Loire

The 2013 Saumur Champigny Le Bourg opens delicate like a Burgundy, with floral as well as flinty and toasty aromas but also intense red fruit and dark cherry ones. Pure, fine, and juicy on the palate, this is a silky-elegant Le Bourg with fine tannins and a long, salty and mineral finish. -Wine Advocate

From a single 1.5 hectare monopole vineyard in Bizay. Fermented in 600-litre demi-muids.

Almost sour citrus, like lime pickle? Very structured, with taut acidity. Honey too, but overall the acid and citric sharpness rules. Quite an onslaught, but in a good way. 

Drink 2017 - 2027

Richard Hemming MW, JancisRobinson.com (October 2017)

From 45-year-old vines, macerated for 30-35 days ("just infusion, no extraction") and aged in old barrels for 12 months plus six months in tanks, the 2016 Anjou Cabernet Franc is pure and intense on the nose that reveals finely concentrated raspberry, red cherry and tobacco aromas. Pure, intense and fresh on the palate, this is a silky-textured, refined, elegant red with fine tannins and vibrantly mineral acidity. Tart on the finish but full of character. Excellent. Bottled at the end of April 2017.

Drink 2022 - 2036

Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate (October 2021)

The 2018 Val de Loire Grolleau opens with a light reduction on the nose that is clear, fresh and spicy, with fresh raspberry, blackberry and elegant flinty aromas. Silky, fresh and elegant on the palate, this is a fleshy, sweet, silky-textured but generous red with fine tannins and a sleek, crystalline and concentrated tart finish. It needs some time, but this is excellent and generous. Tasted in June 2021.

Located 24 kilometres west of Saumur in Ambillou-Château in the very east of the Anjou appellation and almost bordering the Saumur AC, the 10-hectare Domaine Clau de Nell, purchased by Anne Claude Leflaive and her husband Christian in 2008 and today managed by winemaker (and shareholder) Sylvain Potin, offers a small but fine range of white and red wines from one block with a homogenous soil of clay, silex and sandstone, the latter gives the wines their characteristic energy and tension.

The organically farmed, south-facing and wind-exposed vineyards are about 100 meters above sea level and are surrounded by forests, grassland, grain fields and a tree farm, which gives a large natural diversity and protection against pollution.

Drink 2023 - 2040

Nady Foucault working here on a consultation basis brings the obvious question, ‘Will this estate be the next Clos Rougeard?’. You get a hint of that ethereal nature in this cuvée, and that’s no surprise given the immense care taken, including four levels of sorting after harvest. 

Bright red cherry, raspberry and violets greet you in the glass and are carried by fine ripe tannins and zippy acidity. A garrigue and spicy nature complements the taut fresh notes and gives you a refreshing and clean finish. This is an instantly enjoyable Cabernet Franc that I’ve no doubt will continue to evolve and add further complexity over the next 10+ years. 

James Belok, Private Client Manager, Berry Bros. & Rudd

This cool and elegant Sancerre is made for us by 10th-generation vigneron David Sautereau. The nose is fresh and mineral, with citrus fruits mingling with crushed stone. In the mouth, the attack is precise, crisp and energetic, with pleasing mid-palate weight and a saline finish. This is excellent with fresh seafood or the local crottin de Chavignol goat’s cheese.

Drink 2024 - 2026

Adam Bruntlett, Senior Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd