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producer profile
<p><strong>We must thank Julien Pineau for introducing us to Jean Benoit's work. </strong></p>
<p>Before settling in <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Provence" title="831">Provence</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> Jean Benoit Comor led many prior lives which include studying law, being high up in the Carrefour grocery chain bureaucracy and running a <glossary term="Cave Cooperative" title="252">cave cooperative</glossary> in the South of France. At the age of 40, he decided to start fresh and purchase an <glossary term="Estate" title="427">estate</glossary> just outside of Aix-en-Provence. The sale of the 18 <glossary term="Hectare" title="523">hectares</glossary> that now form Domaine la Providence took place in 2017 and Comor instantly went beyond <glossary term="Organic" title="746">organic</glossary> <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Conversion" title="332">conversion</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> hiring famed <glossary term="Biodynamic" title="160">biodynamic</glossary> consultants Lydia and Claude Bourguignon. In addition to the <glossary term="Conversion" title="332">conversion</glossary> (the <glossary term="Estate" title="427">estate</glossary> is now <glossary term="Organic Certification" title="260">certified organic</glossary>), JB quickly starting ripping out vines to replant three <glossary term="Hectare" title="523">hectares</glossary> of <glossary term="Indigenous" title="1139">indigenous</glossary> Provençal grapes, majoritarily for white wine production. </p>
<p>Jean Benoit inherited a contract with the local <glossary term="Cave Cooperative" title="252">cave cooperative</glossary> for the entirety of his production, one he's honored through the 2020 <glossary term="Vintage" title="1109">vintage</glossary> save for a tiny amount of a red <glossary term="Cuvée" title="363">cuvée</glossary> called "La Providence" and some <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Rosé/Rosato" title="871">rosé</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> The long term goal is to progressively become 100% independent and to reduce the surface to 16 <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Hectare" title="523">hectares</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> While honoring his contract, JB has been busy building a <glossary term="Cellar" title="254">cellar</glossary> and purchasing <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Concrete Egg" title="1284">concrets eggs</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> <glossary term="Amphora" title="103">anforas</glossary> and <glossary term="Stainless Steel" title="986">stainless steel</glossary> <glossary term="Vat/Tank" title="1140">tanks</glossary> to increase and improve his <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Vinification" title="1104">vinifications</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> While only one wine is currently produced in any consequent volume, Comor anticipates producing 5x as much of it in 2021 and will also be working on other yet to be determined <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Cuvée" title="363">cuvées</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> </p>
producer profile
<p>Paraiso Natural is a micro-project between New York based Brits Liz Mckiver, Richard Barnett and their Portuguese friends Miguel and Leli Viseu. High in the mountains of the <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Ponte de Lima" title="1452">Ponte di Lima</glossary></span></span> and nestled in the tiny village of Paraiso (aka "paradise"), a single vineyard of <glossary term="Loureiro" title="1423">Loureiro</glossary> grows at 300 meters <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Elevation" title="419">elevation</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> Very few vines are planted at such high <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Elevation" title="419">elevation</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> even less surrounded by a completely natural environment. Only 20km off the coast, the vines are constantly touched by the ocean's breeze and are grown <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Organic" title="746">organically</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> </p>
<p>The property totals roughly 4.5 <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Hectare" title="523">hectares</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> with just one <glossary term="Hectare" title="523">hectare</glossary> currently planted. The vines were planted in 2013 and acquired by Mckiver and Barnett in 2017. The goal from the beginning has been "to love and preserve the land, the soil, the vines. To allow the grapes to express themselves naturally. To grow and bottle a beautiful wine, with no intervention in the vineyard, no <glossary term="Additive" title="1192">additives</glossary> in the bottle."</p>
<p>Miguel Viseu, in additon to working as head winemaker at the beloved Aphros <glossary term="Estate" title="427">estate</glossary> and his own project <a href="https://louisdressner.com/producers/galactic%20wines">Galactic Wines</a> with his wife Leli, is in charge of the viticulture and winemaking. A single wine is made without any <glossary term="Enology" title="422">oenological</glossary> <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Intervention" title="545">intervention</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> including <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Fining" title="449">fining</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> <glossary term="Filtration" title="447">filtration</glossary> or <glossary term="Sulfites" title="993">SO2</glossary> additions. There is no rushing it to market and it is <glossary term="Bottling" title="185">bottled</glossary> when deemed ready. </p>
<p>Some of the land is suited for planting vines, but if this does happen it will be slowly and organically when the time is right. Due to the miniscule size of the project, we get less than 200 bottles a year. </p>
producer profile
<p><glossary term="Contrada" title="330">Contrada</glossary> Passofonduto is located about 25 kms from Agrigento and the south coast of central <glossary term="Sicily" title="951">Sicily</glossary> on the edge of the province of Caltanisetta. This is a landscape of steep outcrops that was once a source of salt and sulfur. The mines now lay unused as the demand for rock salt and rock sulfur has moved over to industrial sources. But the richness in these minerals is evident in the soils all around making it a very unique area to cultivate vines. </p>
<p>In 2015 Giuseppe Cipolla began planting vines on a <glossary term="Plot" title="1133">plot</glossary> of land that his family cultivated mainly for other crops like grains, olives, fruits and legumes. Working with two other <glossary term="Plot" title="1133">plots</glossary> of grapes that were already established in the <glossary term="Contrada" title="330">Contrade</glossary> Torre di Salto d’ Angio and San Vicenzo he began the search for his ideal expression of <glossary term="Terroir" title="1026">terroir</glossary> in the wines he started making.</p>
<p>The majority of the vines are cultivated in <glossary term="Gobelet" title="497">alberello</glossary> and planted on a very steep hillside of rocky <glossary term="Chalk" title="266">chalk</glossary> based soils consisting of <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Gypsum" title="1453">gypsum</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Halite" title="1454">halite</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> <glossary term="Calcareous" title="222">calcareous</glossary> sulfur and other types of salt deposits from the Messinian period about 5-6 million years ago. The work is hard but a labor of love and quality for Giuseppe. In the <glossary term="Contrada" title="330">Contrada</glossary> Passofonduto he built all the <glossary term="Terrace" title="1022">terraces</glossary> of the 1.5<font color="#7b143e"><b> <glossary term="Hectare" title="523">hectares</glossary></b></font> he has already planted and is creating more for future plantings. The total surface of the farm is 16 <glossary term="Hectare" title="523">hectares</glossary> and he plans to continue a mixed use of vines, cereals and fruits, but with more vines. </p>
<p>He's planted <glossary term="Nero d'Avola" title="714">Nero d’Avola</glossary> and <glossary term="Nerello Mascalese/Nerello Cappuccio" title="713">Nerello Mascalese</glossary> for reds; <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Grillo" title="511">Grillo</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> <glossary term="Zibibbo" title="1131">Zibibbo</glossary> and <glossary term="Catarratto" title="249">Catarratto</glossary> for whites. The vines have all been <glossary term="Grafting" title="500">grafted</glossary> in place on <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Rootstock" title="869">American rootstock</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> except for one small <glossary term="Parcel" title="760">parcel</glossary> of <glossary term="Zibibbo" title="1131">Zibibbo</glossary> that was <glossary term="Grafting" title="500">pre-grafted</glossary> at a nursery. He uses various <glossary term="Selection Massale" title="941">massale</glossary> <glossary term="Clones" title="304">clones</glossary> to increase resistance to maladies. The old <glossary term="Plot" title="1133">plots</glossary> in Torre di Salto have a number of vines planted in unknown local white <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Varietal" title="1071">varieties</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> </p>
<p>The initial <glossary term="Fermentation" title="441">fermentations</glossary> are done in <glossary term="Fiberglass" title="445">fiberglass</glossary> <glossary term="Vat/Tank" title="1140">tanks</glossary> or in <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Wood" title="1126">wood</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> then <glossary term="Racking/Soutirage" title="843">racked</glossary> to continue <glossary term="Fermentation" title="441">fermentation</glossary> in <glossary term="Barrel" title="142">barrel</glossary> and finally <glossary term="Racking/Soutirage" title="843">racked</glossary> into <glossary term="Stainless Steel" title="986">stainless steel</glossary> for assembly before <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Bottling" title="185">bottling</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> Right now there are three wines of note.<b> </b></p>
<p><b>"</b>Solfare" (the name while meaning “to <glossary term="Sulfites" title="993">sulfur</glossary>” actually derives from the name a particular geologic formation of rock sulfur in the area) - a white wine from mostly <glossary term="Grillo" title="511">Grillo</glossary> and <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Catarratto" title="249">Catarratto</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="De-stemming" title="378">destemmed</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> <glossary term="Maceration" title="610">macerated</glossary> for one day in <glossary term="Fiberglass" title="445">fiberglass</glossary> then <glossary term="Fermentation" title="441">fermened</glossary> and <glossary term="Aging" title="74">aged</glossary> half in <glossary term="Stainless Steel" title="986">stainless steel</glossary> and half in French <glossary term="Oak" title="731">oak</glossary> <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Barrel" title="142">barrels</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> The grapes here come from the <glossary term="Contrada" title="330">Contrada</glossary> Torre di Salto d’ Angio. The vines are over 40 years old and <glossary term="Gobelet" title="497">alberello</glossary> converted to <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Pergola" title="774">pergola</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> The <glossary term="Contrada" title="330">contrada</glossary> is about 500m <glossary term="Elevation" title="419">elevation</glossary> with various <glossary term="Exposition" title="430">expositions</glossary> depending on the <glossary term="Parcel" title="760">parcel</glossary> going from north to northwest.</p>
<p>"Le Robbe" is a red wine from <glossary term="Nero d'Avola" title="714">Nero d’Avola</glossary> with 15% <glossary term="Aromatic" title="120">aromatic</glossary> white grapes, <glossary term="De-stemming" title="378">destemmed</glossary> and <glossary term="Maceration" title="610">macerated</glossary> from one to three days then <glossary term="Fermentation" title="441">fermented</glossary> and <glossary term="Aging" title="74">aged</glossary> in <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Barrel" title="142">barrel</glossary><span>. The grapes here come from </span></span></span>Torre di Salto d’ Angio (230 year old vines in <glossary term="Gobelet" title="497">alberello</glossary> and <glossary term="Pergola" title="774">pergola</glossary>) and <glossary term="Contrada" title="330">Contrada</glossary> San Vicenzo (15 year old vines <glossary term="Training System" title="1039">trained</glossary> in <glossary term="Guyot" title="518">guyot</glossary> on opaque <glossary term="Limestone" title="596">limestone</glossary> and a dark <glossary term="Clay" title="301">clay</glossary>).</p>
<p>"Passofonduto" is another red wine from <glossary term="Nero d'Avola" title="714">Nero d'Avola</glossary> and 10% <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Nerello Mascalese/Nerello Cappuccio" title="713">Nerello Mascalese</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="De-stemming" title="378">destemmed</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> lightly crushed and <glossary term="Maceration" title="610">macerated</glossary> for six days. It comes exclusively from the <glossary term="Contrada" title="330">Contrada</glossary> Passofonduto, the vines Giuseppe has planted himself.</p>
<p>There will be more wines in the future including a <glossary term="Rosé/Rosato" title="871">Rosato</glossary> in 2021 with grapes sourced from the <glossary term="Contrada" title="330">Contrada</glossary> Torre di Salto d’ Angio.</p>
<p>There is absolutely no doubt that Giuseppe has the potential, passion, grapes and <glossary term="Terroir" title="1026">terroir</glossary> to continue to develop a formidable <glossary term="Estate" title="427">estate</glossary> in a remarkably unique region of <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Sicily" title="951">Sicily</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> It’s pretty exciting. </p>
producers visit
<p><strong><em>Words and photos by Jules Dressner.</em></strong></p>
<p>While wrapping up a lovely catch up lunch with Catherine Roussel and Didier Barrouillet, we heard Julien Pineau driving up on his tractor. </p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//888/9a/e8/9ae8622a11d81d7eb515c1bc4b371343.jpg" /></p>
<p>After joining us for a coffee, we were off to the Clos Roche Blanche. </p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//888/4f/7e/4f7e536cce82e81e708b64c732758935.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//888/1a/e5/1ae5772fecc8fb2d5d0c38c464670692.jpg" /></p>
<p>Just a few weeks earlier, the Clos had been hit with bad <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Hail" title="1136">hail</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> Everything was damaged but none more than the new plantations, including the three year old ones. After working the soils in the spring, the vines had actually bounced back pretty well from April's <glossary term="Frost" title="1135">frosts</glossary> but now they were once again in terrible shape.</p>
<p><em>"My main concern is the lack of foliage, which can make the vines susceptible to illness."</em></p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//888/86/1a/861adb2fe95b1a5e7bf834fbc80a443c.jpg" /></p>
<p>Collectively, Julien and Laurent Saillard (the other owner of Clos Roche Blanche) are re-planting a lot of vineyards. In the long term, Julien wants to completely phase out <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Sauvignon Blanc" title="927">Sauvignon Blanc</glossary><span>.</span></span></span></p>
<p><em>“It’s just not suited for this area anymore. The vines keep dying and the wines are too high in alcohol.”</em></p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//888/0a/03/0a03cb5db6b7fe89fa5b3c6e88ea8134.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//888/9a/30/9a30940ac87072142807da89dd38007a.jpg" /></p>
<p>He’s already replanted <glossary term="Chenin Blanc" title="281">Chenin</glossary> and <glossary term="Menu Pineau/Orbois" title="648">Menu Pineau</glossary> but also wants to add <glossary term="Meslier-Saint-François" title="1352">Meslier Saint-François</glossary> (an <glossary term="Indigenous" title="1139">indigenous</glossary> <glossary term="Loire Valley" title="602">Loire</glossary> white grape of which only 20 <glossary term="Hectare" title="523">hectares</glossary> are still planted).</p>
<p><em>“I’m actually renting a </em><glossary term="Parcel" title="760"><em>parcel</em></glossary><em> that has some so I can test it out”.</em></p>
<p>Julien has also made the difficult decision of ripping out most of his very old <glossary term="Malbec" title="366">Côt</glossary> vines, leaving only five rows.</p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//888/e1/73/e17338b11e67a140a792c5e2d7d98f81.jpg" /></p>
<p>In their place he will plant… <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Baco Blanc" title="1456">Baco Blanc</glossary><span>!</span></span></span> This <glossary term="Hybrid" title="532">hybrid</glossary> used to we widely planted by peasants to make wine for personal consumption but was all ripped out with the creation of the <glossary term="AOC" title="108">AOC</glossary>’s in the 1930’s. Julien wants to make a fun, affordable sparkling wine with these grapes. Finally, in 2022 he will replant an additional <glossary term="Hectare" title="523">hectare</glossary> of <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Pineau d'Aunis" title="799">Pineau d'Aunis</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> which Julien loves but which has also proven more resistant to climate change. </p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//888/47/0c/470c76df5be894a4db39ad303d275984.jpg" /></p>
<p>My initial reaction to all of this was a bit of shock. But listening to Julien, it's clear he's making the right decisions. Tradition is great and all but when it's unsustainable, it's up to a new generation to adapt and try new things. I know we all love Clos Roche <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Sauvignon Blanc" title="927">Sauvignon</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> but Clos Roche <glossary term="Chenin Blanc" title="281">Chenin</glossary> and <glossary term="Menu Pineau/Orbois" title="648">Menu Pineau</glossary> seems just as enticing. And per planting a <glossary term="Hybrid" title="532">hybrid</glossary> grape, I think we are in need of an attitude adjustment here: many of these are resistant to fungal illness (meaning less or no <glossary term="Contact Treatment" title="328">treatments</glossary>) and bounce back much better from <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Frost" title="1135">frost</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> They are also high <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Yield" title="1129">yielding</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> a small assurance of sorts in a very unforgiving environment. As long as the goal is to make simple entry level wines, where's the harm? If anything it's reassuring to hear <glossary term="Vigneron/Vignaiolo" title="1089">vignerons</glossary> are finally starting to take action.</p>
<p>Summer 2021 was the first time I've heard <glossary term="Vigneron/Vignaiolo" title="1089">vignerons</glossary> actively talk about incorporating major changes to adapt to climate change; the shitty crops are of course the main factor but I really think what we've collectively had to endure with COVID has forced many of us into rethinking everything. A lot of these choices will take a generation to fully implement and pan out. I'm old now but I think the kids say "I'm here for it" (I think they say that but what do I know it's probably outdated already). In the end, Julien is setting up a lifetime's work here and it was both humbling and exciting hearing about it.</p>
<p>While waiting for these new plantations to come to fruition, Julien has decided to rent a few nearby <glossary term="Parcel" title="760">parcels</glossary> outside of the CRB. The first we visited was 60 <glossary term="Are" title="1208">ares</glossary> of <glossary term="Gamay" title="478">Gamay</glossary> planted in the 1960’s.</p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//888/ed/24/ed245c5fe35b675b86419be6927ca44b.jpg" /></p>
<p>He’s also renting 72 <glossary term="Are" title="1208">ares</glossary> of <glossary term="Malbec" title="366">Côt</glossary> from Junko Arai.</p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//888/02/24/022415a6c8af2d674014a9b32cd1086a.jpg" /></p>
<p>The final <glossary term="Parcel" title="760">parcel</glossary> we visited is one he’s renting from Pierre-O Bonhomme, an interesting mix of 60+ year old <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Menu Pineau/Orbois" title="648">Menu Pineau</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Chenin Blanc" title="281">Chenin</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> <glossary term="Malbec" title="366">Côt</glossary> and <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Gamay" title="478">Gamay</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> This land was too far for Pierre-O to travel to regularly so he’s happy to have it off his hands. It used to be Michel Augé's of Les Maisons Brûlées. </p>
<p>In total this will have increased Julien’s surface to roughly eight <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Hectare" title="523">hectares</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> He’s not sure if he’ll keep the rented <glossary term="Parcel" title="760">parcels</glossary> once the new plantations are older, and he’s also not sure if he wants to make entirely new <glossary term="Cuvée" title="363">cuvées</glossary> either.</p>
<p><em>“If I make a 100% </em><glossary term="Gamay" title="478"><em>Gamay</em></glossary><em> it’s going to be really limited. So I was thinking of </em><glossary term="Blending" title="1146"><em>blending</em></glossary><em> it with the </em><glossary term="Malbec" title="366"><em>Côt</em></glossary><em> to add fruit. It’s a work in progress...”</em></p>
<p>After a long tour of the vines, we set off to see Julien's very modern new <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Cellar" title="254">cellar</glossary><span>.</span></span></span></p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//888/4c/5c/4c5cefdc1318289f6da31a79a63ae7d0.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//888/a0/93/a0936a1f30c0fdcc10fb84357e37e6ae.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//888/68/0c/680c9e9da461a20f69a7e80ced57b601.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//888/71/33/71338de1d3aeefb9ed723d0f8e002082.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//888/62/d5/62d533f24fae3ed7262b3ccf2762a3e9.jpg" /></p>
<p>While built for the 2020 <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Vintage" title="1109">vintage</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> due to COVID Julien ended up <glossary term="Vinification" title="1104">vinifying</glossary> one last time in the old Clos Roche Blanche <glossary term="Cellar" title="254">cellar</glossary> (which is now totally empty and that's really weird), so 2021 will be the first <glossary term="Vintage" title="1109">vintage</glossary> produced here. The day Julien inaugurated it with a <glossary term="portes ouvertes" title="1457">portes ouvertes</glossary><span class="zalup"><span><span>,</span></span></span> his vines got devastated by <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Hail" title="1136">hail</glossary><span>.</span></span></span>..</p>
<p>There wasn't really much wine to taste since everything had already shipped, but we did get to try this 2020 <glossary term="Nouveau/Primeur" title="725">primeur</glossary> made from the the last <glossary term="Parcel" title="760">parcel</glossary> we visited.</p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//888/d8/f9/d8f9e88ebb56274b62b46c83b230a26e.jpg" /></p>
<p>The white and red grapes were co<span class="zalup"><span><span>-</span><glossary term="Harvest" title="521">harvested</glossary> </span></span>and <span class="zalup"><span> <glossary term="Co-fermentation" title="308">co-fermented</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> It was very tasty and all went to England. </p>
<p>We were then treated to an excellent and very thoughtful 100% vegetarian dinner (some <glossary term="Vigneron/Vignaiolo" title="1089">vignerons</glossary> feel our plight of eating only meat and cheese for two weeks straight). While trying some older <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Vintage" title="1109">vintages</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> we talked more about the future of the <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Estate" title="427">estate</glossary><span>.</span></span></span></p>
<p><em>"2021 will be my seventh </em><glossary term="Vintage" title="1109"><em>vintage</em></glossary><em> and it's the hardest because up until this point, I was confident I could make it exclusively off my work, my wine from my vines."</em></p>
<p>It wasn't mentioned above but in 2021 Julien will be forced to make <glossary term="Négociant" title="729">négociant</glossary> wine for the first time. </p>
<p><em>"It felt like I failed, that all of my work isn't enough. It was something I really struggled with and am only now coming to terms with. Pascal Potaire reminded me I have experiences in other regions and that </em><glossary term="Vinification" title="1104"><em>vinifying</em></glossary><em> grapes that you don't grow yourself can be a lot of fun. So we'll see." </em></p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//888/9b/1a/9b1a4b1864974480f3cbe021a3e0f12c.jpg" /></p>
Camille and Mathieu Apffel Visit
A visit with Camille and Mathieu Apffel from August, 2021
Read more…producers visit
<p><em><strong>Words and photos by Jules Dressner.</strong></em></p>
<p>One of the last visits of our 2021 summer tour was with Camille et Mathieu Apffel.</p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/dc/53/dc539de6dcb2a64beef82db08765b94c.jpg" /></p>
<p>The big news is that the couple got married over the pandemic and are now working together; they currently have no employees and share the entirety of the workload. In such, the 2020 <glossary term="Wine Label" title="573">labels</glossary> will now feature Camille's name along with Mathieu's.</p>
<p>We started our visit in the <glossary term="Jacquère" title="555">Jacquère</glossary> vines surrounding the <glossary term="Cellar" title="254">cellar</glossary> in the village of Saint-Baldoph. </p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/e9/6a/e96a791e7882e32af04a62947fc7bf00.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/ee/34/ee345425fcb287f664d6882c04e38df4.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/d5/29/d5296f7a3c670a1c9f44f4bf14f1ce46.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/d3/a2/d3a295ac7e784e873565c7c6bbf12dd5.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/b5/1b/b51b9a09efaf21af3d6348676251e96c.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/f8/2e/f82e070f2397ff38d857d4dcf5fe6c52.jpg" /></p>
<p>Unlike so many of the producers we visited over the summer, Camille and Mathieu avoided major issues and there wasn’t much <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Frost" title="1135">frost</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> </p>
<p><em>“It’s the first year the vines are being vigorous since the disastrous 2019 </em><glossary term="Hail" title="1136"><em>hail</em></glossary><em>.”</em></p>
<p>Mathieu estimated that if August went smoothly without too much rain, they would actually have a good crop in 2021. The day we visited started overcast but eventually became sunny and clear, a rare moment of sunshine in an endlessly rainy spring and summer. </p>
<p><em>"We had good weather the week of </em><glossary term="Flowering" title="1179"><em>flowering</em></glossary><em> and this is the first nice week since April. "</em></p>
<p>2021 was the first year the couple started working the soils, just superficially and between the rows. When Mathieu took over the land it had been worked <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Conventional Farming" title="331">conventionally</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> so he didn't want to shock the vines which were already going through a <glossary term="Conversion" title="332">conversion</glossary> to <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Organic" title="746">organics</glossary><span>.</span></span></span>The next big project for 2022 is to start replanting a lot of missing vines of <glossary term="Jacquère" title="555">Jacquère</glossary> in this main sector of vines.</p>
<p>From Saint-Baldoph we agreed to visit Saint-Alban, a small sector where the Apffel produce a wine of the same name. </p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/a8/ef/a8efd3e7dc9e09c3b28bc568b12f34ea.jpg" /></p>
<p>To get there from the winery, you have to drive through the town center and by its four hair salons (seems a bit much to me). It's very quick to get there by car but on a tractor it's a bit of a trek. Camille mused:</p>
<p><em>"It's slow but really fun and I get a kick out of people looking at me driving through normal streets on this big machine."</em></p>
<p>Due to construction, we got stuck in traffic and had to find an alternate route. In the end a five minute drive took almost half an hour. But it was totally worth it. </p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/52/12/5212be641628dcfd146ef279a1169d02.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/e3/f7/e3f7ac1115403cd913dcdcde955dd60e.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/5b/31/5b313b52706ed60c4e0b4186e9798e7a.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/a9/1c/a91cea23e459bec1faddc4123432ac51.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/37/7e/377e5af9c5fad8c11e5e4286f04fd586.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/b8/ee/b8eed284074cc815f30a987cddb6ebde.jpg" /></p>
<p>In total Camille and Mathieu cultivate about one <glossary term="Hectare" title="523">hectare</glossary> of vines in Saint-Alban, mostly in <glossary term="Jacquère" title="555">Jacquère</glossary> and <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Altesse" title="96">Altesse</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> The soils are are pure <glossary term="Limestone" title="596">limestone</glossary> and the <glossary term="Acidity" title="71">acidities</glossary> are always very high. There is also a tiny bit of <glossary term="Persan" title="1450">Persan</glossary> and <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Douce Noir" title="1451">Douce Noir</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> an old red variety.</p>
<p><em>“It’s unique but very sensitive to </em><glossary term="Mildew" title="1137"><em>mildew</em></glossary><em>. When you see what happens to it, you understand why past generations have progressively phased out grapes that suffer from illness.”</em></p>
<p>Saint-Alban is <glossary term="Exposition" title="430">exposed</glossary> full south and as you can see from the pictures, is completely surrounded by woods and forest. Well, sort of... For years, there has been a huge push to build houses on this hill and constructible terrain is now worth much more than its <glossary term="Viticulture" title="1103">viticultural</glossary> equivalent. </p>
<p><em>“The whole area is under big pressure; people want houses and not vines. Ironically they want to live here because of the landscape. But then they go and destroy it, making it a little less beautiful.”</em></p>
<p>Case in point: in early 2020 Mathieu served us a 2019 <glossary term="Nouveau/Primeur" title="725">primeur</glossary> of <glossary term="Gamay" title="478">Gamay</glossary> made from a <glossary term="Parcel" title="760">parcel</glossary> on Saint-Alban. Dubbed "Couleur d'Automne" (I was obsessed with it), it ended up being a one and only <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Bottling" title="185">bottling</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> Shortly after <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Harvest" title="521">harvest</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> it was announced the vines would be ripped out to build this:</p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/82/14/821415d540c94c609bba16340d16d5e9.jpg" /></p>
<p><em>"We were renting the vines. They only needed to tear out maybe half of the </em> <glossary term="Parcel" title="760"><em>parcel</em></glossary> <em>for the house but the owner insisted everything should be ripped out. It's a shame because </em><glossary term="Gamay" title="478"><em>Gamay</em></glossary><em> vines with a bit of age are very rare here at this point."</em></p>
<p>We then drove back the the <glossary term="Cellar" title="254">cellar</glossary> to taste the 2020's, some <glossary term="Bottling" title="185">bottled</glossary> and others as <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Tank Sample" title="1008">brut de cuve</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> </p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/d4/9d/d49d6d677eb7763912db37f302293db7.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/3b/7d/3b7d55cecf5b38c38ac9ec2d66972fa0.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/19/cb/19cb0ccecb22bf360da686101d634747.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/39/e2/39e247f5f785cf27337fe97215be771f.jpg" /></p>
<p>Familiar wines included "Avant la Tempête", "Terroir en Saint-Alban" and their <glossary term="Mondeuse" title="484">Mondeuse</glossary> which has been renamed "Ô Narcisse" in 2020. We also tasted two new <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Cuvée" title="363">cuvées</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> a white and a red both called "Soleyane". Soleyane is the name of a small <glossary term="Bugey" title="208">Bugey</glossary> <glossary term="Estate" title="427">estate</glossary> that made its last wine in 2019. They retired after that <glossary term="Vintage" title="1109">vintage</glossary> and have let Camille and Mathieu pick and <glossary term="Vinification" title="1104">vinify</glossary> the grapes in 2020. The vines are an hour away from Saint-Baldoph and the <glossary term="Terroir" title="1026">terroirs</glossary> are totally different, more heavy <glossary term="Clay" title="301">clay</glossary> and <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Limestone" title="596">limestone</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> Everything was tasting great, and we all agreed on the drive back how talented a winemaker Mathieu is.</p>
<p>Over lunch we also got to try two <glossary term="Cuvée" title="363">cuvées</glossary> that never made it to the US, "Rouzan Blanc" and "L' Ami Francis". Both are one-off wines, the former being from <glossary term="Vat/Tank" title="1140">tanks</glossary> that didn't make "Avant la Tempête" in 2020 and the latter literally from a <glossary term="Parcel" title="760">parcel</glossary> from their friend Francis who'd just started his project but wasn't in capacity to make wine in 2019. Both were delicious. </p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/52/d5/52d5580f08097349cbda231ead22f0e2.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/77/8a/778a6275a1ebd9a1f4907e459ab0c14c.jpg" /></p>
<p>Over a lovely lunch, Mathieu opened up one of his last bottles of "Couleurs D'Automne" because we'd gushed about how special a wine it was. I didn't think I'd ever get a chance to try it again, making the visit all the more special. </p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/d3/27/d3271fadd676f9eb1e579ffff27a93f2.jpg" /></p>
producer profile
<p><em>“The hands on the label represent the idea that all you are getting is one grape from one </em><glossary term="Terroir" title="1026"><em>terroir</em></glossary><em> and the hands that interacted with it. That's it.”</em></p>
<p>Claire and Florent Bejon live in Saint-Germain-Sur-Vienne, a tiny village just 15 minutes from the town and vines of <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Chinon" title="288">Chinon</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> Despite its proximity, Saint-Germain is on the left side of the <glossary term="Vienne River" title="1395">Vienne</glossary> and, up until 2016, was excluded from the <glossary term="Chinon" title="288">Chinon</glossary> <glossary term="Appellation" title="113">appellation</glossary> (it has since been included). Technically between <glossary term="Saumur" title="919">Saumur</glossary> and <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Chinon" title="288">Chinon</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> the area is a bit of a no man’s land for vines: only 50 <glossary term="Hectare" title="523">hectares</glossary> are planted sporadically, usually in smaller, isolated <glossary term="Parcel" title="760">parcels</glossary> surrounded by sunflowers, cereal fields and newly built houses.</p>
<p>The Bejon have been low-key making wine in the area since 2002. Neither are from <glossary term="Viticulture" title="1103">viticultural</glossary> families but Claire has been a wine lover for a long time and Florent spent over 20 years working for one of the Loire’s premier mobile bottlers: a company that comes with the equipment to properly <glossary term="Bottling" title="185">bottle</glossary> wine directly at a producer’s <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Estate" title="427">estate</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> In fact, Florent’s worked with many of the <glossary term="Vigneron/Vignaiolo" title="1089">vignerons</glossary> we import and he and Claire know most on a first name basis.</p>
<p>In 2015, the couple decided to release a small amount of wine under their own name with the plan to grow slowly and eventually quit their full time jobs. This finally happened in 2021, with Claire and Florent tending five <glossary term="Hectare" title="523">hectares</glossary> of mostly <glossary term="Cabernet Franc" title="216">Cabernet Franc</glossary> with a bit of <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Chenin Blanc" title="281">Chenin</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> The land being spread out and geologically distinct, it was decided early on that each <glossary term="Parcel" title="760">parcel</glossary> or sector would be <glossary term="Vinification" title="1104">vinified</glossary> and <glossary term="Bottling" title="185">bottled</glossary> as its own <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Cuvée" title="363">cuvée</glossary><span>.</span></span></span></p>
<p>Pain-Perdu is their largest <glossary term="Lieu-Dit" title="594">lieu-dit</glossary> and the only one where they have neighbors. Located on the right bank of the <span class="zalup"><span> <glossary term="Vienne River" title="1395">Vienne</glossary><span>,</span></span></span>1.5 <glossary term="Hectare" title="523">hectares</glossary> of 40 year old <glossary term="Cabernet Franc" title="216">Cabernet Franc</glossary> vines are planted in the <glossary term="Commune" title="322">commune</glossary> of Beaumont en Veron on yellow <glossary term="Clay" title="301">clay</glossary> and <glossary term="Aeolian" title="72">aeolian</glossary> <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Sand" title="909">sands</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> This entry-level wine, first released in 2020, represents 50% of total production and is <glossary term="Bottling" title="185">bottled</glossary> the spring following <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Harvest" title="521">harvest</glossary></span></span>.</p>
<p>All the other reds released 18 months after <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Harvest" title="521">harvest</glossary><span>:</span></span></span></p>
<p>Picrochole is a <glossary term="Lieu-Dit" title="594">lieu-dit</glossary> of 60 <glossary term="Are" title="1208">ares</glossary> of <glossary term="Cabernet Franc" title="216">Cabernet</glossary> and 40 <glossary term="Are" title="1208">ares</glossary> of <glossary term="Chenin Blanc" title="281">Chenin</glossary> vines that are around 30 years old; the Bejon have been farming it since 2015 and purchased the land in 2021. Located on the left bank of the <glossary term="Vienne River" title="1395">Vienne</glossary> between <glossary term="Chinon" title="288">Chinon</glossary> and <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Saumur" title="919">Saumur</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> the soils here are heavy <glossary term="Clay" title="301">clay</glossary> and <glossary term="Limestone" title="596">limestone</glossary> with a strong presence of <glossary term="Flint/Silex" title="455">flint</glossary> and <glossary term="Exposition" title="430">exposed</glossary> full south. </p>
<p>Saint-Germain consists of four small <glossary term="Parcel" title="760">parcels</glossary> of <glossary term="Cabernet Franc" title="216">Cabernet</glossary> surrounding Claire and Florent's village and totaling 80 <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Are" title="1208">ares</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> The vines are in their 50's and planted on <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Clay" title="301">clay</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> <glossary term="Flint/Silex" title="455">flint</glossary> and <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Sand" title="909">sand</glossary><span>.</span></span></span></p>
<p>Les Bournais consists of two small, adjacent <glossary term="Parcel" title="760">parcels</glossary> of <glossary term="Cabernet Franc" title="216">Cabernet Franc</glossary> in the <glossary term="Commune" title="322">commune</glossary><span class="zalup"><span><span> of Ligré and totals one <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Hectare" title="523">hectare</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> The vines are between 40 and 70 years old and planted on <glossary term="Clay" title="301">clay</glossary> and <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Limestone" title="596">limestone</glossary><span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p>Finally, Les Gruches is a tiny, isolated <glossary term="Parcel" title="760">parcel</glossary> of <glossary term="Chenin Blanc" title="281">Chenin</glossary> planted in 1957, nestled and surrounded by woods. This is the first <glossary term="Parcel" title="760">parcel</glossary> the Bejon worked back in 2002. A wine of the same name used to be produced exclusively from this <glossary term="Lieu-Dit" title="594">lieu-dit</glossary> but is now <glossary term="Blend" title="168">blended</glossary> with the <glossary term="Chenin Blanc" title="281">Chenin</glossary> from Picrochole and another small <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Plot" title="1133">plot</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> </p>
<p>Neither Claire or Florent are big fans of <glossary term="Cabernet Franc" title="216">Cabernet Franc</glossary>’s rustic<span class="zalup"><span><span>,</span></span></span> powerful side; rather the goal is to bring fruit, finesse and suppleness to the wines. With music playing 24/7 in their natural <glossary term="Tuffeau" title="1053">tuffeau</glossary> <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Cellar" title="254">cellar</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> the red grapes <glossary term="Maceration" title="610">macerate</glossary> <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Whole-Cluster" title="1124">whole-cluster</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> saturated with <glossary term="Carbonic Maceration" title="236">carbonic gas</glossary> in 50<glossary term="Hectoliter" title="524">hl</glossary> <glossary term="Vat/Tank" title="1140">tanks</glossary> for long periods of <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Infusion" title="1378">infusion</glossary></span></span>: three weeks to three months depending on the <glossary term="Tannin" title="1010">tannic structure</glossary> they are looking for. <glossary term="Elevage" title="418">Elevage</glossary> then occurs in <glossary term="Old Oak" title="739">old barrels</glossary> and, as of 2020, <glossary term="Grès" title="1449">grès</glossary> <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Amphora" title="103">amphoras</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> Each <glossary term="Parcel" title="760">parcel</glossary> <glossary term="Aging" title="74">ages</glossary> roughly 50/50 in <glossary term="Wood" title="1126">wood</glossary> and <glossary term="Grès" title="1449">grès</glossary> but that may change with time and experience. The <glossary term="Chenin Blanc" title="281">Chenin</glossary> grapes are <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Direct Press" title="392">direct pressed</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> <glossary term="Fermentation" title="441">fermented</glossary> and <glossary term="Aging" title="74">aged</glossary> in <span class="zalup"><span> <glossary term="Old Oak" title="739">old barrels</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> <glossary term="Sulfites" title="993">S02</glossary> is not added at any point in any of the production. </p>
<p>The small amount of <glossary term="Chenin Blanc" title="281">Chenin</glossary> produced is textbook to the best examples of the region: weighty and long in the <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Finish" title="450">finish</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> all the while crystalline and refreshing. The reds, often vivacious from intentionally trapped C02, balance great fruit and drinkability with the structure of their <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Terroir" title="1026">terroirs</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> More than anything, you taste a sensibility in the Bejon's minimalist yet experienced approach: wines crafted to be full of energy and raw purity.</p>
producers visit
<p><em><strong>Words and photos by Jules Dressner.</strong></em></p>
<p>This visit with Philippe Chevarin was five years in the making. You see, it's very rare that we start with a new <glossary term="Estate" title="427">estate</glossary> before visiting them. And even if that does happen, there is usually some history or past connection and a visit shortly follows. Yet with Philippe, we just couldn't seem to lock it in: he's not exactly far from Pépière or Luneau-Papin, yet all of our recents visits there were with our winter mega-groups. Considering three people can barely squeeze into Philippe's <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Cellar" title="254">cellar</glossary><span>.</span></span></span>..</p>
<p>Anyhow, though COVID delayed the daunting task of visiting all of our <glossary term="Loire Valley" title="602">Loire</glossary> producers in 2020 (it ended up being 28 visits in 14 days), we finally did it! After a few minutes freaking out some locals looking around for his address, Philippe's logo confirmed we were in the right place.</p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//885/91/9b/919bf796afb8f65466f6e83188fdeea0.jpg" /></p>
<p>Philippe's vines, <glossary term="Cellar" title="254">cellar</glossary> and storage are in Oudon, a tiny village about 35 minutes north-east of <glossary term="Nantes" title="707">Nantes</glossary> following the <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Loire River" title="603">Loire river</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> It's a part of the <glossary term="Loire Valley" title="602">Loire valley</glossary> I'd never visited so there was a distinct sense of excitement and discovery. </p>
<p>We started by checking out Philippe's TINY <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Cellar" title="254">cellar</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> </p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//885/b5/c4/b5c4224c4a23cf3cdb3ecdb427ab15e5.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//885/e4/6e/e46efe865af36d918905715ffe366432.jpg" /></p>
<p><em>“It was just very hard to find anything when I took over. People used to only have a few </em><glossary term="Hectare" title="523"><em>hectares</em></glossary><em> and make very little wine so </em><glossary term="Cellar" title="254"><em>cellars</em></glossary><em> are rare. Most have converted them to garages or houses. At least this used to be a wine </em><glossary term="Cellar" title="254"><em>cellar</em></glossary><em> so there are good </em><glossary term="Yeast" title="1128"><em>yeasts</em></glossary><em> in it.”</em></p>
<p>The size makes any kind of intervention logistically complicated. For example, <glossary term="Racking/Soutirage" title="843">racking</glossary> one <glossary term="Vat/Tank" title="1140">tank</glossary> might mean moving another two out for the way.</p>
<p><em>"If I wanted to have a big, functional </em><glossary term="Cellar" title="254"><em>cellar</em></glossary><em> I'd have to build it myself. Right now I don't have the money to do this. And honestly I'm not sure I even want to." </em></p>
<p>Later that night at dinner, Philippe used a pragmatic and philosophical analogy to describe these limitations:</p>
<p><em>"I see it as a way of staying focused and not getting caught up with bells and whistles. When I was mixing and mastering records, I always used the same basic board with no effects. It was a very minimal approach but I mastered that board and learned how to get the best from it."</em></p>
<p>Nearby, Philippe also has a small storage room that can hold a very snug 20,000 bottles.</p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//885/40/4f/404f68dcc352bad7e3d1d04eb88877dc.jpg" /></p>
<p>The soils of the area are <glossary term="Schist" title="933">schist</glossary> and <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Quartz" title="842">quartz</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> which is what the old local houses are built in.</p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//885/96/48/964864ab5994bf4167df8be35ca2a16e.jpg" /></p>
<p>It was then time to see some vines. The first vineyard we visited is called Le Moulin D’Omblepied.</p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//885/e8/8b/e88b2ba2c2067abc95d9e5b169391ed0.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//885/d5/b7/d5b7e9f85596aa640fcd8937383eb8c2.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//885/63/50/6350038b2626bd2f024462404d7f6de0.jpg" /></p>
<p>Philippe has three <glossary term="Hectare" title="523">hectares</glossary> here, two of <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Melon de Bougogne" title="646">Melon</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> one of <glossary term="Gamay" title="478">Gamay</glossary> as well five rows of <glossary term="Aligoté" title="91">Aligoté</glossary> planted in the 1960’s. There are no neighbors at all and, shockingly, 48% of the plants are currently missing. </p>
<p><em>"The prior owner left these in really bad shape. After years of neglect he disappeared overnight. When I first started I was excited to be able to get land at such a good price. But with a few </em><glossary term="Vintage" title="1109"><em>vintages</em></glossary><em> of work and hindsight, I'm realising it's a major handicap." </em></p>
<p>Instead of replanting, Philippe is starting to accept he should maybe looking for <glossary term="Terroir" title="1026">terroirs</glossary> that are more adapted to vines. He ultimately hopes to produce more wine with less land.</p>
<p><em>"The missing vines and culminating bad crops have forced me into doing some </em><glossary term="Négociant" title="729"><em>négociant</em></glossary><em> wines in 2021. Hopefully this will help balance things out while I find new local alternatives."</em></p>
<p>We then drove to a second <glossary term="Parcel" title="760">parcel</glossary> called Les Grangets.</p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//885/fa/fd/fafd2c26b664c5c06507c0f3322c2c5f.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//885/46/bd/46bd0bba7250878f940aa78c9a0f3f34.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//885/78/08/7808fb264e9a1bda439444d00cbc62ab.jpg" /></p>
<p>The parcel is all <glossary term="Melon de Bougogne" title="646">Melon de Bourgogne</glossary> planted in 1948. Here the vines are in better shape and Philippe will start replanting <glossary term="Selection Massale" title="941">massales</glossary> next year.</p>
<p><em>“All the </em><glossary term="Clones" title="304"><em>clones</em></glossary><em> currently planted are not of good quality, hence the mortality rates. There is a lot of work to be done.”</em></p>
<p>The next area we visited consists mainly of a small <glossary term="Plot" title="1133">plot</glossary> of <glossary term="Gamay" title="478">Gamay</glossary> Magny.</p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//885/b0/34/b034704e152401be17020a83523b4271.jpg" /></p>
<p>This is a unique strain of <glossary term="Gamay" title="478">Gamay</glossary> that an old <glossary term="Vigneron/Vignaiolo" title="1089">vigneron</glossary> brought back from the <glossary term="Beaujolais" title="151">Beaujolais</glossary> back when it was planted in 1952. This used to be the de facto strain used in the region but has been completely replaced with <glossary term="Gamay" title="478">Gamay à Jus Blanc</glossary> <glossary term="Clones" title="304">clones</glossary> (also from the <glossary term="Beaujolais" title="151">Beaujolais</glossary>) because the latter is much higher <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Yield" title="1129">yielding</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> The Magny strain produces much smaller, concentrated <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Cluster/Bunch" title="1138">bunches</glossary><span>:</span></span></span></p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//885/97/8c/978c3140dc73c8970bbf4db3a9889af2.jpg" /></p>
<p>From these grapes Philippe has recently <glossary term="Bottling" title="185">bottled</glossary> à <glossary term="Cuvée" title="363">cuvée</glossary> aptly named "Le Magny". Within these 20 <span class="zalup"><span> <glossary term="Are" title="1208">ares</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> there is also a bit of <glossary term="-Select term-" title="">Gamay</glossary> <glossary term="Teinturier" title="1017">Teinturier</glossary> and <glossary term="Grolleau" title="513">Grolleau</glossary> which Philippe uses in the "Décrue" <span class="zalup"><span> <glossary term="Cuvée" title="363">cuvée</glossary><span>.</span></span></span></p>
<p>Close to the Magny <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Parcel" title="760">parcel</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> I couldn't get over this very bizarre house not too far in the distance. </p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//885/10/3a/103adc1a498b7db86ac0b2e226b4212b.jpg" /></p>
<p>It was just so completely out of place and had a very "Trump is secretly hiding out here while waiting for the world to finally realize the election was rigged" vibes. Philippe does not know the owner. </p>
<p>We then trekked for a while to an isolated <glossary term="Parcel" title="760">parcel</glossary> called La Justice.</p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//885/6c/09/6c09258769c6a8e79452053fb43936a4.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//885/5f/19/5f19d6a26a3226919627ce953e7c9ecd.jpg" /></p>
<p>La Justice is 75 <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Are" title="1208">ares</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> planted exclusively in <glossary term="Melon de Bougogne" title="646">Melon de Bourgogne</glossary> and has more <glossary term="Micaschist" title="655">mica-schist</glossary> than any other <glossary term="Parcel" title="760">parcel</glossary> Philippe farms. Unfortunately it's another <glossary term="Parcel" title="760">parcel</glossary> with a huge amount of missing vines. </p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//885/e0/63/e063318192cf7edc2666c1e1f9bc81ab.jpg" /></p>
<p>Philippe does however want to replant here.</p>
<p>By this point we'd already done quite a bit of walking around, but Philippe proposed we have an <glossary term="Aperitif" title="112">aperitif</glossary> "somewhere nice". After following him 10 minutes up a small forest path, we ended up on this old medieval tower with a gorgeous view of the <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Loire River" title="603">Loire</glossary><span>.</span></span></span></p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//885/38/e3/38e3214b806efd3af78082229f530b5a.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//885/7c/e8/7ce81634996bbcf85a95adddd02b300a.jpg" /></p>
<p>This was actually the last visit of our grueling <glossary term="Loire Valley" title="602">Loire</glossary> trip and I can't think of a better way of ending it than with this incredible panoramic view. As Keven Clancy pointed out, it was a true master stroke of <font color="#7b143e"><b><span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="schnook" title="1448">schnookery</glossary><span>.</span></span></span></b></font></p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//885/08/8c/088c21e9a8b33341672bbb2a8e13f44b.jpg" /></p>
<p>After drinking a delicious <glossary term="Melon de Bougogne" title="646">Melon</glossary> (I think it was "Le Fleuve"), we drove 40 minutes back to our hotel in the heart of <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Nantes" title="707">Nantes</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> I must say though there were a lot of sex shops on our block. </p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//885/22/f4/22f45844989b948ac20f5f066eafc7fc.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//885/99/85/998582cdf5c4b19413e2cfdb2c3b1ebd.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//885/f9/7e/f97eea5019a0cfbd0fddb2e2132ec138.jpg" /></p>
<p>No pictures from dinner at Philippe's house and did a <glossary term="Vertical" title="1085">vertical</glossary> of every <glossary term="Vintage" title="1109">vintage</glossary> of "Les Sentinelles": 2015 through 2020. It was fun to hear him remember each <glossary term="Vintage" title="1109">vintage</glossary> through the wine; overall he was quite critical of his work.</p>
<p>Six <glossary term="Vintage" title="1109">vintages</glossary> in at the time of this writing, Philippe is still finding his way: understanding his <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Terroir" title="1026">terroirs</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> replanting, embracing the limitations of his <glossary term="Cellar" title="254">cellar</glossary> and even the economic realities of the operation are starting to come into place. I never would have known this had I not spent the day with him, making this years in the making visit all the more essential. It makes me excited to see what the future holds at this small, <glossary term="Artisinal" title="122">artisinal</glossary> <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Estate" title="427">estate</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> </p>
producers visit
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//884/81/a3/81a3b17d6dca163c8c805511ad772f57.jpg" /><em><strong>Words and photos by Jules Dressner.</strong></em></p>
<p>Since my last visit recap in 2014, much has changed for Laurent Lebled. In 2019, he and his wife Sonya decided to purchase 10 <glossary term="Hectare" title="523">hectares</glossary> of vines from a retiring <glossary term="Vigneron/Vignaiolo" title="1089">vigneron</glossary> and move from their native <glossary term="Saumur" title="919">Saumur</glossary> to the country side. Knowing that this would be too much land to work on his own, he asked his daughter Barbara if she would be interested in partnering with him. Essentially, she does most of the <glossary term="Viticulture" title="1103">viticultural</glossary> work, Laurent buys the grapes from her to make his <glossary term="Cuvée" title="363">cuvées</glossary> and Barbara produces her own. Right now she's only <glossary term="Vinification" title="1104">vinifying</glossary> the equivalent of two <span class="zalup"><span> <glossary term="Hectare" title="523">hectares</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> but the plan is to split the grapes to the point where Laurent produces the same amount of wine he used to from his old structure of roughly five <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Hectare" title="523">hectares</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> </p>
<p>Like the prior set up, the current structure is complicated: the vines and equipment are in one sector, the <glossary term="Cellar" title="254">cellar</glossary> in another, the storage in another and the house 20 minutes away. </p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//884/04/36/043628d0c472a2a375c3fd1dd0e9a32b.jpg" /></p>
<p>Laurent's not too worried about it though. </p>
<p><em>"It's still complicated but better than what it used to be! But we found a </em><glossary term="Cellar" title="254"><em>cellar</em></glossary><em> that's closer to the house for 2022 and are going to build some guest rooms above it. It's taken over a decade but we're going to get there."</em></p>
<p>After catching up over coffee, we completed a thorough tour of the 10 <glossary term="Hectare" title="523">hectares</glossary> of vines. We started in the <glossary term="Parcel" title="760">parcel</glossary> that now produced "On Est Su l’Sable".</p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//884/54/4c/544c95e82f63f988d7e4b53429927541.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//884/a5/48/a54873bf575a9af41d9e1af23102a64a.jpg" /></p>
<p>Though the <glossary term="Cuvée" title="363">cuvée</glossary> originally gets its name from vines planted on pure <glossary term="Sand" title="909">sand</glossary> soils, here we are on the more traditional <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Clay" title="301">clay</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> <glossary term="Flint/Silex" title="455">flint</glossary> and <glossary term="Limestone" title="596">limestone</glossary> of the <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Touraine" title="1036">Touraine</glossary><span>.</span></span></span></p>
<p><em>“I’m keeping the name. People know it and the pun still works.”</em></p>
<p>It's definitely a better name than "On Est Su l'Silex Argilo-Calcaire".</p>
<p>A little further, <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Sauvignon Blanc" title="927">Sauvignon</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> <glossary term="Gamay" title="478">Gamay</glossary> and <glossary term="Malbec" title="366">Côt</glossary> are co-planted together. About 10% of the vines are missing, mostly due to <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Esca" title="425">esca</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> They will start replacing these in 2022.</p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//884/79/dc/79dcc403a781a324976d61e79b3a1b75.jpg" /></p>
<p>Though the vines were being worked <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Conventional Farming" title="331">conventionally</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> it wasn’t nearly as bad as the <glossary term="Terroir" title="1026">terroirs</glossary> Laurent used to rent.</p>
<p><em>“My vines in </em><glossary term="Chinon" title="288"><em>Chinon</em></glossary><em> took eight years for grass to grow. Here it took two."</em></p>
<p>Laurent and Barbara were very lucky in 2021: they suffered no <glossary term="Frost" title="1135">frost</glossary> because they <glossary term="Pruning" title="834">pruned</glossary> late, their sector was spared from <glossary term="Hail" title="1136">hail</glossary> and the <glossary term="Mildew" title="1137">mildew</glossary> pressure has not been nearly as bad as some of their neighbors. In fact it was looking like a plentiful crop, one of the only producers we heard this from.</p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//884/d3/fc/d3fc9328a3f13a4b54e07ad703d9f04f.jpg" /></p>
<p>We then walked over to a <glossary term="Plot" title="1133">plot</glossary> of <glossary term="Sauvignon Blanc" title="927">Sauvignon</glossary> with a particularly high amount of missing vines, over 50%.</p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//884/d4/8f/d48f21a1f5cdaa2e46a5a0205223ff95.jpg" /></p>
<p>Rather than replant a variety that does not seem happy there, the plan is to rip out the remaining vines and replant <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Romorantin" title="867">Romorantin</glossary><span>.</span></span></span></p>
<p>The third <glossary term="Parcel" title="760">parcel</glossary> we visited is evenly split between <glossary term="Menu Pineau/Orbois" title="648">Menu Pineau</glossary> and <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Sauvignon Blanc" title="927">Sauvignon</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> This is where the "Je T’ai Dans la Peau" comes from.</p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//884/a7/bc/a7bc721084105f00d998c6b923b027a4.jpg" /></p>
<p><em>“</em><glossary term="Menu Pineau/Orbois" title="648"><em>Menu Pineau</em></glossary><em> is always very late in ripping. It’s ready at the same time as the </em><glossary term="Cabernet Franc" title="216"><em>Cabernets</em></glossary><em>.”</em></p>
<p>Next up was 40 <glossary term="Are" title="1208">hares</glossary> of <glossary term="Malbec" title="366">Côt</glossary> that Barbara <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Vinification" title="1104">vinifies</glossary><span>.</span></span></span></p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//884/c9/6a/c96ad63d75f57dd9f6fc7f91e1fe7545.jpg" /></p>
<p>The last <glossary term="Parcel" title="760">parcel</glossary> we visited was planted in <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Malbec" title="366">Côt</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> <glossary term="Sauvignon Blanc" title="927">Sauvignon</glossary> and <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Gamay" title="478">Gamay</glossary><span>.</span></span></span></p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//884/15/8a/158a702a89cb39a09b283261af85f4e4.jpg" /></p>
<p>After this thorough tour of the vines, we went to taste in the <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Cellar" title="254">cellar</glossary><span>.</span></span></span></p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//884/66/16/6616f0da0767e8439383367e4941d2c5.jpg" /></p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//884/c0/3c/c03cceb5ca69599aadb8db5da136d35d.jpg" /></p>
<p>I must say that the new <glossary term="Terroir" title="1026">terroirs</glossary> are doing a lot of good to the wines, particularly for the "Sauvignonne" and "On Est Su l’Sable" <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Cuvée" title="363">cuvées</glossary><span>.</span></span></span></p>
<p>One anomaly we got to try was an "unintentional" wine from Barbara called Cheers. It was the end of the <glossary term="Vat/Tank" title="1140">vats</glossary> on the <glossary term="Lees" title="590">lees</glossary> from <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Gamay" title="478">Gamay</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> <glossary term="Sauvignon Blanc" title="927">Sauvignon</glossary> and <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Menu Pineau/Orbois" title="648">Menu Pineau</glossary><span>.</span></span></span></p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//884/ff/7a/ff7a884aa37f5316a6e8942a32138ed0.jpg" /></p>
<p>It tasted like a <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Ripasso" title="1216">ripasso</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> </p>
<p>We also got to try the "Ca C’est Bon" 2020, which as of July 2021 still had 8 grams of sugar to <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Fermentation" title="441">ferment</glossary><span>!</span></span></span>!!</p>
<p><em>“At this point I think I’ll add a little of the 2021 and hope it kick starts everything”.</em></p>
<p>If the sugars can finish, it will actually be a pretty tasty wine (albeit very high in alcohol).</p>
<p>If you ever wondered what <glossary term="Vigneron/Vignaiolo" title="1089">vignerons</glossary> listen to in the <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Cellar" title="254">cellar</glossary><span>:</span></span></span></p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//884/7b/bf/7bbf346dc5bd7fa75b7922665027b054.jpg" /></p>
<p>I think Laurent explained that his young nieces came to help with labelling one day or something. IDK, I think that might be a cover for his secret love of <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Hakuna Matata" title="1446">Hakuna Matata</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> Under the Sea, Be Our Guest and Everybody Wants to Be A Cat. </p>
<p>Barbara then showed us the small <glossary term="Cellar" title="254">cellar</glossary> where both her 2020 wines were still <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Fermentation" title="441">fermenting</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> </p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//884/37/d2/37d2440cd02a3c0b2f1dc9c8d5ba955e.jpg" /></p>
<p>Before heading out, we tried two <glossary term="Pétillant Naturel" title="778">pet nat</glossary> experiments, both in the earlier stages of a five year <glossary term="Elevage" title="418">elevage</glossary> <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Sur Lattes" title="995">sur lattes</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> They were quite explosive but very promising. </p>
<p>From the <glossary term="Cellar" title="254">cellar</glossary> Laurent wanted to show us his new storage facility, an old quarry.</p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//884/20/20/2020bfef50311aa891f46e40dc05959e.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//884/c1/15/c115060816474da18fbb2f097e0a1d6a.jpg" /></p>
<p>Before entering, he warned us it would be very cold in there and pitch black. Naturally we strapped lights on our heads. </p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//884/5b/59/5b591340794eb1a052deefaea93dcca4.jpg" /></p>
<p>It was indeed freezing cold in there and the bottles are in a safe, controlled environment. </p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//884/20/1f/201f1565779a3fae8caf3679ae21d031.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//884/61/69/61695a1e36d4201c0e95a9e7861b037f.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//884/ca/bd/cabdbc7481266020ba412b53ad8af690.jpg" /></p>
<p>Still, we braved the cold to taste a 2019 "Je T'ais Dans la Peau".</p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//884/ac/8d/ac8de1344af6f6f2be563e8a652fefb2.jpg" /></p>
<p>By this point everyone was hungry so we headed to Saint-Aignan to none other than... Le St.Aignan!</p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//884/1d/04/1d04cdb24fe268d2438eeec8f48d2931.jpg" /></p>
<p>This no frills brasserie serves omelettes, steak-frites and one special item I almost jokingly: </p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//884/93/8f/938f06e62905f87cdd9c519e2f22ea35.jpg" /></p>
<p>For the record, I am an andouillette fan. But let me tell you: there is a time and (in this case much more importantly) a place for this dish. </p>
<p>The lovely summer evening was only made better by the comically bad cover band performing in English somewhere out of sight. I was already cracking up at some of their song choices but the hilarity culminated with the group failing over and over at starting Where is My Mind by the Pixies. At least five times I had to hear the lead singer poorly belt out the OUUUUUHHH OUUUUUHHHHHH and sounding like a wounded whale only for the group to abruptly stop. Was he getting too emotional remembering the end of Fight Club? For a while they stopped playing completely so I assumed they'd just given up. But after a maybe 15 minute break, they were finally able to get the whole song out. </p>
<p>Surprisingly there was no encore. </p>
producers visit
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//883/97/85/9785a59a28a0eae830b0e44239a5c9a2.jpg" /><em><strong>Words and photos by Jules Dressner.</strong></em></p>
<p>We pulled up to Pierre-O's large, indescript <glossary term="Chai" title="264">chai</glossary> on a humid, overcast day. Denyse was late (with impeccable timing she got there right at lunch time) so we got started without her by visiting the <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Cellar" title="254">cellar</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> </p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//883/36/50/36500c8213b38b2debbce5d426ed2a29.jpg" /></p>
<p>Pierre-O took it over in 2016. It used to be a fruit coop in the 1970’s, which has proven beneficial because it was already well insulated. It had been inactive for decades, save for a small part of the edicife used for the storage of the Puzelat and later Puzelat-Bonhomme <glossary term="Négociant" title="729">négoce</glossary> wines. Many relics from those days can still be spotted: </p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//883/48/c9/48c91b9303914690990c84341df3ead1.jpg" /></p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//883/0c/67/0c6754cdd3cb2caa18d4018214263a2f.jpg" /></p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//883/74/6f/746f646ab3b0a984e7057522a8cc65bf.jpg" /></p>
<p>The front room pictured above is used for <glossary term="Bottling" title="185">bottling</glossary> and storing orders before pickup. There is another large room for stocking bottles and an even larger area where Pierre-O <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Vinification" title="1104">vinifies</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> </p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//883/6c/e7/6ce7c308d5c1b7ecc482d7a9ee265010.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//883/1b/77/1b77fa8e7cf722f3fd79213c35f4ff63.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//883/a3/9a/a39aa1177bca3330dc2750fc917233eb.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//883/a1/72/a1723eb2cdefed8416256f746d1ec595.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//883/d8/63/d863949a7f6578665bc14745eafd9cc3.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//883/29/e8/29e83a2b8ac4d7980ee83267efd2783e.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//883/ff/7a/ff7a6c2c7b48520813479ece922fa69e.jpg" /></p>
<p>The <glossary term="Fiberglass" title="445">fiberglass</glossary> and <glossary term="Stainless Steel" title="986">stainless steel</glossary> <glossary term="Vat/Tank" title="1140">tanks</glossary> are you used for <glossary term="Maceration" title="610">macerations</glossary> and stocking wine right before <span class="zalup"><span> <glossary term="Bottling" title="185">bottling</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> The vast majority of the wines <glossary term="Fermentation" title="441">ferment</glossary> and/or <glossary term="Aging" title="74">age</glossary> in <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Old Oak" title="739">old barrels</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> </p>
<p>Before tasting, we decided to go check out some vines. Our first stop was a 2.6 <glossary term="Hectare" title="523">hectare</glossary> <glossary term="Plot" title="1133">plot</glossary> planted in <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Sauvignon Blanc" title="927">Sauvignon</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Gamay" title="478">Gamay</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> <glossary term="Chenin Blanc" title="281">Chenin Blanc</glossary> and <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Malbec" title="366">Côt</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> </p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//883/7f/32/7f3216be446463d7660f14b6d83546e8.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//883/90/84/90848cdc6af48e80f3e454b5c06e622c.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//883/cf/89/cf899132d30f897952d586594a125391.jpg" /></p>
<p>Wines produced from this land include "Sauvignon POB", "Gamay POB", "Ormeau des Deux Croix" and part of "In KO We Trust". </p>
<p><em>"With the exception of the Sauvignon and Telquel, almost all of the wines I'm currently releasing are single </em><glossary term="Varietal" title="1071"><em>varietal</em></glossary><em>, </em><glossary term="Single Vineyard Bottling" title="959"><em>single vineyard expressions</em></glossary><em> from vines I own or rent". </em></p>
<p>Pierre-O took over this area in 2019. The vines here were planted in 1986 and 1988 but he's had to replant 1600 vines in the past few years. He also wants to plant fruit trees to bring in <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Biodiversity" title="1162">biodiversity</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> </p>
<p>After somewhat bouncing back from a very bad bout of <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Frost" title="1135">frost</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> the vines were now suffering from a particularly vicious cycle of <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Mildew" title="1137">mildew</glossary><span>.</span></span></span></p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//883/ee/62/ee62e9aeaa305fcd2dc01803821844f0.jpg" /></p>
<p><em>“We were fine 10 days ago. I think we missed one </em><glossary term="Contact Treatment" title="328"><em>treatment</em></glossary><em> and it really got us.”</em></p>
<p>While certain sectors of <glossary term="Cheverny" title="283">Cheverny</glossary> will likely produce a half-crop in 2021 (Villemade and Cazin for example), others like Clos du Tue-Boeuf and Pierre-O's will have suffered much worst fates. </p>
<p>We then drove to a second, newly acquired <glossary term="Parcel" title="760">parcel</glossary> consisting of 1.7 <glossary term="Hectare" title="523">hectares</glossary> of <glossary term="Chardonnay" title="271">Chardonnay</glossary> and <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Sauvignon Blanc" title="927">Sauvignon</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> The vines are about 15 years old and the prior owner was going to rip them out. In all his <span class="zalup"><span> <glossary term="Parcel" title="760">parcels</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> Pierre-O is increasingly wanting to replant varieties that do better under the stress of climate change: <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Menu Pineau/Orbois" title="648">Menu Pineau</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> <glossary term="Malbec" title="366">Côt</glossary> and <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Pineau d'Aunis" title="799">Pineau d’Aunis</glossary><span>.</span></span></span></p>
<p><em>"You can always use more <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Pineau d'Aunis" title="799"><em>Pineau d'Aunis</em></glossary><span>.</span></span></span>"</em></p>
<p>Amen. </p>
<p>We then headed back to the <glossary term="Cellar" title="254">cellar</glossary> to taste. Almost all of the 2020's have been <glossary term="Bottling" title="185">bottled</glossary> save for the <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Melon de Bougogne" title="646">Melon de Bourgogne</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> a micro-batch of <glossary term="Romorantin" title="867">Romorantin</glossary> and a <glossary term="Malbec" title="366">Côt</glossary> <glossary term="Vinification" title="1104">vinified</glossary> in <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Kwevri/Qveri" title="1287">qveri</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> </p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//883/8d/c5/8dc5a4e5224878f4d73114506c04adf3.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//883/6d/50/6d50284c9fdd97a585da741eaf902e72.jpg" /></p>
<p>At that point I had to snap a pic of Pierre-O's very unique (dare I say COOL?) shoes.</p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//883/54/67/54677e4fa2d51aaebf36177dd435dc08.jpg" /></p>
<p>We then jumped into all the <glossary term="Bottling" title="185">bottled</glossary> 2020's. </p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//883/e1/a4/e1a4e67540cc331a50588b752dfec655.jpg" /></p>
<p>Despite 2020 being yet another dry and hot year, the lack of any <glossary term="Frost" title="1135">frosts</glossary> and a proper <glossary term="Flowering" title="1179">flowering</glossary> meant high <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Yield" title="1129">yields</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> The grapes were still <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Concentration" title="324">concentrated</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> but since there were many more of them the end result was something balanced and lighter in alcohol, with most of the wines in the 12% to 12.5% range. Pierre-O wouldn't be the only <glossary term="Vigneron/Vignaiolo" title="1089">vigneron</glossary> praising high <glossary term="Yield" title="1129">yields</glossary> as what made the <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Vintage" title="1109">vintage</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> and it shows yet another aspect to the questions they must ask themselves in adapting to global warming. In the end 2020 is the best <glossary term="Loire Valley" title="602">Loire</glossary> <glossary term="Vintage" title="1109">vintage</glossary> since 2014 and one of the best of the decade; the wines truly have the ethereal quality that has become harder and harder to capture in the boiling hot 2010's.</p>
<p>After an impressive tasting, Pierre-O bribed us with POB schwag.</p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//883/f3/24/f324156d084656047c114cffe9d0bfa6.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//883/40/28/40288972194dacfcc687e3c1e718e23d.jpg" /></p>
<p>Right around this point, Denyse pulled up and we went to have lunch. </p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//883/d7/df/d7df9fc57c1dfc1b5c0e46974db7480e.jpg" /></p>
<p>Marcel was away with his grandparents and Paul and Gaspard rushed through lunch so they could finish watching Les Petits Champions, aka The Mighty Ducks.</p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//883/58/5e/585ecc9aa05c117d13bd49dd69be8ed0.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//883/9b/89/9b89622082ac3dbef72786320fc3d376.jpg" /></p>
<p>QUACK. QUACK. QUACK. QUACK.</p>
<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/04854XqcfCY" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>
article
<p><u><strong>Words from Jules Dressner:</strong></u></p>
<p>My first memory of Olivier Lemasson dates back to a winter Loire trip in January, 2010. I was accompanying my father Joe; he was bullish and needed to participate but had started his cancer treatment a few months prior and lost mobility in his leg. I was by his side the entire time to help him get around but also to absorb what one of these “wine trips” was all about.</p>
<p>Too much walking or standing was exhausting for Joe, so he was forced to sit a lot. Throughout the trip, this often meant the vigneron would come and serve him tastes of each wine, not unlike a sommelier at a restaurant. The whole exercise was a bit strange for everyone, and I distinctly remember Olivier pouring us his 2009’s from brut de cuve. I got the sense he really wanted Joe to like it, so I asked my father who he was and he said something very “Joe” to the likes of “Oh that’s Olivier Lemasson. He started his own project a few years ago. We weren’t sure we could sell his crazy wines, but we loved the guy so we started working with him recently.” </p>
<p>I don’t remember how the wines tasted that day and frankly it was a fleeting first impression. To be honest, I was meeting a dizzying amount of vignerons for the first time, tasting hundreds of wines and doting on my father. It was a lot. But in hindsight Joe’s statement crystalized something important. Olivier was part of a late 90’s/early 2000’s wave of producers, along with Tue-Boeuf, Chaussard, Villemade, Mosse, Maupertuis and the early Italians where I feel Denyse, Joe and Kevin started taking bolder risks on “fringe” wines that they weren’t sure they could sell but wanted to because of the people behind them. </p>
<p>And when I returned from that trip to San Francisco, increasingly geekified by working at a wine shop and later Terroir (the first “natural wine” bar in the United States), I distinctly remember discovering and seeking out the Vins Contés wines. My recent obsession with carbonic maceration and Pineau d’Aunis meant sleuthing for every bottle of Poivre et Sel I could get my hands on.</p>
<p>I rarely talk about how a vigneron’s wines have affected me because I’ve always been more attracted to their humanity, vision and philosophy. But I think that for a lot of people like me who really got into wine in the late aughts/early 2010’s, Olivier’s cuvées, particularly his reds, were a gateway into the quirkier, more playful side of what wine could and should be. Beyond their “naturalness”, the R, P’tit Rouquin, Gama Sutra and especially Poivre et Sel were just so fun, unpretentious and, importantly, affordable enough that getting two or three bottles didn’t seem that crazy (nor did drinking them in one sitting). The packaging was fairly out there and almost provokingly juvenile in its design and punny names, making it clear that whoever was making this wasn’t trying to follow any rules or cater to expectations. More than any other producer, I get told Lemasson were some of the first wines to get people hooked. And to this day, Les Vins Contés is the standard bearer in my “wine is meant for drinking” ethos. </p>
<p>By the time I was working full time with LDM in 2011, I was a big fan of Les Vins Contés but barely knew Olivier. This would change on one of his numerous visits to the United States in March with his wife Cécile. We were so much alike: warm and fiercely loyal to those we care about, full of dry humor and with a penchant for cantankerous rants. A match made in grumpy heaven! Interviewing Olivier in a Venice Beach hotel room also permitted me to understand his work philosophy, illuminating the concept of “vin de soif” as a thought out, intentional style of winemaking. It was the beginning of a real friendship, a luxury we are blessed to have with so many of the vignerons we represent. </p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//736/2f/07/2f07276a62f4359c8caf0eff4e3b83c6.png" /><strong>Olivier and Cécile in Venice Beach, March 2011.</strong></p>
<p>From that point forward, the memories start to blur and lack chronology. There were the nicer, quieter moments: visiting Olivier and Cécile at their home, staying with them, drinking older vintages of Gama Sutra and Cheville de Fer, going to a 14th of July celebration to see the fireworks with their young daughters, Olivier jump starting my car after I’d let the brights on all night. Or Olivier showing his Brittany pride with his delicious fish fries. Then were the wacky hijinks of touring the USA: the insane bill we had to cover for Jorge’s hedonistic birthday meal at M.Wells diner, desperately trying to find a six pack in a deserted midtown night when they were staying at the Trump Tower, laughing our asses off that we were in the Trump Tower (no I’m not making that up, our Nevada distributor’s parents used to own an apartment there and for years let vignerons crash there), crawling the streets of NOLA late night with Loïc Roure and seeing the beginning of a budding friendship between the two, heated arguments about nothing and mutual apologies the next day…</p>
<p>Perhaps my fondest memories with Olivier revolve around our annual “casse croute” tradition at the Dive Bouteille. Since the Dive is an all day event, Olivier and a group of neighboring vignerons would pool together an impressive array of cheeses and charcuterie behind their barrels to snack on throughout the day. Unsolicited (though probably aware and accommodating to my constant hunger), Olivier told me one year that I was always welcome to come chow down. I gladly relished this opportunity, not only to feed myself but also to get away from the stain-teethed, tannin lipped small talks these fairs force one into.</p>
<p>This offer encapsulated Olivier’’s kindness and generosity, but also reminds me of a heartwarming moment we shared. It was the first year at the Dive’s current location in Saumur’s Caves Ackerman, and the Loire section was in a long corridor with wine bottles propped from the ceiling shining a hideous neon pink/purple hue (no one thought having vignerons spend 10 hours in what felt like the world’s worst hookah bar was a bad idea). While having my casse-croute behind Olivier’s barrel, some schmuck who I’d just overheard do the exact the same thing to Christian Venier came over and basically lied through his teeth that Dressner was doing a terrible job at importing the Vins Contés wines and that he couldn’t find them anywhere in Boston. The guy had no idea who I was, making the whole situation absurd and hilarious. After Olivier shooed him off, we burst into a long fit of laughter. I remember his trademark expressions: that big grin, rolling his eyes to the side while shaking his head in amusement followed by a warm tap on the shoulder. I realize now this was a beautiful moment: some asshole had unintentionally shined a neon light on our implicit trust and loyalty, both in friendship and in business.</p>
<p>I couldn’t wait to see Olivier and Cécile again this summer, my first Loire summer tour since 2016. I was planning to stay with them and days away from writing about my visit when I got the news. I’ll still be going and seeing my extended vigneron family in July, but it’s not going to be the same. The paradigm has shifted and there will be an irreplaceable void in the Cher, in the Loire, in our lives and in our glasses. Au revoir Olivier, tu ne saura jamais a quel point tu va me manquer.</p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//736/97/0c/970cae7a00ce0a5151664f0360a1a567.jpg" /></p>
<p> </p>
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Article
Vittorio Bera & Figli Visit
This visit at Vittorio Bera & Figli took place in November, 2012
Words by Jules Dressner, photos by Jake Halper and Josefa Concannon.
Our two day visit with the Bera family involved A LOT of food. We arrived to
This local
To pair with dessert, we ended the meal with a
It was surprisingly
Those crazy Bera tricksters! Because of this flub, the Master Sommelier Committee™ immediately stripped us of our
The next morning, we set out to the vines.
The Beras own 12
The soils here are
The lovely Knights of Malta brought the
Next, we visited a recently acquired
Their cat Piccolito decided to keep guard in case of intruders.
As we continued our walk, we came upon this statue of San Giovanni the Evangelist, which looms over an ugly power plant.
After touring the vines, it was time to visit the
1.
2. Do a slow
3. Immediately
4. The
5. The clean wine is
6. At this point, Gianluigi
7. Wine is
8. When the desired amount of alcohol is reached, the tank is chilled down to block the
9. The wine is now softly
10. The wine is
Unsurprisingly, the old school way of making
The wine was
That night, we had a huge dinner with a ton of meat and a fantastic risotto. Vittorio was very happy that our appetites were up to par.