As the longest river in France, the Loire provides the setting for some of the great wines of the world. Starting in the Massif Central, it runs for over 1000 kilometres, first heading north through the Auvergne (Gamay country) before reaching the Central Loire and the famous Sauvignon Blanc appellations of Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé, Reuilly and Menetou-Salon. Here it turns west, flowing into Anjou and the Middle Loire where Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc reign supreme, before finally reaching the Atlantic coast in the Pays Nantais, the home of seafood loving Melon de Bourgogne (Muscadet) and Folle Blanche.
Today we focus on some of the cult producers from the middle section of the Loire, where for the last few decades, a new wave of producers has taken Chenin Blanc (previously used mainly for sweet wines) to soaring new heights with powerful, textural examples that have ripped up the rule book and elevated Loire Chenin to the very top echelon of French white wine.
Jean-Pierre Robinot (Jasnières)
The phrase 'natural wine legend' is sometimes overused, but the moniker certainly applies to Jean-Pierre Robinot. Having founded the famous Paris wine bar L’Ange Vin and France’s premier natural wine journal Le Rouge et le Blanc, he now makes simply breathtaking wine about an hour's drive north of Tours in the northern Loire Valley appellations of Jasnières and Coteaux-du-Loir. Farming is biodynamic, vinification is slow and patient, and the results are mind-bending, ephemeral wines that seem to reveal a new aspect with each and every sip. With all this, it's easy to see why Jean-Pierre's wines are a perennial favourite in the shop. The whites - made from Chenin Blanc - are exhilarating, pure, and up with the best natural examples going, and we're thrilled to have received two of Jean-Pierre's Chenins (along with four of his stunning Pineau d'Aunis)
Jean-Pierre Robinot Charme (£48): Chenin Blanc from vines around forty years old, pressed straight to old barrels for fifteen months of élevage. From a cooler year, this is absolutely electric, with pristine stone fruits seasoned with the unmistakable imprint of flint. Displaying the kind of tightrope balance we find in the very best examples of the grape, it no doubt has a long life ahead.
Jean-Pierre Robinot L'Iris (£63): L'Iris is Chenin Blanc from some of JP's oldest vines, up to ninety years of age. This bottling was pressed straight to barrel for three years of élevage, rendering a wine of staggering depth and complexity. From a blockbuster vintage, it carries a little gas on opening, with air revealing ripe stone fruits and a deep, stony minerality. A wine of profound energy and seemingly eternal youth, which will reward drinkers for many years to come.
Château de Bonnezeaux (Anjou)
Guyonne Saclier de la Bâtie worked with the legendary Mark Angeli at Ferme de Sansonnière before taking the reins at Château de Bonnezeaux in Anjou in 2012. The 70 year old Chenin Blanc vines had lay abandoned for over 30 years before Guyonne undertook the painstaking process of nursing them back to health, employing the biodynamic methods he had learned from Mark Angeli. In a short time this has become one of the most exciting producers not just in the Loire but all of France, creating wines of immense energy, drive and down right deliciousness.
Château de Bonnezeaux La Montagne (£57)
La Montagne is from two plots of vines, 40 and 70 years old respectively. A refined, struck match reductive nose gives way to zingy citrus and baked apple with towering acidity expertly balanced by the broadness of the immense, savoury palate.
Château de Bonnezeaux Les Coqueries (£67)
From the famed Les Coqueries vineyard from which Stephane Bernaudeau also makes one of his top cuvées, this is electric, rich and tremendously complex with waves of ripe apples and pears, honey, nougat, baking spices and much more. Chenin at its best.
Château de Bonnezeaux La Minée Haute (£71)
Vivid, rich La Minée Haute is from Bonnezeaux's newest plot planted with vines growing in gravel towards the bottom of the hill. Ripe orchard fruits, spice and a salty minerality lead into an immensely powerful palate that seems like it will never end.
Ferme de la Sansonnière (Anjou)
Mark Angeli studied chemistry before falling in love with wine and moving to Anjou in 1989 in search of affordable land to pursue his dream of becoming a vigneron. It was here in the schist soils of Bonnezeaux that he stumbled upon the Ferme de La Sansonnière, and the rest was history. Mark and Sansonnière along with a handful of other growers have subsequently turned this previously sweet wine dominated region into a dry Chenin Blanc paradise, with wines of drive and finesse usually more associated with the great appellations of Burgundy.
Ferme de la Sansonnière La Lune (£55): A wine that never disappoints, La Lune is Mark's 'entry level' Chenin but a wine that perhaps speaks to his place at the forefront of the new wave of dry Chenin more than any other. Exquisite poise and balance with struck match reduction, beautiful texture and wonderful purity of fruit.
Ferme de la Sansonnière Rosé D'Un Jour (£40): Ok, so this isn't Chenin but we never get a chance to shout about Mark's glorious rosé, so why not now with the wonderful weather of late? A sensational rosé made from 95% Grolleau Gris with 5% Cabernet Sauvignon in an off-dry style. Caramelised berries and stone fruits with baking spices and wild herbs. While we're at it, Mark's Grolleau is pretty decent also!
Thanks very much for reading. You'll find plenty more stunning Loire Chenin (and other Loire varieties) from the likes of Clos des Plantes, Thomas Bartardière and Château de Plaisance in our dedicated collection here.