Today we are especially excited to welcome to our shelves for the first time in New York a producer who, while young, is already starting to make waves in France across the Loire Valley and beyond. Robin Carette farms 5 hectares of certified organic vines in Bonnezeaux, having taken over some parcels of old vines formerly owned by Château de Fesles and setting up in Thouarcé. He works with respect toward the land and native ecosystem, understanding that great wines are a reflection of the place from which they come. This place, Bonnezeaux, has a long history of producing some of the greatest sweet wines in the world. However, there is a growing trend of making chiseled, dry Chenin in the area and the results have been spectacularly compelling, showcasing the unique terroir of black schist and sandstone that allows for slow ripening and a strong mineral core while retaining acidity and tension. Robin's wines are a great example of this; his whites are packed with substance and layers of complexity while his reds are electric and explode from the glass. He does everything the right way—working by hand, natural fermentations and minimal input in the cellar—and the wines show the care that was put into making them through their stunning purity and vivacity.

I first encountered Robin's wines two years ago at the annual Les Pénitents wine fair, which at the time was in Savennières. If you didn't get a chance to read Eben's recent recap of the Salon Season in France that happens this time each year you can find it here, but in summary it's a time when growers get together to present their current wines to the broader public, catch up with old friends, and share a glass or two or three (but who's counting). We had tasted a plethora of great wines that day, from longtime favorites like Hervé Villemade, Thierry Puzelat, Pierre-Olivier Bonhomme, Domaine Mosse (with whom Robin worked before venturing out to make his own wines) and many others. I had just tasted some great Chenin with Michel Autran and wandered over to Carette's table, curious to know more since I had not seen the labels before. I tasted the 2023 Les Salines Chenin and was enthralled. It had all the density, texture, and minerality that I love in Chenin, but the overall balance and feeling of wholeness was particularly exceptional. When I got to his Pineau d’Aunis, Redrum, it was yet another textbook example of a grape I love: light bodied but with structure, bright red fruit without too much extraction, soaring acidity and the characteristic white pepper note that makes Pineau d'Aunis sing. The next year we set up a visit and walked through Robin's vineyard, a calm and peaceful place on a gently sloping hillside with sandy topsoil and large chunks of quartz amongst the vines. We tasted in his cellar and again were captivated not only by the ethereal and more "serious" Chenins (including the incredible 2021 Ernestine, Robin's first vintage of his top Chenin from his oldest vines) but also the endlessly drinkable reds of Pineau d’Aunis, Grolleau and Cab Franc. He makes a Chardonnay as well called Piha which was a nice surprise, showing the same energy and delicate touch. We started to notice these now familiar labels on lists at restaurants and wine bars around Angers, including popular hangouts like Le Cercle Rouge (where Robin has been known to tend the bar from time to time) and Chez Rémi. It was a promising sign to see people out in the streets (quite literally, as you'll see if you hang out in Angers during the salons) enjoying these wines. They beg to be shared, are unpretentious yet of outstanding quality and provide incredible value, all things that really get to the heart of what I love about wine. Now two years after the first sip I'm enjoying a bottle of Les Salines Chenin Blanc in my New York apartment, absolutely thrilled to finally be able to share with you all. -Jeff DiLorenzo

Please note quantities are extremely small on some wines, and in order to get them to as many people as possible we've set bottle limits on the 2021 and 2022 Ernestine Chenin Blanc as well as the reds, Ringo and Redrum. If you happen to miss out we will be hosting a tasting where all of the wines will be open in conjunction with the Society of the Chantepleure at Freddy's Tribeca on Saturday, April 11th. Stay tuned for more details!
 
**Most wines are in stock, please allow until Tuesday 2/24 for pickup or delivery**