Domaine des Sablonnettes
8/4/18 -
Back when we first opened Chambers St. Wines in 2001, I didn't have any interest in wine. I had yet to meet Marc Olivier, Catherine Roussel, Didier Barrouilet, or Mathieu and Bernard Baudry. Contrary to some assumptions, I didn't grow up tasting any of the Muscadet or Chinon my parents were drinking at the dinner table (thanks Dad!). The first time I took a genuine interest in wine was when I spotted a bottle with an image of a group of musicians on a bright yellow label. I didn't know anything about Groslot (I don't think I even knew what Gamay was at the time), but I loved the whimsical label, so I got myself a bottle of the "Copains D'Abord" from Domaine des Sablonnettes. I still remember being blown away by this fresh, vibrant red wine. From there, the deal was sealed. My curiosity grew, and after travelling to France with my father many years later to visit the winemakers and their vineyards, I fell in love with the world of wine and proudly assumed my role as "Le Caviste!"
Last February, I finally got the chance to visit Domaine des Sablonnettes and thank the Ménard family for their decades of winemaking, and for opening my eyes (and my palate) to good wine. After saying hello to Joel, I was greeted by Jeremy (Christine and Joel's son), who has been in charge of winemaking for the last three years. We walked around the vineyards, which looked magical under the fresh snow, and talked about the history of the domaine, the farming, and their soil - admittedly boring stuff for some people, but educational and exciting for me! The Menards are particularly proud of the soils in their vineyards, which, after many years of organic farming, are rich and full of life. Even in the dead of winter under a blanket of snow, there was so much green!
Tasting in the cellar, it quickly became clear that Jeremy is committed to making serious, terroir driven wines without using any additives, just like his parents and grandparents before him. Although the word "natural" is sometimes abused, in the case of the Ménards, the word's most positive connotations apply. All of their decisions are made after careful contemplation and in the context of their countless years of experience with their parcels and different grape varieties. They are certified organic and biodynamic, and vinify without added yeasts, sugars or other "corrections," and their use of sulfur dioxide is minimal, if they use any at all. Long before the phrase "natural wine" existed, the Ménards were making pure and beautiful natural wines, and they have always seemed happy to quietly continue doing so, without fanfare or hashtags.
-Eben Lillie
