Anjou Rising!
2021 is off to a bang with the release of some of the most exciting vintages from our estates in the Anjou that we’ve seen in a long time. These are just shipping from the property and we are proud to offer them on pre-arrival to the U.S. market.
DAMIEN LAUREAU, Savennières
Savennières “Le Bel Ouvrage” 2016
Damien Laureau finally released his 2016 (!!!!) Savennières “Le Bel Ouvrage”, one of the most pristine and regal Chenin Blancs I have ever tasted, and one that I’ve been waiting on for my personal cellar for a very long time. As in Burgundy and Champagne, 2016 in the Loire was an exceptional vintage, although a small one in most places, with wines that showing great cut and vibrancy. 2016 marks the first vintage when Damien systematically stopped malolactic fermentation in his wines, making for the raciest Laureau bottling we’ve ever tasted. Much of the fruit from this wine comes from quite rare rhyolite soils in a parcel just next to La Coulée de Serrant. This is one you can easily cellar for many years.
Savennières “Les Genets” 2018
We’re also getting our first look at Damien’s 2018 Savennières “Les Genets”, a super juicy expression of Chenin from a big vintage. Unlike many of the ‘18s in the Loire, Damien picked quite early and succeeded in making a wine with great balance while still showing the richness of the vintage. Les Genets is produced from sandy parcels on top of classic Savennières schist, creating a slightly lighter style than “Bel Ouvrage”, but with the same level of opulence and presence as the top wine from the estate.
Savennières “l’Alliance” 2019
New name, new wine. The young-vine wine at Laureau was formerly called “La Petite Roche” from the parcel from which it hails. Damien has decided to blend that fruit with all of the soil types at the estate (schist, sand, rhyolite, quartz) and to create this new wine, l’Alliance, signaling the alliance or blending of these terroirs. The main body of fruit still comes from La Petite Roche and its dense schist topsoils looking down on the Loire river. This will eventually be Damien’s top site when the vines are older, but for the moment, it’s used to make this delicious tank-aged bottling.
*Damien Laureau is certified organic by Ecocert.
Terre de l’Elu, Anjou
Thomas & Charlotte Carsin
Maupiti 2019
Maupiti has become the most anticipated “glou glou” wine in our book because, well, it’s just so drinkable. Gamay for fruit and fun, cabernet franc for spice and depth, and grolleau for zip and punch. Maupiti is made from hand-harvested grapes in the Anjou which are fermented in whole clusters using natural yeast. The wine spends 12 months in conical French oak vats before bottling. Black cherry, blueberry, and spice for days.
l’Aiglerie 2016
Named for the hilltop site that was formerly an ancient hunting ground using eagles instead of guns (aigle means “eagle” in French), this bottling is a beautiful expression of pure Cabernet Franc from the Anjou. The parcel is composed of the famous black schist of this part of the Anjou, mixed with beautiful chunks of quartz. Harvested by hand, the grapes are gently allowed to infuse and macerate in whole bunches for 5 weeks before aging almost 3 years in older French oak barrels. The result is a wine that walks the tightrope between traditional and modern, with lovely spice and herbal notes, but with punchy fruit and depth. 2016 is a regal vintage to drink or keep for several years.
Bastingage 2018
The workhorse white wine of the estate, Bastingage is a rich but dry Chenin Blanc produced from the famous black schist of the Anjou. In order to avoid any botrytis, the vineyard selection is almost draconian, with multiple passes over several days. It is made using native yeasts, as are all the wines at the property, and aged for a year in French oak barrels before a short period in vat to marry the wine. 2018 represented a rich vintage and this wine is a great example of the top wines of this year. Rich, decadent fruit, but still dry with a distinct mineral backbone holding the wine upright. This is a gastronomic wine that shows the range of this noble varietal.
Ephata 2018
I’m not supposed to have favorites in the portfolio, but let’s just say that this wine does it ALL for me. 80-year-old vines on sandy schist is where this wine starts, following by a severe vineyard selection. Ephata is fermented using natural yeast in 10 hectoliter sandstone jars before a gently aging in 140 liter clay amphorae. Salty, savory, silky….all the s’s. This bottling is incredibly structured and serious but without the austerity that sometimes comes with chenins of this caliber in appellations like Savennières. World-class white wine.
*Note that Terre de l’Elu was formerly known as Clos de l’Elu. All of the wines are certified organic by Ecocert and biodynamic by Demeter.
