Le Briseau (Nathalie Gaubicher Heredia) NV Vin de France 'Mama Mouchi'

"Quelle bête est-ce là?" - You can discuss amongst yourselves about the beast on the label. It seems to us like a cat on a sheep, but we don't know what to call it. What we do know is that Nathalie and the team at Le Briseau have bottled up a charming Pineau D'Aunis! From young vines in the Jasnières region, this is a new offering from Le Briseau, and one that we're very excited about. Lithe, herbaceous, with textbook notes of white pepper and crushed wild berries. A French retailer suggests that this is the perfect wine to drink while you wait for your bottles of 'Patapon' to mature. We'd have to agree, as this is clearly a wine for the moment, not the cellar. Drink with a light chill. Bottled without any added sulfites, but totally 'clean' (the one we tried was open for several hours and stayed delicious!).  -EL

Nana Vins (Nathalie Gaubicher Heredia) NV Vin de France 'Konjo Fouzitou'

From Nathalie and Emile's vineyards in the Languedoc, this is a "kitchen sink" wine, a blend of red and white grapes that drinks like a Beaujolais, albeit with a touch of Southern spice. The white grapes here - Clairette, Terret and Grenache Blanc - are destemmed and macerated with whole clusters of the red grapes - Cinsault and Carignan. Everything is pressed afterwards and co-fermented. It's a harmonious blend, with no particular variety standing out, but all of them playing their part. There is pleasant weight in the mid-palate but all in all it behaves like a "chillable red," and would ideally be served cool. 

Le Briseau 2020 Vin de France Patapon Rouge

'Patapon' has a following of die-hard old-school natural wine fans, for good reason. For many of us, it was our introduction to Pineau D'Aunis, obviously along with Robinot, Tue-Bouef, Clos Roche Blanche, and Puzelat-Bonhomme offerings from the early 2000s (to name a few). This wine always has a medium bodied palate, a bit of a surprise for folks who think that Pineau D'Aunis is thin or juicy. Some are, but not the Patapon! Careful with the chill, as the wine becomes tight, tannic and neutral on the nose when it's too cold. Best would be to serve this at cellar temp and let it warm up. A very lovely Pineau D'Aunis with deep, round spicy red fruits and hints of white pepper. 

Roche Bleue 2021 Coteaux du Loir L'Orée de la Berterie

This is a beautiful and very dry Chenin Blanc from Sébastien Cornille at Domaine de la Roche Bleue, from 30-year-old vines on slopes (80%) and terraces (20%) in the lieu-dit "Le Haut Perray" in Chahaignes, Coteaux du Loir. Thin red clay soils over limestone and deeper clay soils with silex giving yields of about 30 ha/hl. The grapes are harvested late to counterbalance the vibrant acidity normal in this terroir. The 2021 L'Orée de la Berterie is a bit austere when opened showing subtle aromas of anise, pear, marzipan and stone that open up to include almond and citrus, quite bright and scintillating. The palate is dense, vibrant and stony with quince, pear and herbal notes, finishing with firm acidity and minerality. Bring on the oysters! . Serve with ceviche of fluke, fish in sauce, roast chicken and mild cheeses. This is a great Loire Chenin at a very rasonable price..  DL

Roche Bleue 2021 Jasnières Sec

100% Chenin Blanc, from 10 - 25 year-old vines on a slope of clay/silex soils on limestone, certified organic. Slow pressing of whole clusters; long fermentations, most in 4 to 6 year-old barriques, the younger vines in cuve inox; elevage in 6 year-old barrels. More austere than the 2020 vintage, the 2021 Jasnières Sec from Sébastien Cornille  shows intriguing aromas of dried pear, pineapple, lime-flower, honey and stone. The palate is lean and mineral with citrus, dried apple and pear, wet stone and fines herbes. The finish is bone dry, mineral and long with firm acidity. Serve this scintillating Chenin Blanc with oysters, grilled and fried seafood, white meats and goat cheeses. Cellaring of five to ten years will reveal a lovely mature wine...  David Lillie

Roche Bleue 2020 Jasnières Le Clos des Molières

From 25 - 30  year-old Chenin Blanc vines in a mid-slope parcel of thin clay and silex soils on limestone, yields of 25 hl/ha, certified organic with biodynamic methods as well, fermented and aged in 4 to 6 year-old barriques. Sébastien Cornille has quickly become one of the finest producers of Loire Valley Chenin Blanc on his 7 hectare estate in the Coteaux du Loir and Jasnières. The 2020 Jasnières "Clos es Molières" is an astonshing dry Chenin showing a bright pale gold color and subtle aromas of pear, nettle, almond, citrus and white earth. The palate is dense but crystalline and intensly mineral with white fruits, honey,  almond, citrus and stone flavors that continue in the scintillating finish. Serve now with an elegant shellfish or fish preparation or hold for ten to fifiteen years and serve with fish or chicken in sauce. Beautiful wine!

Roche Bleue 2019 Jasnières Le Clos des Molières

(Arrival May 9) The 2019 "Clos des Molières" is from 30 year-old Chenin Blanc vines in a mid and upper slope parcel of thin clay and silex soils on limestone, yields of 25 hl/ha, certified organic with biodynamic methods as well, fermented and aged in 2 year-old 400 liter barriques. After one year, the wine is assembled in barrel or cuve and ages for an additional 6 months, followed by a minimum of 6 months in bottle before commercialization. The wine shows subtle aromas of almond, lemon verbena, dried pear, apricot and apple, chalk and stone. The palate is full and dense but vibrant with a chalky texture and subtle, complex white and yellow fruits, citrus, and almond, scintillating and long.  It's a wine of contemplation that will open up nicely with time. Serve now with a mildly flavored ceviche, grilled fish, white meats and goat cheesees or hold for ten+  years. This is a lovely Jasnières, bravo to Sébastien Cornille.  David Lillie

Roche Bleue 2021 Coteaux du Loir La Guinguette

Sebastien Cornille's lovely "Guinguette" is made from a blend of  approximately 70% Pineau d’Aunis with 30% Gamay and Cabernet Franc sourced from 30+-year-old vines in the Coteaux du Loir in organic/ biodynamic farming. It undergoes semi-carbonic maceration with both whole-cluster and destemmed grapes in tank, end of fermentation and malo in 3 to 5 year-old barrels, 8 months elevage. The 2021 is light and fresh with aromas of tart cherry, raspberries and white flowers with just a hint of deeper plum fruit. The palate is a wave of fresh cherry, redcurrant and peppery spice, with ample acid and some tannic grip. It's best served slightly chilled and is a versatile pairing option with anything from roasted meats or vegetables to creamy cheeses.

Roche Bleue 2019 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 2019 "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 2019 shows a lovely dark red/garnet color and penetrating aromas of blackberry, black raspberry, and violet, earthy and deep, really lovely. The palate is dense and ripe with a bit of skin tannin, but supple and bright with very sapid black raspberry liqueur  backed by firm and refreshing acidity in the long juicy finish. (Eric Pfifferling meets Pineau D'Aunis?)  This is quite delicious and should develop nicely with age. Serve with grilled pork or lamb, a farm chicken.  Sébastien says "more structured than the 2018, with very ripe black fruits and hints of spice - it will become more harmonious with a few months  of aging, drink with red meats and spicy or Asian foods."  Highly recommeded! David Lillie