Spring 2024 - Let Loire wines be your go to
Known as the Le Jardin, or Garden of France for its rolling and colorful landscapes and native tree varieties, Loire Valley has been cranking out both fine and exciting wines since its Charlemagne days and even further back, before Roman times. Grapes of the region range from inherently expressive (Chenin Blanc, Cabernet Franc) to conductive of the winemakers hand (Melon de Bourgogne in Muscadet)… as well as ancient heirloom varieties making their come back, like Pineau D’Aunis and Grolleau. Heritage soils of the Loire vineyard regions range from chunky maritime fossils toward the Atlantic coast, to a spectrum of lightly compressed to marbelized calcite bedrock.
About two hours inland from the Atlantic Coast, Jérome Bretaudeau is crafting some of the most noted wines of the Muscadet wine region. Known for biodynamics in the vineyard and then experimentation with a variety of aging vessels, Breteadeau produces edgy reds uncommon to the region, although his Muscadet wines from Melon grapes are now considered elevated interpretations of classic Gabbro and Quartz-laden Granite soil expressions. Elegant but unassuming on the palate, Bretaudeau’s “Granites” can launch parities portions of a meal like oysters and fried bits, but also can carry hefty slabs of Atlantic Monkfish or anything from freshwater (like Zander or Walleye) in butter and herbs. Go for the mid-day move with Muscadet and a savory egg-topped Gallete (a Breton buckwheat version of crepes).
For its ability to express terroir, Pinot Noir is grown is enclaves such as Sancerre (most famous for Sauvignon Blanc) and Menetou-Salon, and in our example, Coteaux du Giennois. Vignobles Berthier are growing Pinot Noir in the heart of Sauvignon country. Pinot from Loire has a velvet-soft green tint within its expression which is reminiscent of riverside foliage like willows and cattails, grassy picnics, and rowboats along lily pads … one might even chill a Loire pinot in the pastoral riverside method of tying a string to it and dropping it to the river bottom until its the perfect pitch of temperature to honor the occasion. Unlike honored locals like Cab Franc or Grolleau, this red is light in tannin (especially when from the Loire) and in Springtime gives just the right amount of”red-ness’ to let other ingredients sing.. like chive blossoms, ramps, green garlic and pea tendrils… also freshwater fish like pike and trout, or bites that are even more delicate like escargots in green sauces or crawfish. Thumps of guitar ala Django can’t be too far off in the distance, as reknowned regional Gypsie Jazz festivals are sure to accompany more than a few cases of Loire Pinot Noir through the seasons of each vintage.
Pur Breton from Olivier Cousin is a Loire staple among natural wine fans and acolytes of biodynamics. Cousin has been practicing biodynamics in the vineyards since the 1980’s, alongside OG contemporaries like Nicolas Joly and Jean-Pierre Robinot. Notorious for his breaks with the local appellation authorities and known for riding his Clydesdales into town for farm errands, Olivier Cousin has become also known for his expressions of heirloom Loire grape varieties, but in the case of Pur Breton he simply states the ancestral name of Cabernet Franc and delivers his spin to us regarding this Loire grape of wide renown. We want these legendary Cab Francs with loins cuts, bacon sandwiches, chicken with herbs and schmaltz, and off-cuts like kidney, but dont neglect essential Loire road trip treasures like a grassy bundle of Chavignol (Loire goat cheese) or an earthy Rillettes de Tours (pork shoulder “jam”)!
