France

Is this Sancerre in disguise? This refreshing white wine has all the makings of Sancerre and cost under $20! Lip smacking acidity and minerality dominate the palate. Crisp with subtle citrus notes that finishes bone dry. 100% Sauvignon Blanc from old vines.

Quincy does produce exceptionally high quality Sauvignon Blanc, much like Sancerre, but at a much more affordable price. The cost of Sancerre has skyrocketed over the years with it?€?s immense popularity and recent difficult vintages. So the savvy Sancerre drinker should be looking towards regions such as Quincy to get their high-acid, mineral driven white wine fix.

Today?€?s wine happens to be produced by an outstanding Sancerre winery, Domaine Sylvain Bailly. This is one of our favorite Sancerre producers, who really created something special with their Quincy botting.

The Bailly family have been vignerons in Sancerre from father to son since 1700. Like most winemaking families in France who suffered from the phylloxera blight in the late 19th century and then the two world wars of the 20th century, it was only in the early 1950's that Sylvain Bailly began to prosper and grow his business. His son Jacques has took the helm in the late 1980s and today, his daughter Sonia manages the estate.

Winery Notes
On the nose, a wide range of fragrances, from vegetal with ivy and acacia to fruity with peach and lychee. A fresh start, opening for persistent mineral and fruity notes with a lingering finish on the palate.

If we had our way, fish stores would include a bottle of Muscadet with every dozen oysters sold. But barring new regulatory measures of food and drink, picking up a bottle of Muscadet should be as much of a given as dressing for salad; bread for a sandwich; a steak knife for a steak! That's how perfect and an integral this wine is with briny, East Coast oysters (or any shellfish, truly!). Here, Pepiere's version is bright and briny, with a little lemon meringue and lemon verbena on the nose, and that clear, bracing minerality that keeps you coming back for another sip (and another oyster!). -- PJ

Organic

A terrific Sancerre alternative. This is a very mineral driven Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley.

A blend of 80% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Chardonnay, the Cazin Cheverny features bright citrus aromas and complex mineral notes. The palate is deep, surprisingly full-bodied, with great acid and remarkable length. The Sauvignon Blanc stays on the lees until the end of November." Importer notes

Located in the eastern Loire, just south of Blois, the little known appellations of Cheverny and Cour-Cheverny are a must for any fan of Loire wines. Cheverny, the larger of the two appellations, consists of Sauvignon dominated wines while the tiny Cour-Cheverny zone must be made from the ancient Romorantin variety. Both zones have clay, limestone and silica soils. Francois Cazin hand harvests his old vines at yields that are well below average in any given year. His Cheverny is fresh and floral, with appley-texture and crisp acidity. The flavors are sleek and precise.

Organic

94 points View from the Cellar (John Gilman)
The 2017 vintage of les Picasses from Domaine Raffault has just been released, nearly six years out from the vintage. The wine is simply outstanding on both the nose and palate, with the bouquet hopping from the glass in a vibrant and already complex blend of sweet dark berries, cassis, cigar wrapper, gravelly soil tones, a touch of smoked meats, currant leaf and a smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied, focused and complex, with superb mid-palate depth, excellent soil signature and grip, ripe, well-measured tannins and impeccable balance on the long, complex and very classy finish. At age six, this wine is certainly approachable today, but it is still a puppy and the real fireworks will not start until it is at least twelve years of age. Outstanding young Chinon! 2023-2075+

Organic / Biodynamic / Natural

Its truth is revealed on the palate: intense, succulent, mineral and slightly nutty. This Muscadet has stringent acidity which leads to a long and salty finish. As minerally refreshing and satisfying as it is now, it clearly will age up to five years continuing to develop even more depth and complexity.

Organic / Biodynamic

Ch??teau de Chaintres produces this cuv??e from one of their best and oldest parcels: a 1940 planting (hence the name: the year of plantation in Roman numerals) of Cabernet Franc in the heart of the clos. Aged in a single 20-hectoliter tronconic oak cask for two winters, ?€?MCMXL?€? offers intensely concentrated, sappy fruit, penetrating and finely chiseled minerality, and a firmer structure than the other Saumur-Champigny wines in the lineup.

Organic / Natural

This is an incredible find in Loire Valley Cabernet Franc. This has everything you could want in a classically styled Chinon but with a ?€?new-age?€? touch of freshness (no oak used, only concrete). The bouquet wafts out of the glass displaying notes of wildflowers, blackberries and bell peppers. This medium-bodied Cabernet Franc has the classic spice and pyrazine (green notes) Chinon is known for but not in a stemmy or unripe fruit way. It is subtle and adds a desired complexity. This is bright and joyful and should not be missed by Loire Valley wine enthusiasts. Lower its temperature for maximum enjoyment! Organic / Natural. 12% abv.

At the crossroads of traditional Chinon and modern, youthful winemaking you will find Domaine de la Mariniere. The depth and purity of the fruit they achieve ia terrific.

The Domaine de la Mariniere, situated in Panzoult on the eastern edge of Chinon, has been farmed by the Desbourdes family since 1965. The land here was initially used as a true, polyculture farm, raising animals and growing cereal grains in addition to grapes. Renaud Desbourdes returned to help his father in the 1980s, turning the focus to grape growing and winemaking and expanding the vineyard plantings, and eventually took full control of the domaine in 1999 when his father retired. Today, Renaud?€?s son, Boris, has joined his father full-time and is helping to take this traditional family domaine into the next generation.

Boris initially became passionate about organic farming after working with Vincent Laval in Champagne, and upon his return, he immediately transitioned his family?€?s vineyards to organics (certified in 2018). The 15 hectares of vines average 30 years old (with some old parcels having been planted in the ?€?50s and ?€?60s) and are planted on a mix of gravelly sand and limestone soils on the hillsides. In addition to the increased focus on farming, Boris has introduced hand-harvesting and the use of native yeast for fermentations. The result of all of this work is a set of wines that are at the forefront of a modern approach to classic Chinon, combining the best of old traditions with youthful energy.

Organic

Francois Pinon inherited his domaine from his father in 1987 and has, over the last 20 years, become widely recognized as one of the top producers in Vouvray. His mission is simple: to maintain the character of the appellation and of the vintage. The vineyards at Pinon are in the corniche of the Vallee de Cousse. The soil here is clay and silica on a base of limestone (tuffeau) with flint (silex), and the area is rated among the top sites in the appellation for Vouvrays of distinction and longevity. Pinon works organically; he plows the vineyards, does not use chemical fertilizers and pesticides and, of course, he harvests by hand and uses no cultured yeasts. All new plantings are done by massale selection and no nursery clones are used; the vines are an average of 25 years old. He is slowly moving towards organic certification with confidence that these methods produce the finest fruit. Primary fermentation occurs in wood barrels, then the wines are aged in stainless steel or foudres to obtain a balance between fruit and reduction. There is one racking to remove the heavy lees and the wine remains on its fine lees until bottling, which takes place a full year after the harvest. Rather than use a large dose of SO2, Pinon prefers to filter his wines to insure their stability and aging potential.

Clos de Nouys is the essence of dry Vouvray and this 25 acre estate is found just outside the eponymous sleepy village, where they vinify Chenin Blanc. This is as good and affordable as Chenin Blanc gets. On the palate this is dry, full bodied and with a hint of flinty minerality and fantastic acidity for a clean finish that suits seafood perfectly. the Clos de Nouys is a 25-acre estate within the Vouvray appellation of the Loire Valley, with vines averaging 35 years old. This is one of the oldest winemaking estates in the AOC area: its wines were served on the SS Normandie transatlantic liner in 1936, and its parcels of vines were already listed amongst the best sites on the 1907 geological maps.?? Its vine plots have been acknowledged as being some of the best of the area. The terroir consist of hillsides vineyards, facing south, on clay and limestone and a thick layer of "Tuffeau", a soft limestone with water-retaining properties making it very interesting in periods of drought.

Organic / Biodynamic

A blend of various plots surrounding the Clos Baudoin, including L?€?Espagnole, Le Haut Lieu, La Chatterie, L?€?Homme and La Reugni??res. Average of 40 year vine age. This blend of top sites from the Vouvray appellation is always vinfied dry, usually around 4 g/l of residual sugar. It is fresh and open on the nose and has a bit more power and bredth than its Montlouis counterpart from Clos du Breuil.

Organic / Biodynamic

Made from the noble Chenin Blanc grape variety, this cuv??e presents all the characteristics of ripe fruit with aromas of apricots, peaches and quince. This cuv??e is fermented in barrel bringing delicate nutty aromas. The palate is round and fresh, which allows for gourmet pairings.100% Chenin Blanc. Vineyard planted in 1984.Direct pressing. Fermentation in thermoregulated stainless steel vats. Natural yeast fermentation. Aging in French oak barrels (new and used) for one year. Tartaric stabilization in cold room.

Organic / Biodynamic

The pale yellow robe is very clear. The nose shows a nice expression of freshness, citrus and white flowers. The mouth is fresh with a nice tonic acidity and minimality. 100% Chenin Blanc. Vineyard planted in 1984. Direct pressing. Fermentation and maturing in stainless steel temperature-regulated tanks. Tartaric stabilisation in cold room.

Organic / Biodynamic

95 points Vinous
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.

93 points John Gilman
The 2023 version of Le Mont Sec from Domaine Hu??t is another outstanding wine in the making. As is so often the case, the wine shows a bit more mineral personality in comparison to the chalkier foundations of the Le Haut Lieu bottling. The wine is beautifully measured in its ripeness, tipping the scales at thirteen percent octane and offering up a refined aromatic constellation of quince, a touch of fresh pineapple, lemon, limestone minerality, dried flowers, orange peel and incipient notes of beeswax in the upper register. On the palate the wine is bright, full-bodied and quite elegant in profile, with a good core of fruit, fine focus and balance, lovely mineral undertow and a long, complex finish. This is a touch less expressive out of the blocks than the Le Haut Lieu Sec, and of the two cuv??es, I would be inclined to drink the Le Haut Lieu out of the blocks and tuck away the Le Mont in the cellar right from the start and let it blossom down the road.

Organic / Biodynamic

93 points John Gilman
The 2023 Vouvray ?€?Le Haut Lieu?€? Sec from Domaine Hu??t is a classic in the making, coming in at an even thirteen percent octane in this vintage and offering up a bright and complex bouquet of quince, lemon, chalky soil tones, lanolin, white lilies and a topnote of citrus peel. On the palate the wine is pure, precise and full-bodied, with a lovely core of fruit, a fine spine of acidity, lovely focus and grip and a long, well balanced and complex finish. As is so often the case with the Sec bottlings from Domaine Hu??t, the 2023 Le Haut Lieu is quite open out of the blocks and is a delicious glass of wine at the present time. If history is any guide, a few years down the road it will close up for a period of hibernation before it re-emerges to drink well for another fifty years. Fine juice. 2024-2085.

93 points Vinous
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

Organic / Biodynamic

94 points John Gilman
Domaine Hu??t?€?s 2023 Clos du Bourg Sec bottling is also excellent. The wine is deep, complex and beautifully focused on the nose, wafting from the glass in a mix of quince, apple, a touch of pink grapefruit, complex, chalky soil tones, lanolin, beeswax and a topnote of gently musky white flowers. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and shows a bit more mid-palate weight than the Le Haut Lieu and Le Mont Sec bottlings in 2023, with sound acids, excellent balance and grip and fine lift on the long and complex finish. It will not be criminal to open a bottle or two of the Clos du Bourg Sec 2023 in its early days, but if one buys a case, make sure to tuck at least nine of the bottles away for the long haul.

93 points Wine Spectators
Alluring and aromatic, this seduces with honeysuckle, quince and orchard fruit wrapped in salty, leesy notes on the palate, with a hint of toast. Salty density builds toward the finish, with bitter mineral notes bringing balance along with the tangy, mouthwatering acidity. Hints of garlic scape and alpine herbs make for a fresh, clean finish. Built to last.

Organic

93 points Wine Advocate
Green asparagus and earthy notes intermixed with dark berry aromas open the 2018 Saumur Puy Notre Dame T??te de Lard, which benefits from aeration. Black-red in color, the unfiltered wine aged in old barrels for 12 months and was bottled in April last year. It is a concentrated, enormously juicy and fruity-intense red wine with a velvety texture and fruit aromas of blue berries, blackcurrants, elderberries and cowberries. The soft tannins are completely interwoven with the viscous texture of this very particular red that is so soft, sweet and fruity, as if it were still fermenting. I'd cellar it for several years and assume that at 10+ years old could be the right moment to enjoy this biodynamic wine, although I also recommend tasting a bottle every second year or so to see how this natural product develops. Tasted in June 2021.

Peasant and responsible agriculture is a way of life and of thinking. when producing my grapes, i aspire to act sensibly for the people and the planet . this state of mind develops naturally from a respectful relationship with nature. since 1998, the vineyard has been cultivated and
certified by ecocert in organic farming and since 2010 in biodynamic farming by biodyvin. knowing how to adapt to a changing environment requires constant questioning. the planting of forgotten grape varieties such as pineau d?€?aunis, the incorporation of trees into the cultivation of
the vine (agroforestry) or the gradual abandonment of all modern oenology are avenues that i have followed for more than 20 years. other projects will emerge in the coming years. revitalizing authenticity, durability and liveliness is an integral part of the culture of my estate. the
entire manoir de la t??te rouge team and i are passionate about this peasant and caring approach.

100% CABERNET FRANC FROM 20-25 YEARS OLD VINES.
12 MONTHS IN OLD OAK BARRELS + 4 MONTHS IN CONCRETE TANK.
FILTERED. UNFINED.

Organic / Biodynamic

94 points Vinous
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.