Red

Organic / Biodynamic

Château de Chaintres produces this cuvée 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.

Past vintages have been featured in The New York Times. Eric Asimov once wrote:

"Domaine du Bel Air, run by a father-and-son team, makes fine, age-worthy wines from organic cabernet franc. Jour de Soif is their entry-level bottle, made from younger vines, which are nonetheless still 20 years old. Yet this is no mere vin de soif. You can sense the structure of the other cuvées in the fine tannins that give shape to this otherwise fresh and juicy wine. Not shy at 14.3 percent alcohol, it, too, would be great for grilled meats."

The 2023 Bourgueil Jour de Soif reveals a fruity, delicate bouquet of spices, dark wild berries, green bell pepper and pepper. Medium-bodied, gourmand and juicy, it has a delicate, tannic frame with powdery tannins and a long, mouthwatering finish. It is produced from vines that are planted in gravelly soils (60%) and in clay soils (40%). - Wine Advocate

Organic

This is 100% Pinot Noir with a touch of oak barrel aging to add roundness to the palate. The color is so vibrant red it seems electric. The nose is fresh and slightly spiced. In the mouth red fruits such as sour cherries and strawberries dominate. Harmonious and round, it reveals a long fresh finish with a touch of spice. This is beautifully done!

Nicolas Millerioux is a young French vigneron who took over the family estate in 2008. Located in the hamlet of Amigny, just west of the village of Sancerre and south of Chavignol, the Milleriouxs have worked the land here for three generations, eventually expanding to the 15ha they farm today. Amigny is known for its chalky soils, and 95% of the Millerioux's holdings come from a mix of the classic limestone terroirs of the region: "Caillotes" (a hard, shallow limestone full of stones) and "Terres Blanches" (a softer Kimmeridgian marl).

In 2008 Nicolas brought organic farming to the family estate. Today, the work in the vineyards is completely organic (with certification coming) and the soils are worked manually. In the cellar, all of the wines are allowed to ferment naturally and extended lees-aging is used to enrich the wines, which allows for minimal sulfur additions only at racking and bottling. Nicolas’ goal is to define how Sancerre might have tasted earlier in the 20th century, before modern vine-clone monotony and industrial practices in the vineyards and cellar, and if his early work is any indication, he will surely be leading the charge as part of Sancerre’s new generation.

Organic

93 points Wine Advocate
Green asparagus and earthy notes intermixed with dark berry aromas open the 2018 Saumur Puy Notre Dame Tête 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 tête 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

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+