Of all our Loire selections, there are few wines that express the thirst-quenching kick of the region’s mineral-rich terroir better than does Jacky Preys’ Fié Gris “Terroir Pierre à Fusil.” In French, pierre à fusil means gunflint. Touraine was a center for gunflint production during the Napoleonic era. The region’s flint-rich soils infuse grapes with a vibrant, nervous energy that is translated as a whiff of smoke in the wine’s perfumes and in crisp and clean, citrus-inspired flavors.
The petite village of Sury-en-Vaux, northwest of Sancerre, is our secret source of extraordinarily character-rich Loire wines. Winemaker Jean-Marc Pastou for some 30 years has followed a singular calling, to make the most honest and terroir-true Sancerre his few acres will give.
Violet-scented, smooth as silk and tangy: the most satisfying Cabernet Franc wines hail from the cellars of Domaine de Noiré in Chinon. Winemaker Jean-Max Manceau, a Chinon native, has long been a champion of the region’s reds, and his own wines are the standard for the heights Chinon can achieve.
Tressallier is the source of one of France’s oldest, rarest and most vibrant whites, and Domaine Nebout is the artisan family behind one of the most expressive, pure Tressallier wines. Tressallier combines the delicious tension of premier cru Chablis with the chalky notes characteristic of Loire Valley Sauvignon in a wine that is bone dry, vibrantly flavored and invigorating.
As taut as a violin bow string or as lush as a symphonic finale—there are few grapes as deliciously varied in temperament as is Chenin Blanc from Vouvray. Domaine de Margalleau, with four generations of winemakers dedicated exclusively to Chenin Blanc, is the source of Vouvray’s most expressive examples of this native grape, whether bone dry, semi-sweet or sparkling.
A natural pair with fresh seafood, Muscadet too is still one of the great values in white wine, as even the top bottles from the region’s best terroirs—like our old-vine selection from Domaine de la Grenaudière—are more than affordable.
Cotat Sancerre is simply some of the most singular Sauvignon Blanc in the world. Similar to his cousin François, Pascal Cotat crafts uncanny wines that defy both time and definition. These are wines that can age for decades effortlessly, and that marry a plush richness with a laser-like cut and energy.
Sancerre from François Cotat is simply some of the most singular Sauvignon Blanc in the world. Devotees can tell you that what happens in this modest cellar in Chavignol is one part winemaking, three parts magic. Atypical yet arresting in their complexity, Cotat Sancerre is wine that can and should be aged for decades.
Since the early 1990s, winemaker Francis Blanchet has crafted this special selection of pure Sauvignon Blanc from fruit selected from his flint-rich vineyards. This unique terroir announces itself explosively: knock two vineyard stones together and you can’t help but be bowled over by the aroma of firecracker smoke.
In addition to a noble history stretching back some 1,000 years, Mattes-Sabran epitomizes all we love about the slow pace of life in the sultry south. The main house, once home to dukes, today welcomes international visitors while geese and lazy cats wander. Cicadas buzz in the afternoon heat; a well-worn table welcomes outdoor meals with shared bottles in the shade.
