<p>Originally from <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="1038">Tours</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> Julien Pineau's college years saw him studying sociology and law, two fields that would have bored him to death had he pursued them professionally. As a young post-collegiate, Julien worked for the l'Alliance Française in Seattle and later <glossary title="951">Sicily </glossary>for a few years. Upon returning to France, he payed the rent through a variety of random jobs, including picking fruit, a stint at an antique store and studying soil compositions for a geology center.</p>
<p>During a harvest at Lise and Bertrand Jousset's in <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="684">Montlouis</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> Julien had his eureka moment with wine. Though Bertrand encouraged him to study <glossary title="1103">viticulture </glossary>in<strong> <glossary title="100">Amboise</glossary></strong>, Julien's original plan was to open a wine bar. His father being a professional cook, a restaurant was also a possibility. Yet over the course of helping out in the vines (with the Jousset, <a href="http://louisdressner.com/producers/Morantin/">Noëlla Morantin</a> and Les Terres Promises in <glossary title="831">Provence</glossary>), Julien began drawing his attention more and more to the plant, the soil, the flowers and even the insects that inhabited the land. <br />
<br />
When Julien found out that Catherine Roussel of <a href="http://louisdressner.com/producers/Roche/">Clos Roche Blanche</a> wanted to sell her land, he quickly jumped on the opportunity to invest in the legendary site with partner Laurent Saillard. The two have split the 12 <glossary title="523">hectares </glossary>50/50: Julien now works with six <glossary term="Hectare" title="523">hectares</glossary> of <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="927">Sauvignon Blanc</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="366">Côt</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="216">Cabernet Franc</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> <glossary title="217">Cabernet Sauvignon</glossary> and, appropriately, <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="799">Pineau d'Aunis</glossary><span>.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
2015 was Julien's first <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="1109">vintage</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> In the vines, the inherited greatness of the <glossary title="305">Clos</glossary>'s <glossary title="1026">terroir</glossary> remains respected: the land is worked by horse and the soils are permitted to exist in harmony with the hundreds of plants and insects that inhabit them. Julien's wife is an agronomist, so future plans for the land include fruit trees and free-roaming animals to push <glossary title="815">polyculture</glossary> to the next level. In the <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="254">cellar</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> no addition of <glossary title="993">sulfur</glossary> is used at any point and Julien favors long <glossary title="418">élevages</glossary> of his <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="363">cuvées</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> often releasing them 12 to 24 months after <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="521">harvest</glossary><span>.</span></span></span></p>
producer visit12.11.2021
2021 Julien Pineau Visit
This visit with Julien Pineau took place in July, 2021.
<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>
producer visit05.08.2019
A Visit With Julien Pineau
This visit with Julien Pineau took place in June, 2016
<p><em><strong>This visit with Julien Pineau took place in June, 2016. Words and photos by Jules Dressner.</strong></em></p>
<p>Visiting Julien Pineau this summer felt a bit like being in a parallel universe: everything looks the same, but it's not. The Clos Roche Blanche vineyard is the most written about on this website, including a nine part recap on my experience <glossary title="521">harvesting</glossary> the <glossary title="427">estate</glossary>'s last <glossary title="1109">vintage</glossary> in 2014. Julien, who was training under Didier at the time, features prominently in those posts, and I encourage you to re-read them or discover them for the first time before continuing on with this recap. Also, read Julien's profile! <br />
<br />
Meeting up with Julien would be one of few uplifting moments of our two weeks in the <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="602">Loire</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> at least wine wise. 2016 has been a disastrous <glossary title="1109">vintage</glossary> for the vast majority of Northern France. Yet somehow his sector is one of the only ones not ravaged by <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="1135">frost</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> <glossary title="1136">hail</glossary> and/or <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="1137">mildew</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> This sector also includes Noëlla Morantin, Maisons Brûlées and Laurent Lebled, so keep that in mind in the Spring of 2017 when you need your <glossary title="602">Loire</glossary> fix!<br />
<br />
Taking our habitual walk through the vines, the sky was menacing.</p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//fa/b5/fab55ef9606c5b81f4d970d710b88691.jpg" /></p>
<p>Regardless, the <glossary title="305">Clos</glossary> is as beautiful and full of life as ever. Here are some pretty flower pictures. </p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//2a/b6/2ab61fe85a854caaba35b56fec03bec0.jpg" /></p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//f6/ad/f6adeafa9a2ef214fd010430b4600496.jpg" /></p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//d4/22/d422a42354fc75bac2fe5f1cfcff9718.jpg" /></p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//51/0b/510b44e4deb3e26d6d5e9b1514331aae.jpg" /></p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//f5/6e/f56e7aba96b12ac840a376dee9d52f04.jpg" /></p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//23/7d/237d630aeb1fe16994c44528316f2386.jpg" /></p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//4e/9b/4e9be67f5d3f3fa877a7e2838a919f47.jpg" /></p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//6c/82/6c820daa2a1efa93da1188b4c6c8fcf0.jpg" /><br />
<br />
What a relief to see some healthy <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="1138">bunches</glossary><span>!</span></span></span></p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//c1/a5/c1a5d05283b9a2fabb29058d6e2916e8.jpg" /></p>
<p>Especially compared to some of the horrors witnessed in the <glossary title="697">Muscadet</glossary> a few days later:</p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//06/f3/06f30aa16adcfa627c707c5d5c3c5cc4.jpg" /></p>
<p>That, my friends, is a bunch devastated by <glossary title="1137">mildew</glossary> at Pépière. Yikes...<br />
<br />
Continuing our walk, Julien explained how he and Laurent Saillard, the other co-owner of<strong> </strong>the Clos Roche Blanche, have ripped out some very old, unproductive <glossary title="927">Sauvignon</glossary> and <glossary title="366">Côt</glossary> vines that Noëlla Morantin used to rent. </p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//31/ac/31ac581eef6789b07f8417ee8f3a67d9.jpg" /></p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//93/7f/937fdd0be92b0eda88ac61c6a78eeb4a.jpg" /></p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//0e/26/0e26f6385b697a0c78c4f662d6b870f1.jpg" /></p>
<p>Some of the <glossary title="1133">plots</glossary> had been replanted with cereals. </p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//68/e3/68e3adcdef319c89509efa01ecacfd09.jpg" /></p>
<p>Julien plans to re-plant about a <glossary title="523">hectare</glossary> of the <glossary title="1139">indigenous</glossary> and obscure <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="648">Menu Pineau</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> but also apple and pear trees. <br />
<br />
<em>"My girlfriend is currently following a formation for </em><glossary title="160"><em>biodynamic</em></glossary><em> </em><glossary title="815"><em>polyculture</em></glossary><em>. Our goal is to have more than just vines in the </em><glossary title="305"><em>Clos</em></glossary><em>: different fruit trees and vegetable patches, but also livestock to diversify this already incredible </em><glossary title="414"><em>eco-system</em></glossary><em> even more."</em><br />
<br />
As far as the division of the 12 <glossary title="523">hectares</glossary> that actually constitute the <glossary title="594">lieu-dit</glossary> of Clos Roche Blanche (the <glossary title="427">estate</glossary> once ballooned to as big as 25 <glossary title="523">hectares</glossary>), Julien and Laurent have split the land in an intuitive fashion: Julien works the six <glossary title="523">hectares</glossary> he trained under while working with Didier <span class="zalup"><span>(<glossary title="927">Sauvignon</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="478">Gamay</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="366">Côt</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="799">Pineau d'Aunis</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> <glossary title="217">Cabernet Sauvignon</glossary>) and Laurent works the six <glossary title="523">hectares</glossary> he worked as the long time employee of Noëlla Morantin. </p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//50/eb/50eb69d96ee6ff506646ff42b1729b92.jpg" /></p>
<p>As we continued our walk through the vineyards, Julien pointed out the 100% straw cabin Didier had recently restored. </p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//eb/0d/eb0d7d04cba6fc413810c00bd2d49356.jpg" /><br />
<br />
<em>"He purchased a ribbon and we did a fake opening ceremony. We drank a bottle of bubbles in there to celebrate."</em><br />
<br />
From the cabin, we went to check out the old <glossary title="366">Côt</glossary> and <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="799">Pineau d'Aunis</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> </p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//4b/d4/4bd46ddcca667059023e6bb094f15f6e.jpg" /></p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//3b/a9/3ba9f13a7b731545718a3f7e4c1578c2.jpg" /></p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//4f/81/4f81a95e9654b9d5a9fa3ba6e0ae5648.jpg" /></p>
<p>It really started raining at this point, so we had to take refuge in the <glossary title="254">cellar</glossary> to taste. </p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//aa/4d/aa4dc60f3c7effb6134b594441181a23.jpg" /></p>
<p>The first thing we spotted was some <glossary title="927">Sauvignon</glossary> heading to our coasts (now available in NYC!!!!)</p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//21/d6/21d69c4b2438028247d829ea5407e375.jpg" /></p>
<p>We began by tasting all the wines bottled in Spring, all of which are now stateside.</p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//94/8a/948ab8627000f13cbbe686243f84524e.jpg" /></p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//d4/92/d4922759f2c133c1a439d60dd11bc309.jpg" /></p>
<p>In Julien's first <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="1109">vintage</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> two <glossary title="927">Sauvignons</glossary> were produced à la Clos Roche Blanche N#2 and N#5. The spring <glossary title="185">bottling</glossary> is called "Roche Blanche". For reds, the spring <glossary title="185">bottling</glossary> resulted in a <glossary title="216">Cabernet Franc </glossary>called "L'Écume des Nuits" and a <glossary title="799">Pineau d'Aunis</glossary> called "Les Sucettes à l'Aunis". The latter is a pun riffing on Serge Gainsbourg's Les Sucettes, a song whose subject matter you may catch from the (ahem) extremely subtle images in that Youtube video. A <glossary title="778">pétillant naturel</glossary> from <glossary title="217">Cabernet Sauvignon</glossary> called "Bocca di Rosa"<em> </em>rounds out the lineup. <br />
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Julien has purchased all of CRB's <glossary title="142">barrels</glossary> and <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="1140">tanks</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> which we diligently tasted through for wines still being <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="74">aged</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> </p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//21/2f/212f39901fca6f96d2909661f70eb951.jpg" /></p>
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These included the younger <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="366">Côt</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> <glossary title="740">old vine</glossary> <glossary title="366">Côt</glossary> and <glossary title="462">foudre</glossary> raised <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="927">Sauvignon</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> Everything is tasting great. <br />
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It was lunch time, and since Catherine knew I was coming, she made sure to stock up on a little bit of cheese. </p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//ad/59/ad596b2ba1334cbc3fccac52edb31559.jpg" /><br />
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It made me happier than a gnome with his arms up or a cat in a basket. </p>
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<p>Originally from <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="1038">Tours</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> Julien Pineau's college years saw him studying sociology and law, two fields that would have bored him to death had he pursued them professionally. As a young post-collegiate, Julien worked for the l'Alliance Française in Seattle and later <glossary title="951">Sicily </glossary>for a few years. Upon returning to France, he payed the rent through a variety of random jobs, including picking fruit, a stint at an antique store and studying soil compositions for a geology center.</p>
<p>During a harvest at Lise and Bertrand Jousset's in <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="684">Montlouis</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> Julien had his eureka moment with wine. Though Bertrand encouraged him to study <glossary title="1103">viticulture </glossary>in<strong> <glossary title="100">Amboise</glossary></strong>, Julien's original plan was to open a wine bar. His father being a professional cook, a restaurant was also a possibility. Yet over the course of helping out in the vines (with the Jousset, <a href="http://louisdressner.com/producers/Morantin/">Noëlla Morantin</a> and Les Terres Promises in <glossary title="831">Provence</glossary>), Julien began drawing his attention more and more to the plant, the soil, the flowers and even the insects that inhabited the land. <br />
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When Julien found out that Catherine Roussel of <a href="http://louisdressner.com/producers/Roche/">Clos Roche Blanche</a> wanted to sell her land, he quickly jumped on the opportunity to invest in the legendary site with partner Laurent Saillard. The two have split the 12 <glossary title="523">hectares </glossary>50/50: Julien now works with six <glossary term="Hectare" title="523">hectares</glossary> of <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="927">Sauvignon Blanc</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="366">Côt</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="216">Cabernet Franc</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> <glossary title="217">Cabernet Sauvignon</glossary> and, appropriately, <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="799">Pineau d'Aunis</glossary><span>.</span></span></span><br />
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2015 was Julien's first <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="1109">vintage</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> In the vines, the inherited greatness of the <glossary title="305">Clos</glossary>'s <glossary title="1026">terroir</glossary> remains respected: the land is worked by horse and the soils are permitted to exist in harmony with the hundreds of plants and insects that inhabit them. Julien's wife is an agronomist, so future plans for the land include fruit trees and free-roaming animals to push <glossary title="815">polyculture</glossary> to the next level. In the <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="254">cellar</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> no addition of <glossary title="993">sulfur</glossary> is used at any point and Julien favors long <glossary title="418">élevages</glossary> of his <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="363">cuvées</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> often releasing them 12 to 24 months after <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="521">harvest</glossary><span>.</span></span></span></p>
Article
producer visit12.11.2021
This visit with Julien Pineau took place in July, 2021.
<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>
Article
producer visit05.08.2019
This visit with Julien Pineau took place in June, 2016
<p><em><strong>This visit with Julien Pineau took place in June, 2016. Words and photos by Jules Dressner.</strong></em></p>
<p>Visiting Julien Pineau this summer felt a bit like being in a parallel universe: everything looks the same, but it's not. The Clos Roche Blanche vineyard is the most written about on this website, including a nine part recap on my experience <glossary title="521">harvesting</glossary> the <glossary title="427">estate</glossary>'s last <glossary title="1109">vintage</glossary> in 2014. Julien, who was training under Didier at the time, features prominently in those posts, and I encourage you to re-read them or discover them for the first time before continuing on with this recap. Also, read Julien's profile! <br />
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Meeting up with Julien would be one of few uplifting moments of our two weeks in the <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="602">Loire</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> at least wine wise. 2016 has been a disastrous <glossary title="1109">vintage</glossary> for the vast majority of Northern France. Yet somehow his sector is one of the only ones not ravaged by <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="1135">frost</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> <glossary title="1136">hail</glossary> and/or <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="1137">mildew</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> This sector also includes Noëlla Morantin, Maisons Brûlées and Laurent Lebled, so keep that in mind in the Spring of 2017 when you need your <glossary title="602">Loire</glossary> fix!<br />
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Taking our habitual walk through the vines, the sky was menacing.</p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//fa/b5/fab55ef9606c5b81f4d970d710b88691.jpg" /></p>
<p>Regardless, the <glossary title="305">Clos</glossary> is as beautiful and full of life as ever. Here are some pretty flower pictures. </p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//2a/b6/2ab61fe85a854caaba35b56fec03bec0.jpg" /></p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//f6/ad/f6adeafa9a2ef214fd010430b4600496.jpg" /></p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//d4/22/d422a42354fc75bac2fe5f1cfcff9718.jpg" /></p>
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<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//4e/9b/4e9be67f5d3f3fa877a7e2838a919f47.jpg" /></p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//6c/82/6c820daa2a1efa93da1188b4c6c8fcf0.jpg" /><br />
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What a relief to see some healthy <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="1138">bunches</glossary><span>!</span></span></span></p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//c1/a5/c1a5d05283b9a2fabb29058d6e2916e8.jpg" /></p>
<p>Especially compared to some of the horrors witnessed in the <glossary title="697">Muscadet</glossary> a few days later:</p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//06/f3/06f30aa16adcfa627c707c5d5c3c5cc4.jpg" /></p>
<p>That, my friends, is a bunch devastated by <glossary title="1137">mildew</glossary> at Pépière. Yikes...<br />
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Continuing our walk, Julien explained how he and Laurent Saillard, the other co-owner of<strong> </strong>the Clos Roche Blanche, have ripped out some very old, unproductive <glossary title="927">Sauvignon</glossary> and <glossary title="366">Côt</glossary> vines that Noëlla Morantin used to rent. </p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//31/ac/31ac581eef6789b07f8417ee8f3a67d9.jpg" /></p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//93/7f/937fdd0be92b0eda88ac61c6a78eeb4a.jpg" /></p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//0e/26/0e26f6385b697a0c78c4f662d6b870f1.jpg" /></p>
<p>Some of the <glossary title="1133">plots</glossary> had been replanted with cereals. </p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//68/e3/68e3adcdef319c89509efa01ecacfd09.jpg" /></p>
<p>Julien plans to re-plant about a <glossary title="523">hectare</glossary> of the <glossary title="1139">indigenous</glossary> and obscure <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="648">Menu Pineau</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> but also apple and pear trees. <br />
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<em>"My girlfriend is currently following a formation for </em><glossary title="160"><em>biodynamic</em></glossary><em> </em><glossary title="815"><em>polyculture</em></glossary><em>. Our goal is to have more than just vines in the </em><glossary title="305"><em>Clos</em></glossary><em>: different fruit trees and vegetable patches, but also livestock to diversify this already incredible </em><glossary title="414"><em>eco-system</em></glossary><em> even more."</em><br />
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As far as the division of the 12 <glossary title="523">hectares</glossary> that actually constitute the <glossary title="594">lieu-dit</glossary> of Clos Roche Blanche (the <glossary title="427">estate</glossary> once ballooned to as big as 25 <glossary title="523">hectares</glossary>), Julien and Laurent have split the land in an intuitive fashion: Julien works the six <glossary title="523">hectares</glossary> he trained under while working with Didier <span class="zalup"><span>(<glossary title="927">Sauvignon</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="478">Gamay</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="366">Côt</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="799">Pineau d'Aunis</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> <glossary title="217">Cabernet Sauvignon</glossary>) and Laurent works the six <glossary title="523">hectares</glossary> he worked as the long time employee of Noëlla Morantin. </p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//50/eb/50eb69d96ee6ff506646ff42b1729b92.jpg" /></p>
<p>As we continued our walk through the vineyards, Julien pointed out the 100% straw cabin Didier had recently restored. </p>
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<em>"He purchased a ribbon and we did a fake opening ceremony. We drank a bottle of bubbles in there to celebrate."</em><br />
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From the cabin, we went to check out the old <glossary title="366">Côt</glossary> and <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="799">Pineau d'Aunis</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> </p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//4b/d4/4bd46ddcca667059023e6bb094f15f6e.jpg" /></p>
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<p>It really started raining at this point, so we had to take refuge in the <glossary title="254">cellar</glossary> to taste. </p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//aa/4d/aa4dc60f3c7effb6134b594441181a23.jpg" /></p>
<p>The first thing we spotted was some <glossary title="927">Sauvignon</glossary> heading to our coasts (now available in NYC!!!!)</p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//21/d6/21d69c4b2438028247d829ea5407e375.jpg" /></p>
<p>We began by tasting all the wines bottled in Spring, all of which are now stateside.</p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//94/8a/948ab8627000f13cbbe686243f84524e.jpg" /></p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//d4/92/d4922759f2c133c1a439d60dd11bc309.jpg" /></p>
<p>In Julien's first <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="1109">vintage</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> two <glossary title="927">Sauvignons</glossary> were produced à la Clos Roche Blanche N#2 and N#5. The spring <glossary title="185">bottling</glossary> is called "Roche Blanche". For reds, the spring <glossary title="185">bottling</glossary> resulted in a <glossary title="216">Cabernet Franc </glossary>called "L'Écume des Nuits" and a <glossary title="799">Pineau d'Aunis</glossary> called "Les Sucettes à l'Aunis". The latter is a pun riffing on Serge Gainsbourg's Les Sucettes, a song whose subject matter you may catch from the (ahem) extremely subtle images in that Youtube video. A <glossary title="778">pétillant naturel</glossary> from <glossary title="217">Cabernet Sauvignon</glossary> called "Bocca di Rosa"<em> </em>rounds out the lineup. <br />
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Julien has purchased all of CRB's <glossary title="142">barrels</glossary> and <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="1140">tanks</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> which we diligently tasted through for wines still being <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="74">aged</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> </p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//21/2f/212f39901fca6f96d2909661f70eb951.jpg" /></p>
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These included the younger <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="366">Côt</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> <glossary title="740">old vine</glossary> <glossary title="366">Côt</glossary> and <glossary title="462">foudre</glossary> raised <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="927">Sauvignon</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> Everything is tasting great. <br />
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It was lunch time, and since Catherine knew I was coming, she made sure to stock up on a little bit of cheese. </p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//ad/59/ad596b2ba1334cbc3fccac52edb31559.jpg" /><br />
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It made me happier than a gnome with his arms up or a cat in a basket. </p>
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