Red

Organic / Biodynamic

Eric Asimov of the New York Times praised the previous vintage in his article "20 Wines Under $20: Finding Bargains Amid Inflation", February 9, 2023. The 2021 may even be better, showing more restraint and true Loire Valley character!

This is the first bottle I’ve had from Château de Chaintres, but it will not be the last. The 2020 Les Sables is an excellent Saumur Champigny red, made entirely from biodynamically farmed cabernet franc grapes. It’s rich yet focused, with earthy flavors of dark fruits and flowers, and it has just enough tannic structure to stand up to a steak or juicy roast.

A joyful, light-bodied chilable Gamay from the Loire Valley.

Organic / Biodynamic / Natural

Beautiful Cabernet Franc from the Loire Valley.

Organic / Natural

A seamless blend of Gamay, Pinot Noir, and Côt (Malbec) from 15 year old vines that are worked by hand according to organic principles. 15 day carbonic maceration of Gamay, regular fermentation of the Pinot Noir and Cot, spontaneous fermentation in tanks with indigenous yeasts. No fining nor filtration. A vibrant chillable red that Beaujolais fans will go crazy for!

Sauvignon Blanc grown on Silex (limestone) soils. Racy and mineral focused.

Organic

The greater vineyard of Les Poyeux hosts a mythical terroir, home to some of the Loire’s most coveted red wines. Les Poyeux consists of 2 very distinct terroirs with unique expressions, in spite of the soil components being similar.

Les Bas Poyeux rests at the lower part of the of the Les Poyeux slope, with a complex soil which begins with 20 cm of sand above a distinctive limestone and clay subsoil. This leaves a prominent limestone imprint in the wines from this area, giving Les Bas Poyeux its "blood" side. To best elaborate the depth and complexity of this particular terroir, Duveau makes the choice to age the wine in a mix of concrete and neutral barrel.

Organic

The greater vineyard of Les Poyeux hosts a mythical terroir, home to some of the Loire’s most coveted red wines. Les Poyeux consists of 2 very distinct terroirs with unique expressions, in spite of the soil components being similar.

Les Hauts Poyeux, in addition to being the higher elevation portion of Les Poyeux, its distinctiveness lies in its depth of topsoil – 60 cm of the famous Poyeux sand before reaching the first levels of clay and limestone. In vinification, Les Hauts Poyeux sees a long maceration to elaborate the aromatics linked to this soil texture, followed by aging for 12 to 18 months in neutral barrique, to sublimate the aromatics and refine the fine tannins of the terroir.

Organic / Biodynamic

A fresh easy drinking expression of Pinot Noir from the Loire Valley. Lush, ripe red fruit dominate with only 12.5% abv. Far superior than anything you would get from Burgundy at this price range.

Second Place finisher in our 2022 Wine Of The Year blind taste-off!

93 points Vinous
From a limestone-based plot on the Chinon plateau, the 2016 Chinon Les Picasses features intriguing warming spices, including garam masala, as well as piquant black cherry, all followed up with mouthwatering acidity. Like their other cuvées, it's not showy and extroverted but quiet, its joy being in its tender caress on the midpalate. It has grown up in large foudres (50hl) over a year but reveals little woody influence. The finish has fine sinew and refined chalky tannins that draw the palate out on the lengthy, tea-leaf-like and spiced finish.

100% Cabernet Franc. Les Picasses is the most famous Chinon lieu-dit, close to the village of Beaumont-En-Véron on the north bank of the Vienne River. It is a slope with full southern exposure and chalky clay-limestone soils, the combination resulting in fully ripened, structured wines. Raffault's mid-slope vines are at least 50 years old and are worked organically and harvested by hand. The fruit is destemmed and the whole, uncrushed berries are fermented with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel tank; fermentation and maceration last for 25-30 days, depending on the vintage. The wine is aged for 2-3 years in oak and chestnut foudres ranging from 30-50 hectoliters; it is then further aged in tank and bottle before release about four years after the vintage. Les Picasses is the fullest-bodied, most structured and most complex of the Raffault reds. - Importer

Organic

Vincent Roussely is the 4th generation in charge of this castle estate in Angé sur Cher, Touraine, which his grandfather turned into a winemaking facility in 1917. The vineyards span 8 hectares on clay & tuffeau limestone with large deposits of flint.

Irréductible is made from a single hectare of 80+ year old vines from the local Pineu d’Aunis grape. Hand harvested and direct pressed before fermentation in 400L oak barrels, it is then aged in amphorae for 12 months and bottled unfined & unfiltered.

Concentrated, yet elegant, with notes of fresh raspberries, cherries, pepper, & purple flowers, with soft tannins, a well-integrated acidity, and a woodsy air leading to a bright finish.

100% Pineau d’Aunis.