LOIRE VALLEY IS MUCH MORE THAN SANCERRE

France is the second largest producer of wine in the world and French wine, arguably, is the most esteemed and recognized wine worldwide. The French were the first to create a modern, rigorous organizing system of appellation regions with designated varietals, and specific rules to which producers must adhere to obtain Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) designation for their wine. As a result, regions with famous AOC designations, such as Bordeaux, Alsace, Rhone Valley, and Burgundy are known worldwide even among people who are not avid wine drinkers.

However, Loire Valley does not command as much recognition as these aforementioned regions, and probably the two biggest reasons for this are that 1) the region produces predominantly white wines, and 2) the region is known for one white wine sub-appellation in particular, Sancerre, that commands more name recognition outside France than the Loire Valley region itself.

Due to the region’s cool climate and short growing season, over 50 percent of production is white wine, and the red wines from the region are, with a few exceptions, light in nature. In order of volume planted, white varietals in the region are Sauvignon Blanc (the varietal for Sancerre white), Chenin Blanc, Melon de Bourgogne, Chardonnay, and in small amounts Pinot Gris, Chasselas, Romorantin, Folle Blanche and François-Saint-Meslier. Red varietals are Cabernet Franc, Gamay, Grolleau, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pineau d'Aunis, Côt, and Négrette

Light wines from cooler climates are usually harvested early, hence low in alcohol and good candidates for winemakers to halt fermentation to leave residual sugar. For this reason, Loire Valley enjoyed centuries of recognition as a wine region because through most of history wine drinkers have enjoyed their wine on the sweet side. Archaeological evidence shows viticulture in Loire Valley as early as the 1st century AD and by the 5th century it was so entrenched that the Roman poet Sidonius Apollinaris mentioned Loire Valley wines in his writings. In the 11th century, wines in the region were more prized than those of Bordeaux.

Sancerre earned its name recognition because it produced Sauvignon Blanc single-varietal wines that were sought after throughout Europe. And, in fact, Sancerre was one of the original AOCs awarded in 1936, with the same area being designated for red wines in 1959. Since then, the AOC has expanded fourfold, and with this expansion has followed more instances of mechanized farming to accommodate the expanded exports that come with world recognition.

Even as the average wine drinker’s palate skewed to dry wines, the French have always appreciated Loire Valley as a top wine region for much more than Sancerre and educated wine enthusiasts have followed suit. Loire Valley has 87 appellations that fall within four major regions: Lower Loire (Pays Nantais on the map above), Middle Loire (Anjou-Saumur), Central Loire (Centre – where Sancerre is), and Upper Loire (duller shade of pink – Auverne). And while large-scale, mechanized farming might define some high-export appellation wines of Loire Valley, the region has always, and continues to be, a haven for small producers and traditional viticulture. We selected three wines that reflect this latter trend.

Source: https://shop.winefolly.com/products/france-loire-valley-wine-map-2nd-edition

BROTHERS SHOWING HOW A NATIVE VARIETAL CAN SHINE

Domaine Mortier is only 39 acres in the Saint Nicolas de Bourgeuil AOC between Angers and Tours. Two brothers, Fabien and Cyril Boisard, started the estate in 1996 while in their early 20s. Interestingly, they do not come from a winemaking family and as such feel free to work outside of conventional restrictions. Above all, they are focused on farming sustainably. The estate became certified organic in 1999 and biodynamically certified in 20007, and they recently expanded the estate by fifteen acres that they dedicate solely to an experimental agroforestry project in the neighboring village in which local varietals are interplanted with trees and bushes to promote biodiversity. In their other “standard” 24 acres, they plant various types of crops within their vineyards, which they believe is healthy for the soil and adds unique flavor profiles to their wines. .

The brothers, still young: Fabien and Cyril Boisard

The brothers in the cellar

Featured May Amaro Wine Club Loire Valley wine: Domaine du Mortier Brain de Folie Rouge (2023)
VARIETALS: 60% Grolleau, 40% Cabernet Franc

Cabernet Franc is grown throughout France and is also the most planted and recognized red varietal in Loire Valley as it is grape that can grow in cool climates in short growing seasons and still deliver wines with some heft. Grolleau, on the other hand, is found only in Loire Valley and and is also suited to cool climates, but is a small grape with little color, producing light, low alcohol wines. Historically, Grolleau has been used as a blending grape or to make sweet Rosè and sparkling wines; however, winemakers like the Boisard brothers have realized its potential to make interesting dry, lively wines with mouthwatering acidity. For this red blend, they wanted some body to the wine, hence the Cabernet Franc, but they decided Grolleau would be the major blending partner.

The brothers hand-harvest the grapes from two distinct vineyard parcels, one with vines that have an average age of 12 years, and the other with 60-year-old vines. They put whole bunches into 50-hectoliter concrete tanks for carbonic maceration that takes about 14 days and use a starter of lees from previous vintages to start the fermentation. The bottom of the tank is lined with boxes so that the grapes are not in contact with any of the juice at the bottom. The wine then stays in tanks for about 4 months until it is bottled.

FOOD PAIRINGS: grilled artisan sausage, braised pork loin, grilled pork chops, savory chicken dishes, paté, cured meats, young or aged mild cheeses with bread.

YOUNG FRIENDS TAKE THEIR PASSION TO ANOTHER LEVEL

Le Fief Noir was also started by two young wine makers, Dominique Sirot and Alexis Soulas, who met while working for an estate in Corsica. Neither started their careers in viticulture, but by the time they met, they bonded over their revelation that the wine industry was their destiny, and they decided that they wanted to work together to make terroir-driven wines. The friends shopped for land all over the mainland and finally decided to purchase this estate near Angers in the municipality of the village of St-Lambert du Lattay in the heart of the Anjou Noir region, which takes its name from the black Schist soil that dominates the terroir.

They manually cultivate the 74 acres, but have still managed to increase the volume of their harvests to create a new label solely for exports called "La Cueillette des Oiseaux.” The name honors an expression of Dominique's mentor who used to tell him "The best harvest is the bird's harvest," which also relects their belief that their farming is dependent on the natural ecology of their terrain. As any good viticulturist knows, when the birds start eating the grapes they are at their perfect ripeness.

Dominique and Alexis surveying their land.

Native sand hiding the black schist

Featured May Amaro Wine Club Loire Valley wine: Le Fief Noir Val De Loire Pineau d'Aunis La Cueillette Des Oiseaux (2022)
VARIETALS: Pineau d'Aunis

The grapes come from 60-year-old vines that owe their survival to spreading deep roots in the thin native sand and black schist soil. A few days before the harvest, Dominique and Alexis conduct a “green harvest” to eliminate all but the healthiest grape clusters. They then hand harvest the clusters by placing them into 12-kilogram crates to avoid crushing any of the grapes so that the clusters can then undergo an optimal whole bunch maceration for seven days. Afterwards, the grapes are pressed and fermented, and the wine spends six months in concrete tanks before bottling.

FOOD PAIRINGS: duck confit, stuffed tomatoes and zucchini, blond liver dumplings, celery purée, Ossau-iraty (sheep’s milk cheese)

Caves São João sources its grapes from local growers in Bairrada and Dao, but also owns the Quinta do Poço o Lobo vineyard estate and the wines made from these vineyards are aged many years.

The current winemaker represents Portugal’s young, modern wine movement. Thirty-nine-year-old Jose Antonio Neves Carvalheira has been at Caves São João since 2002 after obtaining an oenologist degree and following a career as a teacher in a wine school in the Bairrada region.

DOWNSIZING TO GET BACK TO THE BASICS WITH A CELEBRATED LOIRE VARIETAL

The Tijou family were multigenerational owners of the Chateau Soucherie in Beaufort-sur-Layon and decided to sell their property and exchange it for a smaller estate down the road, Chateau de l’Eperonniere so that Mathieu Tijou, son of Pierre-Yves and Brigitte who operated Chateau Soucherie, could establish his own smaller domaine, Chatueau de l’Eperonniere and launch his career as an independent vigneron with the 2007 vintage. Mathieu and his wife, Charlotte, have renovated the property with an eye to its traditional architecture, using artisanal labor to repair one of the wooden ceilings in the chai, for example, that dates to the thirteenth century. The property has become a tourist attraction and is used for events, such as conferences and weddings, and the Chateau has become an iconic symbol of a French domaine.

Source: https://www.winetourism.com/wine-region/porto-douro/

Featured May Amaro Wine Club Loire Valley wine: Chateau de l’Eperonniere Savennieres Croix Picot (2020)
VARIETALS: Chenin Blanc

The vineyards are located on both sides of the Loire River and overlook the Layon. The Croix Picot vineyard is in the Savennieres appellation and the remaining vineyards around the Chateau are in the Anjou and Coteaux du Layon appellations.

The Croix Picot vineyards are so close to the bank of the Loire River that they are frequently covered in an early morning mist sheltering them from direct sunlight until later morning and afternoon. The grapes are harvested manually and then fermented in used barrels where the élevage is also done. The wine does not undergo malolactic fermentation, and it is bottled 12 months after harvest. Only 4,200 bottles are reserved for export to the United States.

FOOD PAIRINGS: creamy chicken and pork dishes, rich seafood (crab, lobster), goat cheese, soft cheeses (camembert, brie), spicy Indian and Thai cuisine