2014 Pépière Clos des Briords; 2014s from François Pinon!
The release of a new vintage of Domaine de la Pépière's Muscadet Clos des Briords is always a cause for rejoicing, especially when nature has blessed the Loire Valley with an excellent vintage, both in quality and quantity! So, no allocations, for now anyway, and a superb wine with a bit more ripeness than some recent vintages - and, believe it or not, a lower price, at least for the next few weeks. Whether you are drinking it now or cellaring for twenty years, at $16.99 (less 10% on a case) this is truly one of the World's Greatest Wine Values! Included in this email is the lovely "regular" cuvee of 2014 Muscadet Sevre et Maine sur Lie, a great and versatile everyday white, and two of Pepière's reds, the 2014 La Pépie Cot and Cabernet Franc, both of which are particulary yummy in this sunny vintage - we urge you to try them. Thanks to our friends Marc Ollivier, Remi Branger and Gwénaëlle Croix for these wonderful wines!
François Pinon in Vallée des Cousses, Vouvray, was hit by disastrous hail in 2012, then by every problem in the book in 2013 resulting in two years with almost no wine to sell - a financial disaster and difficult experience for one of our very favorite vignerons. Meeting the Pinon family back in 1981 was a wonderful experience (we drank the 1959 Moelleux!), which led to our long association with Francois and his beautiful wines. His organic vineyard work and thoughtful vinifications produce some of the finest wines in Vouvray. Fortunately, 2014, which terrified growers with horrible mid-summer weather, turned sunny and warm late in August allowing the production of superb wines in Vouvray with that magic combination of high acidity and excellent ripeness. We are very happy to offer three 2014s from Francois (with help from his son Julien) including a new cuvee, Les Deronnieres, from a great parcel on the hill directly behind the Pinon's cellar. With excellent exposure and thin soils of clay over limestone, les Deronnieres 2014 is really a demi-sec with gorgeous, complex fruit lifted by scintillating citrusy acids - we urge you to try it. As always, the Pinon Vouvrays drink wonderfully as young wines and are capable of long-term aging - they are beautiful wines and outstanding values!
