Raffault, Olga 1990 Chinon Les Picasses

Another great vintage for the Raffault "Les Picasses," 1990 was the second of two hot, dry summers, producing wines that were lush, round and very ripe but lacking the perfect balance of the 1989s. Having said that, many people have preferred this vintage to 1989, finding it more velvety and forward. 

Raffault, Olga 1989 Chinon Les Picasses

1989, the first of two dry, sunny seasons, is the best vintage for Loire reds since 1947. With terrific ripeness, the wines also had firm acidities leading to beautiful balance and the ability to age for twenty to thirty years and more. We haven't tasted this wine recently but it remains our favorite vintage for "Les Picasses," with 1990, 1996, 1997, 2002, 2009 and 2010 following behind, though of course we like them all...

Raffault, Olga 1985 Chinon Les Picasses

1985 was a vintage for Loire reds that showed bright red fruits with aromas of bell-pepper and firm acidity. As is often the case with less sunny vintages in the Loire, the 1985s improved steadily over the years and we have tasted many superb examples, with the complex secondary aromas and flavors of dark fruits, sous-bois, mushroom and spice supported by the bright acidity.

Raffault, Olga 2014 Chinon Les Picasses

Les Picasses is one of the greatest vineyards in Chinon - a south-facing slope of clay over porous limestone that retains water and nutrients, nourishing the vines. While the wine is amply fruited and enjoyable young, it has firm acidity and structure for long-term aging, up to 30 years and more depending on the vintage. 2014 was an excellent vintage for Loire reds, which generally showed vibrant fruit, fresh acidity and moderate alcohol. Not a "big" vintage but one of very pretty, well-balanced wines. The 2014 Raffault Picasses shows a bright, red/black color with aromas of morello cherry, red currant, blackberry and prune with hints of licorice, earth and black pepper. The palate shows silky tannins and sappy red and black fruits with chalky minerals and firm acidity, with a bit of the gamey, musky aspect of old-school Chinon.  Earthy prune, plum and cherry fruits linger in the long finish. Please decant two to three hours in advance if drinking now, then serve a bit cool with roast chicken, pork or lamb. This will sing a different song after 6 to 8 years of aging, best perhaps 2026 - 2040. DL

Raffault, Olga 2017 Chinon Domaine Rouge

The Domaine cuvée from Olga Raffault is made up mostly of young vines from the Barnabes vineyard, planted on sandy soils right by the Loire River. This is a fresh and easy-drinking Chinon, displaying notes of red cherry, black cherry, raspberry, plum, crushed violet, cracked black pepper, and green bell pepper. Very approachable with soft, medium tannins, this a great wine to drink while the Picasses is maturing. Oskar Kostecki

Mosse 2018 Vin de France Pet Nat Moussamoussettes

The Moussamoussettes is back! A Chambers Street favorite, this years rendition is a blend of Grolleau Gris and Gamay. The 2018 is totally dry with flavorful and vibrant strawberry and tart cherry fruit. A rejuvenating Pet-Nat from our friendd Agnes and René Mosse and family.

Tue-Boeuf 2018 Touraine La Guerrerie

From a small parcel of clay and silex on limestone, 2/3 Cot and 1/3 Gamay. 40 year-old vines, organic since 1996, aged in old barrels, large and small, zero added SO2. Thierry Puzelat was a pioneer of natural wine-making and he continues with this beautiful "Guerrerie" from the lovely 2018 vintage in the Loire Valley. The wine shows a bright red/black color, with beautiful lush blackberry and black raspberry aromas, floral, minty, ripe and deep; the palate is sappy and supple with bright blackberry and red currant liqueur, very long and balanced with lemony acidity - just a beautiful wine - luscious now but it should be very interesting with 5 to 10 years of aging. Highly recommended! David Lillie

Tue-Boeuf 2018 Touraine La Butte (Gamay)

100% Gamay on clay and flint over limestone, organic and biodynamic farming. The 2018 La Butte shows a level of ripeness never seen before in this wine with bright, deep strawberry and raspberry aromas  with pretty floral notes. Quite dense red fruits on the palate, supple and textured, really lovely with the lush fruit lifted by refreshing acidity. This is just plain yummy and will accompany just about anything. David Lillie

Bonhomme, Pierre-Olivier 2018 Vin de France Le Telquel

This "poil dur" is wagging its tail again in 2018, showing the extra ripeness of this great vintage in the Loire Valley, with juicy aromas of blackberry, rose, spice and citrus. It's Gamay with a bit of Cabernet Franc in this vintage, with an extra layer of ripeness, and nice density of bright blackberry fruit, a bit floral and spicy. Quite refreshing with good length of lush berry fruits and citrusy acids in the finish. Serve a bit cool with charcuterie, chicken and pork - just delicious!  David Lillie

Pineau, Julien 2018 Vin de France Sucettes á l'Aunis (10/28)

From Jullien Pineau, new proprietor of vines at the Clos Roche Blanche in Touraine, comes this earthy and beautiful Pineau d'Aunis, organic farming of course and zero added sulfur. The wine shows lovely aromas of bright raspberry fruit with citrus peel, rose petal and white pepper; there is a prety blend of raspberry, cranberry and red currant fruit on the palate with flavors of earth and minerals backed by refreshing acidity. This is a delightful natural wine that will accompany a wide variety of lighter meat dishes, served cool. David Lillie

Pineau, Julien 2017 Vin de France L'Ecume des Nuits (10/28)

The 2017 "Ecume de Nuits" is normally all Cabernet Franc, but due to frost and tiny yields, Julien used all his Cab Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cot in this cuvée. Very earthy and complex with a core of dense black fruits laced with saline minerals, it's a wine of contemplation and a great expression of this famous vineyard that will benefit from decanting and should age extremely well.

Pinon 2016 Vouvray "Le 16"

100% Chenin Blanc. Pinon's only white wine in this very difficult and short vintage in which the estate lost 75% of its harvest. The "Le 2016" replaces the usual Trois Argiles, Silex Noir and Les Deronnières bottlings, with fruit from a range of those and other parcels. The vines average 40 years in age, are certified organic and were hand-harvested from October 10-18. Fermentation took place spontaneously with natural yeasts and lasted 2-3 months in wood vats. The wine was aged 4-5 months on its fine lees in old tonneaux (large oak barrels) and gently filtered before bottling in April 2017 with 22.4 grams/liter of residual sugar and 5.5 g/L total acid.  Total production of Le 2016 was 1600 cases (a yield of only 11 hl/ha). The wine shows lovely aromas of lime-flower, honeyed citrus, dried white fruis and earth. Firm lemony acidity and mineral flavors underlie  ripe white fruits and lemon confit. The finish is very long with citrus,honey, pear and stone . Technically a Demi-Sec, the wine is balanced by the bright citrusy acids and will pair well with charcuterie, fish in sauce and white meats. Cellar for twenty to thirty years to create a fabulous mature Vouvray.  David Lillie

Pinon, François 2015 Vouvray Brut

From a plot of old Chenin Blanc vines, François' Brut NV is kept on the lees for 18 months before bottling. It has pretty apple, pear, floral and toasty flavors with good acidity balancing the fruit. The current cuvée is from 2015 and it's one of their best ever - a bit riper than usual with round but well defined fruit—a great alternative to Champagne, Aromas are transcendent to summer days with notes of crushed seashells, honeysuckle, and warm apricot skins. Flavors of briny half-shell, pear, and almond skin cascade with bright lemon and honey comb. This is delicious as an apéritif before the meal or afterwards with apple pie. This is a great choice during the holidays - a real crowd-pleaser at a great price, before, after or during the meal!

Pinon, François 2015 Vouvray Brut Non-Dosé

François and Julien Pinon make some of the finest sparkling wines in the Loire Valley. The superb Brut Non-Dosé comes from 45 year-old Chenin Blanc vines on Turonien limestone with topsoils of clay with silex. The fermentation lasts 4 to 6 weeks without added yeast or sugar. 2015 is a beautiful year for this wine as the good weight and density of the vintage are balanced by firm acidity, contributing to the elegance and structure of this cuvée. The wine shows aromas of citrus peel, pear, green apple brioche, fines herbes, white flowers and stone, really quite elegant. The palate is creamy and dense, with pear, parsnip(?), stone, anise, mineral, herbal and bitter lemon flavors on the palate. (Sorry for the overwrought description, but the wine is extraodinary!) The mousse is fine and refreshing and there is fabulous length of white fruits and stone flavors lingering in the finish. This very young wine is superb now but is a great candidate for extended aging - for twenty years or more - a few years ago we tasted a 1976  Pinon Brut that was sensational!  Highly recommended! David Lillie

Gaudry, Vincent 2018 Sancerre Scorpion

The extra weight and density brought by the sunny 2018 vintage, combined with great minerality, makes this Sancerre a beautiful and crowd-pleasing choice for Thanksgiving. The extraordinary "Constellation du Scorpion" is from a small parcel of old massale-selection vines on silex soils over limestone and is fermented and aged in old barrels. The wine shows subtle aromas of dried pear and apple, almond, lemon verbena, wet stone, honeysuckle and white pepper - ripe but very fresh and bright. There is a very mineral attack on the palate with flint and earth flavors, grilled almond, dried pear, lemon peel, anise and apricot with lovely ripeness and a saline, mineral aspect in the finish which is elegant, clean and long with lingering white fruits. This is a young and racy Sancerre that will accompany oysters, shellfish, grilled fish and white meats and should develop beautifully with three to five years of cellaring - it's an outstanding Sancerre and a great value at this price.  David Lillie

Lunotte (Chistophe Foucher) 2017 Vin de France Haut Plessis NFS

This is a superb Menu Pineau from Christophe Fouche at La Lunotte, combining density of fruit with the unusual high-acid character of the grape. From very low-yielding vineyards above the Cher river, near St Aignan in Touraine, it's a richer style than those of Villemade and Tue-Boeuf. Christophe transfers his wines from tank into small barrels as soon as the fermentation is under way, where they stay until bottling by hand without filtration. The 2017 is a bright pale gold/bronze color with beautiful aromas that combine slight oxidation with lemon, pear, almond, anise, and mineral notes; on the palate the wine is rich and sappy backed by the very high acidity with flavors of toasted almond, dried pear, citrus, caramel and wildflowers. Serve this unique wine with full-flavored oysters, fish and white meat dishes, or just sip and enjoy!  David Lillie

Roche Bleue 2018 Coteaux du Loir La Belle D'Aunis

The talented Sébastien Cornille is making some of the most beautiful wines in Jasnières and Coteaux du Loir - The 2018 "Belle d'Aunis" is 100% Pineau d'Aunis from old vines in clay with silex soils over limestone in the Coteaux du Loir; 15 day semi-carbonic maceration, slow pressing and assembly with the "jus de goutte" followed by aging in 3 to 4 year-old barrels. The wine shows a bright red/garnet color with elegant aromas of wild strawberry, raspberry, cherry and rose petal with white pepper and earth. The palate shows chalky, sappy raspberry and tart cherry fruit, light but dense, elegant and long with earthy acidity lingering in the finish. Refreshing and delicious now, this should be quite interesting after three to five years in the cellar. Highly recommended.  David Lillie

Chevalerie 2014 Bourgueil Grand Mont

 "Grand Mont" is one of the greatest sites in Benais - a high, south-facing slope on yellow Turonian limestone with shallow sandy clay soils, rich in mica. Wines from this vineyard are built to age and this rare bottling from Domaine de la Chevalerie is a beautiful example. They started to produce it in 2009, and they consider it their grande cuvée. The wine ages in a one-year-old barrel and several older barrels for 7 months, bottled unfined unfiltered. 2014 Loire reds are superb - it was not an easy vintage for the winemakers, but the results were often fabulous, especially at Chevalerie, with a perfect balance of ripe black and red fruits with firm earthy acidity. The 2014 "Grand Mont" shows a very dark black/purple color with elegant aromas of black raspberry and blackberry with violet, earth, dark chocolate, citrus and game.  The palate shows silky tannins and complex red and black fruits - beautifully balanced with bright acidity and mineral flavours. This is really elegant and Burgundian, very long and built to last, really a perfect Bourgueil that will become a profound mature wine in ten to fifteen years - then drink until 2045 and beyond. Open the day before if drinking now, paired with a confit rabbit with cardamon & juniper served with roasted celeriac, or a coq-au-vin. 100% Cabernet Franc. David Lillie / Pascaline Lepeltier. 

Tessier 2015 Cour-Cheverny Roger Tessier 500ml

The 2015 "Roger Tessier" is a super Moelleux Romorantin, at 37 grams RS per liter, showing fabulous aromas and flavors of white fruits, citrus peel, melon, hay, almond... Just a beautiful wine, a rare and delicious example of Romorantin!