanic" white wine. Named after the green metamorphic rock (amphibolite) found in the vineyard, this wine is designed to be bottled early and enjoyed fresh, capturing a "crack" of minerality that few other Muscadets can match.

Expert Review - Vintage 2022

The Wine Spectator 92 Points | Light notes of cherry, licorice root and plum are ripe and plush, with a silky feel and a subtle waft of alder smoke and tobacco leaf. Dried violet, pepper and sage elements add detail on the firm, incense-kissed finish. Elegant and light on its feet. Drink now through 2027.

Winemaker Description

Tuffe is Philippe Vatan’s red made from a wide variety of parcels spread across his limestone-rich vineyards. Aged in stainless-steel in an immaculate cavernous cellar, this has classic Cabernet Franc notes that include black raspberry and just the right amount of savory herbs while finishing with well-integrated tannins. 

Memo Summary Notes

The Chateau du Hureau Saumur-Champigny "Tuffe" 2022 is a classic expression of Loire Valley Cabernet Franc. Named after the "tuffeau" (limestone) soils of the region, this wine is celebrated for its purity and vibrant fruit.

Expert Review - Vintage 2023 

Vinous 95 Points | The 2023 Vouvray Sec Le Mont is precise, upright and flinty. It's less immediately charming than the styles we've seen in recent warmer vintages, but it was only tasted three weeks after bottling—this is one to revisit. There's just the right amount of juicy, peachy flesh within this light-bodied yet concentrated wine. It has the potential to charm but does so without showing off. Flinty and tightly sewn together, it has curves in the right places, but you're just going to have to wait for it to take shape.

Winemaker Description 

Le Mont wines are often the estate's most reticent, but develop the strongest perfume with age. Mineral-driven with a crystalline purity, this is the precision we've come to rely on with Le Mont.

Winemaker Description 

Deep red with purple hues. Dark chocolate and tobacco notes on opening. When oxygenated, subtle aromas of red fruit (raspberry) and blackberry appear, accompanied by a hint of pepper. A rich and complex scent that oscillates between these different aromas. Smooth and rich, flavors of stewed red fruit and spices, velvety texture provided by soft and deep tannins. The warmer finish is balanced by notes of pralin and black pepper. A powerful and savory mouthfeel.

Producer Description 

Refreshing persistence, resinous herbal notes on the nose and lovely fresh pear fruit, lime zest, grapefruit pith, and pineapple on the palate. 

The grapes for this basic cuvée of Sancerre are sourced from the vineyards in Bué, Vinon and Crézancy. After harvest, fermentation is done in stainless steel cuves at temperatures between 14 and 18 degrees Celsius. 

As with all the whites at the domaine, this wine sits in contact with the fine lies for a considerable period of time with the racking being done late in the spring following harvest. The first bottling occurs no earlier than July and frequently does not occur until September of the year following harvest.

Winemaker Description 

"L'Affreux Jojo" means "the ugly Jojo". In the stronghold of Cabernet Franc in Touraine, Geoffrey de Nouel highlights old terroirs, those of Sainte Maure de Touraine. The result is a wine without artifice, short-aged, full of fruit and with few sulphites: the awful Jojo!

Vinification: 1/3 whole cluster (carbonic maceration), 2/3 destemmed grapes. Maceration of 2-3 weeks. Fermentation is in fiber glass with natural yeasts. The wine ages for 6 months in fiber glass tanks. No filtration, no fining. Grape varieties :100% Cabernet Franc Vineyard age :25-year-old vines Soil Clay, flint, gravel Alcohol :12.5%.

Geoffrey de Noüel is a young vigneron on the rise in Chinon, an AOC located in central Loire, where some of the greatest Cabernet Franc is being produced. He started his winemaking journey in 2011 with a series of internships in Burgundy, then transported the Burgundian idea of cultivating and vinifying a singular grape on different plots (to showcase the terroir of each) to his own project in the Loire. All of Geoffrey's vineyards are certified organic, and his goal is to work as hands off as possible to produce transparent wines that showcase the varied soils of the area. Geoffrey is intent on showcasing the terroir of the different sites that he works with and believes in minimal intervention in the cellar.  

Winemaker Description 

Mellow tannins, along with a touch of bright acidity, guide this delicious little bistro-style red to a tasty, enduring finish. Enjoy an assortment of roasted or grilled vegetables, grilled chicken thighs marinated in Moroccan spices or pork chops slathered in homemade barbecue sauce.

L’Ile Quatre Sous comes from a single vineyard in Parnay with a high proportion of sandy soil which yields a softer “bistrot style” red wine to be enjoyed right away. The name means "Four Penny Island", and refers to an actual sandy bank located in the middle of the Loire River near Parnay (though no vines are actually planted there).

Domaine Du Clos Naudin Philippe Foreau Vouvray Extra Brut 2019 is an elegant, méthode traditionnelle sparkling wine from France’s Loire Valley. Crafted from 100% Chenin Blanc, it offers crisp acidity, fine bubbles, and complex aromas of green apple, citrus, and minerality. Dry and refreshing, it’s a perfect pairing with seafood, creamy cheeses, or as an apéritif. 🍾✨

Producer Description 

From the warm (even by today’s standards) 2019 growing season comes this masterful Vouvray Extra-Brut, which spent four full years on its lees, and to which Philippe and Vincent applied a mere 1.33 grams-per-liter dosage—their lowest ever.

Philippe prefers a small dosage to none, as he states that it improves the wine’s capacity to age, and he and Vincent employ rigorous double-blind dosage trials to determine the final amount.

With its low-for-Vouvray acidity and its full malolactic fermentation (rare for Foreau), this wine benefits from its modest dosage, as it maintains taut acidity and clings mightily to the palate as its notes of truffle, candied lemon, and lanolin echo far into the distance.

Malbec in the Loire Valley is called Cot as it is in Cahor.  This is an inky dark wine that is dense, mouthfilling, with black fruit, raspberry, pepper, and rustic flavors.  This big red calls out barbecue!  We heartily recommend this special wine that rarely comes to the U.S.

Winemaker Notes

The nose on the powerfully built organic Malbec offers notes sweet and sour cherry, fresh blackberry, and country herbs. Concentrated and intense, presenting a silky texture and an elegant finish. A gorgeous Malbec from the banks of the Loire river. 

Expert Review

John Gilman 96 Points | This is my first taste of Domaine des Closiers top bottling, les Trezellières, which is made from a parcel of old vines and given fully two years aging in barrel, with somewhere between ten and twenty percent of the casks new. The 2019 les Trezellières is beautifully deep and refined aromatically, delivering scents of black cherries, cassis, Cuban cigar wrapper, a very complex base of soil, a touch of Cheval Blanc-like menthol, a gentle dollop of tree bark, cedar and a topnote of cigar smoke. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied, elegant and rock solid at the core, with great focus and complex, superb soil undertow, fine-grained tannins and a very long, pure and classy finish.

The small percentage of new oak gives this wine more refinement than the les Coudraies bottling, but because it is no more than twenty percent new oak, the wood influence is far more subtle out of the blocks than in Clos Rougeard’s Le Bourg bottling, which is the closest comparison I can think of for this brilliant young Saumur Champigny. Give this beautiful wine plenty of time in the cellar to properly resolve its tannins and completely blossom! (2019). 

Winemaker Description 

The delicate and complex olfactory expression opens on aromas which remind of white flower, exotic fruits. There is a very beautiful complexity for a vintage where the end-of-season’s sun brought a lot to the aromas. Excellent complexity that translates into great and elegant richness. Nice attack, straight and bright, it takes place with elegance on fruity notes associated with a dense structure and a beautiful acidity which brings a great length in the end of the mouth. There are aromas of exotic fruits (litchi, mango).

Purchased by the Comte Lafond, an ancestor of the current owner, Baron Patrick de Ladoucette, Château du Nozet and its surrounding vineyards have a reputation for producing the finest Pouilly-Fumé. The vineyards are in Pouilly-Fumé Contrôlée, which includes Pouilly-sur-Loire, Saint-Andelain and Tracy-sur-Loire at the eastern end of the Loire Valley (including the vineyard of the Château du Nozet estate).

Both clay and limestone influence the delicate characteristics in Ladoucette Baron de L Pouilly-Fumé. This Grande Cuvée of Pouilly Fumé is produced exclusively in the best years and from the first pressing of the estate’s grapes. Winemaker Description. 

Winemaker Description 

100% Cabernet Franc. 2022 is the first vintage for the new entry-level Chinon from Raffault. The fruit comes from very young vines in sandy, flat parcels near the winery not far from the the Vienne River. The farming is certified-organic and the harvest is manual.

The berries are destemmed but not crushed and fermented with native yeasts in tank with a maceration of about 15 days. The wine is aged in stainless steel tanks for about 6 months before bottling. This vin de soif has a pretty and playful label that complements its style perfectly.

Memo Summary Notes

The Olga Raffault Chinon "La Fraîch" 2024 is a relatively new addition to the legendary estate’s lineup. While Raffault is famous for structured, long-lived reds like Les Picasses, "La Fraîch" is their modern, early-drinking vin de soif (wine for thirst).

Terroir: Sourced from very young vines planted on flat, sandy parcels near the Vienne River. The sandy soil is key to the wine's light, approachable character compared to the heavy clay/limestone of their other cuvées.

• This is a perfect candidate for a slight chill (around 12–14°C or 55°F) to emphasize its freshness.

• Food Pairings: Excellent with charcuterie, grilled sausages, goat cheese (Chèvre), or even slightly spicy vegetarian dishes.

  
  

   

Warehouse stored item - please allow two to five business days to fulfill.

The wine is dry, round and supple, with a beautiful refreshing acidity. It gives off notes of ripe fruits, peaches and pink grapefruit… On the palate, it gives immediate pleasure and has lovely weight.
 

Warehouse stored item - please allow three to five business days to fulfill.

Grown on clay and gravelly soil, this 100% Cabernet Franc from Chinon, is fruitywith soft tannins and exults aromas of red berries.