French Wine

Henri Bourgeois has been making wine in Sancerre for generations — one of the Loire Valley’s great family estates, with a reputation built on the precision, minerality, and aromatic lift that define the region’s best Sauvignon Blanc. The Petit Bourgeois is their welcome to the broader Val de Loire appellation: the same house philosophy, the same commitment to quality, at a price point that makes it one of the most compelling values in French white wine.

The 2025 is sourced from carefully selected Loire vineyards and vinified to preserve the grape’s natural freshness and vivacity. Remarkably aromatic on the nose — citrus blossom, green apple, gooseberry, and a whisper of passion fruit — it opens with the kind of floral, fruit-forward intensity that makes Loire Sauvignon Blanc so immediately appealing. On the palate, bright acidity and a clean, lively texture carry flavors of lemon zest, crisp apple, and fresh herbs through to a refreshing, precise finish. Pure, focused, and effortlessly drinkable. Sealed with a screwcap for freshness.

• Producer: Henri Bourgeois
• Appellation: Val de Loire IGP, Loire Valley, France
• Grape: Sauvignon Blanc
• Vintage: 2025
• Closure: Screwcap
• Serve: 46–50°F
• Format: 750ml

Prior Vintage Critical Acclaim:

91 James Suckling — “Crafty, lively and delicious… fresh acidity. Bright and vivid with a frank finish.”

89 Wine Enthusiast — “Fragrant aromas of white peach and pomelo… lime zest and field grass.”

Food Pairings: Halibut in lemon butter, grilled white fish, oysters, seafood, goat cheese, and light vegetable dishes. An outstanding aperitif.

Winemaker Description – Vintage 2025

The Roc de l’Abbaye Sauvignon Blanc Val de Loire 2025 is crafted by winemaker Florian from carefully selected vineyards in Oisly, close to the Cher River in the Val de Loire. This wine receives the same rigorous selection, vinification, and maturation as prestigious Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé — at a fraction of the price. The result is a crisp, mineral-driven Sauvignon Blanc with intense aromatics and exceptional freshness that captures the essence of Loire Valley terroir.

The nose opens with green apple, field grass, white peach, and bosc pear, complemented by bright citrus and grapefruit. On the palate, a steely texture and chalky minerality ride above lively acidity, finishing clean with lemon zest.

Pairing Suggestions

• Classic Loire: Fresh goat cheese (chèvre) or a warm crottin de Chavignol.
• Seafood: Oysters, grilled white fish, fried calamari, or shrimp ceviche.
• Light dishes: Fresh salads, asparagus, zucchini, or light pasta with herbs.

Réserve du Naufraget | Vouvray AOC | Loire Valley, France | 2024

From Maison Pierre Chainier, a family-owned négociant based in Amboise on the banks of the Loire, this Vouvray is a textbook expression of Chenin Blanc from one of France's most storied appellations. Grown on the chalky Tuffeau soils upstream from Tours, the grapes are handpicked in October — some with a touch of noble rot (botrytis) that concentrates natural sugars and adds aromatic complexity. A slow, month-long fermentation yields a beautifully off-dry style: a sweet, generous entry that resolves into a clean, refreshing finish.

Rich and aromatic on the nose with orange peel, honeysuckle, ripe quince, and a whisper of beeswax. The palate is round and textured, with flavors of honey, poached pear, and candied citrus carried by bright Chenin acidity. The finish lingers with a gentle honeyed note. One of the most food-versatile whites available at this price.

• Producer: Maison Pierre Chainier
• Appellation: Vouvray AOC, Loire Valley, France
• Grape: 100% Chenin Blanc
• Style: Off-Dry
• Vintage: 2024
• Closure: Screwcap
• Serve: 46–50°F
• Pairings: Thai green curry, Szechuan dishes, spicy tuna rolls, pork with apple sauce, honey-glazed ham, fruit tarts, almond pastries
• Size: 750ml

Domaine Delobel Touraine Sauvignon Blanc “Angle Droit” — Loire Valley 2024

Domaine Delobel is one of the Loire Valley’s most exciting organic estates, founded in 2013 by Benjamin Delobel in Ouchamps, on the celebrated Oisly vineyard. Working with 10 hectares of certified-organic Sauvignon Blanc — planted from mass selections to preserve old-vine complexity — Benjamin crafts wines that are, as the name “Angle Droit” (Right Angle) suggests, straight, pure, and technically precise. For fans of Sauvignon Blanc who find New Zealand styles too loud and Sancerre too expensive, this wine hits the perfect middle ground. Manual harvests at dawn, slow pneumatic pressing, stainless steel fermentation, and aging on lees deliver a wine of exceptional freshness and mineral clarity.

The nose is lively and inviting: dried hay, field grass, sliced green apple, and crabapple aromas converge in a satisfying, savory frame. On the palate, the wine washes across wet river stone with tart acidity accented by white blossom — mineral-driven, focused, and refreshingly precise. The finish is clean and lingering.

Wine Enthusiast 90 — Reggie Solomon: “This lively wine refreshes the senses. The mineral-driven palate washes across wet river stone with tart acidity accented by white blossom.”

• Producer: Domaine Delobel, Ouchamps, Touraine, Loire Valley, France
• Vintage: 2024
• Appellation: Touraine AOC
• Varietal: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
• Farming: Certified Organic since 2013
• Vinification: Manual harvest, pneumatic press, stainless steel, aged on lees
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: Dried hay, green apple, crabapple, white blossom, wet river stone, mineral finish
• Best Paired With: Goat cheese (Selles-sur-Cher, Crottin de Chavignol), oysters, fish ceviche, grilled sea bass, fresh asparagus

Pure, precise, and organically farmed — Domaine Delobel’s “Angle Droit” is the benchmark for honest, terroir-driven Touraine Sauvignon Blanc.

François & Julien Pinon | Vouvray Blanc Sec — Buvez du Bon Pinon | Loire Valley, France | 2023

François and Julien Pinon are a father-and-son team working exclusively with Chenin Blanc on their 15-hectare estate in the Vallée de Cousse, in the heart of Vouvray. Certified organic by Ecocert since 2003, their work in the vineyard is in complete harmony with nature — a philosophy that translates directly into wines of exceptional purity, energy, and terroir expression.

Vouvray is one of the Loire Valley's most celebrated appellations, producing Chenin Blanc of extraordinary range and longevity. The region's tufa limestone soils and continental climate — tempered by the moderating influence of the Loire River — give Vouvray Chenin Blanc its signature combination of vibrant acidity, mineral precision, and generous aromatic complexity. Chenin Blanc is a grape that flies under the radar, which is baffling given its charming character and remarkable versatility.

The 2023 Buvez du Bon Pinon sports a gorgeous bouquet reminiscent of a walk through an orchard in spring blossom. Aromas of white stone fruits, peach, pear, wildflower honey, and quince emerge from the glass with lively fanfare. On the palate, energetic and effortless with refreshing lift, steely mineral intensity, and beautifully balanced vibrant acidity. The finish is long, tangy, chalky, and utterly delicious. Drink now through 2030.

A wine that adds cheerful accompaniment to roast chicken, grilled seafood, fresh salads, vegetable dishes, goat cheese, and herb-driven cuisine.

• Producer: François & Julien Pinon
• Cuvée: Buvez du Bon Pinon
• Appellation: Vouvray AOC, Loire Valley, France
• Grape: Chenin Blanc
• Style: Dry (Sec)
• Vintage: 2023
• Farming: Certified Organic (Ecocert since 2003)
• Drink: Now through 2030
• Bottle Size: 750ml

Critical Acclaim — Vintage 2023

• Wine Spectator — 90 pts: A steely, mineral-intense style that starts out austere and then fills in with crunchy apple, pear and dried herbs. Chalky feel to the finish, which is racy and pure. Drink now through 2030.

67Wine Buyer's Note

Bart Hopkins, 67Wine — "Energetic and effortless in the mouth with refreshing lift and well-balanced vibrant acidity, with a long and tangy, delicious finish."

de Ladoucette Pouilly-Fumé — Loire Valley, France 2024

Baron Patrick de Ladoucette is the defining name in Pouilly-Fumé — the man who, more than anyone, elevated this Loire Valley appellation to international prominence. His estate, Château du Nozet, has been in the family since the 18th century and remains the benchmark producer for the appellation’s mineral, smoke-kissed style of Sauvignon Blanc. De Ladoucette’s philosophy is uncompromising: no oak, ever. The wine is vinified and aged entirely on its fine lees in glass-tiled stainless steel tanks, preserving every nuance of the flint-rich Kimmeridgian soils and the Sauvignon Blanc grape in its purest expression. The result is Pouilly-Fumé as it should be — precise, mineral, and unmistakably of its place.

The color is pale golden-green, bright and luminous. The nose is delicate yet complex: white flowers (lilac, white blossom), citrus peel (grapefruit, lemon), and exotic fruit (lychee, mango), with the quintessential fumé — that haunting flinty, smoky mineral note that gives the appellation its name. On the palate, the wine is elegant and mineral-driven, with crushed shell, grilled lemon, green Anjou pear, and a beautiful acidity that drives a long, clean, saline finish. Orange blossom, white peach, and dried hay emerge as it opens — a wine that rewards patience in the glass.

“Chilled citrus and white-peach aromas mingle with orange blossom and lilac on the nose. The palate is pleasantly mineral driven, with flavors of crushed shell, grilled lemon, and green Anjou pear. A whiff of dried hay on the finish brings everything together.” — Wine Enthusiast, 92 pts. (Vintage 2024).

• Producer: de Ladoucette, Château du Nozet, Pouilly-sur-Loire, Loire Valley
• Vintage: 2024
• Appellation: Pouilly-Fumé AOC, Loire Valley, France
• Varietal: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
• Vinification: No oak — aged on fine lees in glass-tiled stainless steel tanks
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: White flower, lychee, grapefruit, crushed shell, grilled lemon, green pear, dried hay, saline mineral finish
• Best Paired With: Oysters, scallops, grilled sea bass, Crottin de Chavignol, fresh chèvre, asparagus, roast chicken with lemon

The definitive Pouilly-Fumé — de Ladoucette delivers Sauvignon Blanc’s most mineral, precise, and terroir-driven expression from the Loire’s most storied flint-soil estate.

The Little Sheep of France Sauvignon Blanc 2025

Tasting Notes

Aromas of ripe peach and citrus with flavors of lemon, lime, and a hint of green apple. Well-balanced acidity and a lingering hint of nectarine frame the finish — fresh, versatile, and endlessly food-friendly. Sealed with a screw cap for effortless everyday enjoyment.

Food Pairings

• Seafood: Crab cakes, grilled shrimp, or light fish dishes.
• Vegetables: Salads, avocado, green vegetables, or basil-forward dishes.
• Cheese: Fresh goat cheese or mild brie.
• Fruit-forward dishes: Mango salsa or citrus-dressed salads.

Wine Details

• Producer: The Little Sheep of France
• Country: France
• Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc
• Vintage: 2025
• Style: Crisp, fresh, aromatic white
• Closure: Screw cap
• Format: 750ml

Clément & Florian Berthier Sauvignon Blanc l’Instant — Loire Valley 2025

The Berthier family has been farming the Loire Valley for five generations, with vineyards stretching from Sancerre to the Coteaux du Giennois along the river’s banks. Clément and Florian carry on the mission entrusted to them by their father — to preserve the family heritage with the same diligence — vineyards on limestone, silex, and marne soils at 200–400 meters above sea level. L’Instant is their entry into the Loire’s most celebrated white grape: pure, fresh, and expressive Sauvignon Blanc from one of France’s most storied river valleys.

Pale gold in color with a clean, inviting nose of white flowers, citrus, quince, pear, and exotic fruits. On the palate, the wine is gentle and supple on entry, with fresh, fruity character and a refreshing acidity that provides excellent balance to the wine’s overall softness. The finish is clean, bright, and lingering — a Loire Sauvignon Blanc of real charm and precision.

— five generations of family farming on limestone, silex, and marne soils across Sancerre and the Coteaux du Giennois.

• Producer: Clément & Florian Berthier, Loire Valley, France
• Vintage: 2025
• Appellation: Loire Valley (Coteaux du Giennois, Sancerre, Pouilly Fumé, Menetou Salon)
• Varietal: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
• Soils: Limestone, Silex, Marne — 200–400m altitude
• Style: White Wine — Dry, Fresh & Aromatic
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: White flowers, citrus, quince, pear, exotic fruits, supple entry, refreshing acidity, clean finish
• Best Paired With: Oysters, goat cheese, grilled fish, light salads, charcuterie, herb-driven dishes

Five generations of Loire Valley farming in a bottle.

Domaine La Gemière · La Pointe · Ménetou-Salon · Loire Valley, France · 2024 · 750ml

The Millet family founded Domaine La Gemière in 1981 on the slopes of the Loire Valley, and since 2000 siblings Sébastien and Nicolas have carried the tradition forward with a profound respect for their 19-hectare estate. The “La Pointe” parcel sits on Ménetou-Salon’s famous Kimmeridgian limestone soils — the same ancient seabed geology that defines great Sancerre, just a few kilometers to the east. Ménetou-Salon is one of the Loire’s best-kept secrets: a small appellation producing Sauvignon Blanc of genuine mineral character and Sancerre-level quality at a fraction of the price. Grapes are pressed immediately after harvest, with juice flowing by gravity into tank, racked 48 hours later, and aged on lees for 8–9 months for added texture and complexity. 

Pale gold with a green tinge in the glass, with a pronounced, aromatic nose of gooseberry, fresh grass, ripe quince, and a clean mineral lift from the Kimmeridgian limestone. On the palate: crisp and refreshing, with flavors of melon, citrus, and white stone fruit, carried by bright acidity and a clean, mineral finish that lingers. The lees aging adds just enough texture to give the wine real presence without sacrificing freshness. Drink now through 2026. Pair with Crottin de Chavignol goat cheese, oysters on the half shell, grilled white fish, shrimp ceviche, or asparagus quiche.

• Producer: Domaine La Gemière · Millet Family (est. 1981)
• Wine: La Pointe · Ménetou-Salon AOC
• Vintage: 2024
• Origin: Ménetou-Salon, Loire Valley, France
• Varietal: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
• Soils: Kimmeridgian limestone
• Aging: 8–9 months on lees · Gravity-flow winemaking
• Style: Crisp, mineral, aromatic Loire Sauvignon Blanc
• Drinking Window: Now–2026
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: Gooseberry, fresh grass, quince, melon, citrus, white stone fruit, mineral finish
• Pair With: Crottin de Chavignol · Oysters · Grilled white fish · Shrimp ceviche · Asparagus quiche

Kimmeridgian limestone, Sancerre’s neighbor — Ménetou-Salon’s finest value in a glass.

Winemaker Description

Produced from equal parts Pinot Noir and Grolleau, the fruit for this wine comes from Chidaine’s estate-grown, biodynamically farmed vineyards located just north of the Cher River between the villages of Montrichard and Chissay-en-Touraine.

The nose of gooseberries with floral notes is followed by a medium-full wine with a chalky texture. Excellent acidity and beautiful tension bring up the solid mineral core. Very refreshing but surprisingly complex — a perennial favorite where supply never meets demand.

Our Notes

A leader in the Loire Valley for organic and biodynamic wine production. This terrific rosé — 50% Pinot Noir, 50% Grolleau — is made from organically farmed estate fruit. Floral nose with hints of currants, excellent acidity, and a beautiful mineral core.

Bernie writes: My favorite rosé this summer. Pure fruit flavors that cleanse your palate with absolutely fresh feelings. This has to be one of the best Loire Rosés available this year! — 67 Wine

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.

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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.

Jo Landron Amphibolite Muscadet Sèvre et Maine — Loire Valley 2025

Jo Landron has been farming the upper slopes of the Sèvre River near Nantes since 1990, and in that time he has quietly become one of the most important voices in French natural viticulture. His conversion to organic farming began in 1999, biodynamic certification followed in 2011, and the results are impossible to argue with. The Amphibolite — named for the metamorphic rock that defines its terroir — is the entry point to the Landron lineup and one of the most honest expressions of Melon de Bourgogne you will find at any price.

The 2025 is everything Muscadet should be: citrusy, saline, and alive. The nose is clean and precise — lemon zest, green apple, crushed oyster shell, and a faint floral lift. On the palate, the wine is lean and focused, with a bright, almost electric acidity and a long, mineral finish with that signature oceanic salinity Jo calls "free-spirited." Whole-bunch pressed, wild yeast fermented, aged six months on fine lees in glass-tiled concrete vats, bottled unfined and unfiltered. Nothing added, nothing taken away.

"A wine best expressed in its youth — citrusy and sizzling with a lovely salinity on the finish." — Jo Landron

• Producer: Domaine de la Louvetrie, Jo Landron, Nantes, Loire Valley, France
• Vintage: 2025
• Appellation: Muscadet Sèvre et Maine AOC
• Terroir: Metamorphic amphibolite (gabbro-derived rock)
• Varietal: 100% Melon de Bourgogne
• Farming: Certified Organic (EcoCert) & Biodynamic
• Vinification: Whole-bunch direct press, wild yeast fermentation, no chaptalization, no fining or filtration
• Aging: 6 months on fine lees in glass-tiled concrete vats
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: Lemon zest, green apple, oyster shell, white flower, saline mineral finish
• Best Paired With: Oysters, grilled sole, moules marinières, fresh chèvre, seafood crudo

The gold standard for high-energy oceanic white wine — Jo Landron's Amphibolite is Muscadet at its most alive.

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.

Lucien Crochet Croix du Roy — Sancerre Rouge 2019

Lucien Crochet is one of Sancerre’s most revered domaines, and the Croix du Roy is their prestige red — a single-vineyard Pinot Noir from the estate’s finest parcel, vinified with the seriousness of a grand cru. While Sancerre is celebrated worldwide for its Sauvignon Blanc, the appellation’s Pinot Noir — grown on the same Kimmeridgian limestone and flint soils — is one of the Loire Valley’s best-kept secrets. The 2019 vintage was exceptional across the Loire: warm, dry, and generous, producing wines of remarkable depth and concentration.

Deep red with purple hues, the nose opens with dark chocolate and tobacco, then unfolds with raspberry, blackberry, and a hint of pepper as it breathes. On the palate, it is rich and complex — stewed red fruit and spices with a velvety texture from soft, deep tannins. The finish is warm and savory, balanced by notes of pralin and black pepper. Powerful, layered, and unmistakably Sancerre.

• Producer: Domaine Lucien Crochet, Bué, Sancerre, Loire Valley, France
• Vintage: 2019
• Appellation: Sancerre Rouge AOC
• Grape: Pinot Noir
• Vineyard: Croix du Roy (single vineyard)
• Size: 375ml (Half Bottle)
• Tasting Notes: Dark chocolate, tobacco, raspberry, blackberry, pepper, stewed red fruit, pralin, velvety tannins
• Best Paired With: Duck confit, roasted lamb, mushroom risotto, aged goat cheese, charcuterie

Sancerre Rouge at its most serious — Lucien Crochet’s Croix du Roy is the Loire’s answer to great Burgundy, in a perfectly portioned half bottle.

Producer Description 

A nectar from one end of the tasting to the other! An intensely golden adornment, a nose of perfectly over-ripe Chenin, underlined by great elegance, a note of almond cream, quince, very ripe peach skin.

The palate is very straight, freshness, tension and sweetness so well integrated, a finish of candy sugar crystals but also the fine bitterness of the schists, it is a very beautiful vintage, a wine built to last and already so pleasant to taste now. It is the cuvée representative of the estate's terroir, i.e. almost five vines.

Oyster King · Melon de Bourgogne · Grand Vin de Loire · France · 2024

The name says it all. Oyster King is built for the table — specifically, for a cold platter of briny bivalves and a glass of something lean, mineral, and refreshing. Made from Melon de Bourgogne, the grape of Muscadet, this Loire Valley white is the archetype of the oyster wine: soft, light, and driven by a saline minerality that makes it one of the most food-friendly whites at any price point. The 2024 vintage delivers exactly what the grape promises — no more, no less — with the kind of honest, unpretentious character that keeps you reaching for the bottle.

This exceptional wine, crafted by renowned winemaker Jean Luc Olivier, is grown and produced in the Loire Valley’s estuary, where the majestic river descends from the mountains and meets the Atlantic Ocean.

This traditional grape is grown on Kimmeridgian soil, a limestone-based loam; its clay is calcareous, and its limestone has developed from the accumulation of both oyster and sea shells over millions of years. This magic terroir gives the wines their vibrancy and minerality.

Pale straw in the glass with a clean, inviting nose of green pear, lemon zest, and honeydew melon. On the palate, lean bright acidity and a subtle mineral thread carry through to a clean, refreshing finish. Light-bodied and precise, it is the kind of wine that disappears effortlessly alongside seafood, shellfish, or a simple summer meal.

• Producer: Oyster King
• Vintage: 2024
• Appellation: Grand Vin de Loire, France
• Varietal: 100% Melon de Bourgogne
• Style: Dry white — light, mineral, crisp
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: Green pear, lemon zest, honeydew melon, saline minerality, clean finish
• Pairings: Oysters, clams, mussels, grilled fish, seafood platters, light salads

Grand Vin de Loire — the quintessential oyster wine. Lean, mineral, and made for the table.

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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.
 

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

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2023 

Kristen Bieler writes:  For a demi-sec, this leans toward the dry, savory end of the spectrum. There are a lot of layers and substance to this, with a savory thread of green herbs and bitter white tea weaving through elderflower, quince and apple flavors, while gentle tannins provide a solid frame. Cool river stone and pink peppercorn notes line the finish, encased in smoke and salt, with length and a lot of depth. The toasty cedar notes will integrate with more time in bottle. Drink now through 2037. 740 cases made.  - Wine Spectator 93

Stuart Pigott Writes:  This off-dry Vouvray has terrific depth and a lovely creaminess that’s hard to resist, but it’s tightly wound and needs some time for the aromas to unfurl. With some aeration, red apple and honeysuckle notes emerge. Long, very clean finish that’s pretty dry thanks to the bright acidity. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold.  - James Suckling 93

Rebecca Gibb MW writes:  The 2023 Vouvray Demi-Sec Le Mont boasts a residual sweetness (20g/l) that brings a sense of tenderness and amplitude to a terroir that's big on precision and tension. The flint component in the soil and the natural freshness of the 2023 vintage provide persistence and momentum. Pure and tender, there’s a distinctive spearmint-like cooling sensation on the long finish.  Drinking 2024 to 2038.  - Vinous 94

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. 

Fabrice Gasnier is one of Chinon's most committed and expressive producers — a devoted practitioner of biodynamic viticulture whose wines are celebrated for their aromatic purity and terroir-driven precision. La Cravantine is his singular sparkling wine: a 100% Cabernet Franc Méthode Traditionnelle rosé from the Loire Valley, bone-dry, intensely fresh and finished with bubbles so fine and persistent they put many Champagnes to shame.

For the 2023 vintage, La Cravantine is released for the first time as a Millésime — a single-vintage bottling rather than the non-vintage blend of previous years. Fermented in bottle on its own residual sugar from the first alcoholic fermentation and aged for at least one year sur lattes, the wine is a pale rosé of remarkable delicacy and structure. Biodynamically farmed Cabernet Franc from Chinon delivers a wine that is simultaneously serious and utterly delicious.

Expert Reviews

Wine Advocate: "La Cravantine is a pale rosé colored Cabernet Franc sparkling wine with a very delicate mousse. Fermented on the bottle with its own residual sugar from the first alcohol fermentation and after at least one year sur lattes, the wine opens with an intense yet fine and elegant brioche and ripe apple bouquet. On the palate, this is an intense, round and textural, highly delicate fizz with a super elegant and refined mousse and a long, intense and aromatic, sustainably structured finish. A fabulous wine for aperitifs, breakfasts and desserts."

Tasting Notes

Pale rosé in the glass with an exceptionally fine, persistent mousse. The nose is elegant and inviting — brioche, ripe apple, strawberry and white peach, with a clean mineral undercurrent. The palate is bone-dry, round and textural, with a spicy, firm structure and a long, aromatic finish. Fresh, precise and wonderfully versatile.

Food Pairing

Perfect as an aperitif and equally at home with oysters, sushi, grilled fish, fried foods, soft cheeses and light desserts. One of the most food-friendly sparkling wines in the Loire.

Specifications

Grape Variety: Cabernet Franc (100%)
Country: France
Region: Loire Valley
Appellation: Chinon
Style: Sparkling Rosé / Méthode Traditionnelle
Dosage: Brut
Vintage: 2023 (first Millésime release)
Aging: Minimum 1 year sur lattes
Farming: Biodynamic / organic
ABV: ~12%
Bottle Size: 750ml
Producer: Fabrice Gasnier

Expert Review

Vinous | A savory, structured, dry Vouvray. There's restrained fruit, all baked apple pastries, citrus and baking spices in the 2019 Grosse Pierre. A firm thread of acidity and flint-derived tension course through the core and continue long after you've tasted the wine, giving structure and purpose. Slight warmth from the 14% alcohol, but it does not detract from the overall balance and the satisfying sinewy nature of this wine.

Memo Summary Notes

• Aromas: Notes of orchard fruits (apple, pear, white peach), citrus zest, and white flowers, with an underlying flinty or "smoky" minerality.

• Palate: Taut and crystalline; features vibrant acidity, tart apple, and quince flavors.

• Finish: Long, refreshing, and zippy with a distinct chalky or saline mineral edge.

• Food Pairings: Pairs exceptionally well with fresh shellfish (oysters), grilled white fish with lemon, goat cheese (Valençay or Selles-sur-Cher), and roasted poultry.

Winemaker Description

• Practicing organic
• 100% Chenin Blanc
• South exposure
• Clay and silex soil
• 45+ year old vines
• Indigenous yeast
• No malo
• Aged in large older barrel

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

Vinous 95 Points | The 2019 Clos de la Dioterie is a sophisticated, seductively perfumed style—brooding yet aromatic. Its concentrated flavors are pure; it remains light and elegant, with a delectable, chalky, veil-like texture residing on your tongue as the finish draws out with precision, sinew and line. This is a fine, texturally intriguing wine.

Winemaker Description 

Le Berceau de Fees" by Domaine Aux Moines is a lovely and juicy Chenin Blanc from young vineyards of famous Roche-aux-Moines grand cru. It opens on the nose to clean and straight aromas of fruit, flowers and aromatic herbs, surrounded by sharp saltiness. The sip is fresh and direct, animated by great acid shoulder and long mineral persistence. 

Winemaker Description 

Grape varietal : Melon de Bourgogne. Vine age : 40 years. Farming : Ecological Farming. Vinification : Méthode traditionnelle. After initial fermentation in underground cement tanks, the wine undergoes a secondary fermentation in bottle and is aged on the lees for 9 months.

The House of Chéreau Carré occupies the most privileged position in the Loire-Atlantique department of France. This family-owned property dates back to the 15th century. The vines here are some of the most prized in the region of the Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine.

The property is managed by Bernard Chéreau, whose family origins span back to the eleventh century. Bernard’s passion for Melon de Bourgogne is evident in the quality of his wines.

Our Professional Notes

Oscar Garcia Moncada, 67 Wine Buyer, writes:  On the nose, you’ll encounter an enticing bouquet of wild red berries—raspberries, strawberries, and red currants. The palate continues the red berry theme, delivering a tangy, fruit-forward experience complemented by a delightful saline minerality that adds complexity. The finish is crisp and dry, with a bright, natural acidity that makes this wine a fantastic choice as an aperitif or a versatile companion to food. 

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2018

Benujamin Lewin, MW of Decanter writes 95 Points | Great sense of fruit purity on the nose, showing a mélange of black fruits. This shows brilliance on the palate, it’s very flavourful, with almost savoury undertones lingering on a very long finish. A sensation of gunflint shows retronasally. This is a rare combination: the height of elegance combined with depth. Drinking Window: 2032-2052.

La Revue du Vin de France writes 94 Points | As for Le Bourg, it remains faithful to the generously toasted and hedonistic expression of its barrel ageing. A concentrated material, a sensation of sweetness and power accompany the salient tannic framework that the years will soften. 

Winemaker Description 

Clos Rougeard was created in 1664 on the land of Chacé, a village not far from Saumur. Eight generations have succeeded one another at the head of the estate, the most recent being the Foucault brothers. From the 1980s onwards, Charly and Nady adopted a singular philosophy to enhance the terroirs of Saumur and Saumur-Champigny: leave the wine in peace so it can expresses its own identity. No synthetic products are added to the vines, gentle vinifications are thought out like infusions and minimalist approach is claimed. In 2017, the Bouygues family bought the estate and has continued the work begun by their emblematic predecessors with a deep respect for the DNA of the winery and its identity. Today the estate has found its balance thanks to a passionate team who strives to preserve the excellence and uniqueness of the wines whose depth, finesse and precision are unparalleled.

Located in the heart of the village of Chacé, Le Bourg is composed of very old vines and lies on a predominantly limestone terroir on shallow clay loam, typical of the Saumur-Champigny appellation. This wine reveals riper, fleshier fruit and a dense, full-bodied texture. Le Bourg is from vines averaging 80 years old, planted on a thin layer of clay over a deep bed of tuffeau, also in Chacé. The combination of vine age and richer soil makes this the most powerfully structured wine in Clos Rougeard’s array.

95 Points Wine Spectator | This voluptuous, full-bodied, off-dry white shows a lot of power, offering round pear, mango and honeycomb flavors that take a salty turn on the palate, with brine, crushed flint and bitter almond skin, backed by a subtle hint of brioche on the finish. Opening up in the glass, this gorgeous wine offers loads of immediate charm, but should have a long life ahead in the cellar as well.

Taking its roots deep into the chalk soils of Vouvray, this off-dry wine resonates beautifully in the mouth. Its natural sugar and refreshing acidity blend harmoniously. Aerial and complex, this fruity wine is to be appreciated young, but can reveal itself graciously to the ones who wait. Winemaker Description.