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2022 Reuilly Pinot Noir
Domaine de ReuillyAn hour south of Orléans, in the heart of France, the commune of Reuilly sits at a singular crossroads in the Loire Valley. Reuilly’s bread and butter is Sauvignon Blanc, one of the Loire’s most beloved grape varieties, but you can also hear echoes of Burgundy in this tiny appellation. Not only are Reuilly’s soils graced with Kimmeridgian limestone—the iconic ancient marine bedrock that defines Chablis—but Reuilly is also home to a long tradition of Pinot Noir cultivation. We now have one in stock, and it is simply delicious.
In spite of these Burgundian associations, though, Pinot Noir from the central and eastern Loire—namely Reuilly and Sancerre—yields wines that are entirely distinct from their exalted and more illustrious relatives to the east. In recent decades, Reuilly rouge has been a staple of Parisian bistros because, at its best, it delivers unrivaled suppleness and an ethereal quality—ideal for quaffing alongside classics like pâté, coq au vin, and steak frites. Thanks to a long history working both organically and biodynamically in his vines, these virtues of Reuilly are on full display in Denis Jamain’s rouge, particularly after a little time spent opening up in a decanter or in your glass. There’s vitality and freshness in the wine, which evokes cherries, blood orange, herbs, and flowers. In addition to the bistro classics above, this Pinot is wonderfully suited to a wild mushroom pasta, sautéed root vegetables, a hard and flavorful cheese like Comté, or roast rosemary chicken.
—Tom Wolf
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2022 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Pinot Noir |
Appellation: | Reuilly |
Country: | France |
Region: | Loire |
Producer: | Domaine de Reuilly |
Winemaker: | Denis Jamain |
Vineyard: | 23 years average, 4 ha |
Soil: | Clay, Limestone |
Farming: | Biodynamic (certified) |
Alcohol: | 13% |
More from this Producer or Region
2020 Sancerre “Hameau de Reigny”
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Simon refers to Hameau de Reigny as a “nature” wine. The result is textured and tropical-fruited, yet not so much a departure from the region’s typicity, as rather, a riff on it.
2018 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine “Gorges”
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Given light treatment in the cellar, this wine shows off Cabernet in its most delicate, charming form.
2022 Reuilly Pinot Gris Rosé
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Citrusy aromatics, bracing salinity, and a mineral backbone make it a mouthwatering match for tangy, fresh-herb-laden soups like tom kha gai or pho.
2022 Vin de France Rouge “Le Martray”
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The new vintage shows great freshness and brightness, making me think of tart berries picked in the forest just a touch below full ripeness.
2020 Vin de France Rosé Grolleau/Cabernet Franc “Les Arceaux”
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Intensely dry and mineral, the structured Les Arceaux is a bottle to pair with a meal rather than to drink as an apéritif.
2020 Chinon “Cuvée Terroir”
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The perfect combination of tart red fruit, herbaceousness, and graphite earthiness.
2023 Reuilly “Les Pierres Plates”
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About The Producer
Domaine de Reuilly
About The Region
Loire
The defining feature of the Loire Valley, not surprisingly, is the Loire River. As the longest river in France, spanning more than 600 miles, this river connects seemingly disparate wine regions. Why else would Sancerre, with its Kimmeridgian limestone terroir be connected to Muscadet, an appellation that is 250 miles away?
Secondary in relevance to the historical, climatic, environmental, and cultural importance of the river are the wines and châteaux of the Jardin de la France. The kings and nobility of France built many hundreds of châteaux in the Loire but wine preceded the arrival of the noblesse and has since out-lived them as well.
Diversity abounds in the Loire. The aforementioned Kimmderidgian limestone of Sancerre is also found in Chablis. Chinon, Bourgueil, and Saumur boast the presence of tuffeau, a type of limestone unique to the Loire that has a yellowish tinge and a chalky texture. Savennières has schist, while Muscadet has volcanic, granite, and serpentinite based soils. In addition to geologic diversity, many, grape varieties are grown there too: Cabernet Franc, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, and Melon de Bourgogne are most prevalent, but (to name a few) Pinot Gris, Grolleau, Pinot Noir, Pineau d’Aunis, and Folle Blanche are also planted. These myriad of viticultural influences leads to the high quality production of every type of wine: red, white, rosé, sparkling, and dessert.
Like the Rhône and Provence, some of Kermit’s first imports came from the Loire, most notably the wines of Charles Joguet and Château d’Epiré—two producers who are featured in Kermit’s book Adventures on the Wine Route and with whom we still work today.
More from Loire or France
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2022 Sancerre
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2020 Saumur-Champigny “Franc de Pied”
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2023 Cheverny
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2020 Chinon “Les Petites Roches”
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2022 Bourgueil Rosé “La Ritournelle”
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2020 Vouvray “La Dilettante”
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2021 Saumur Champigny “Terres Chaudes”
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2020 Vin de France Rosé Grolleau/Cabernet Franc “Les Arceaux”
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2018 Chinon Blanc “Clos de la Plante Martin”
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2022 Bourgueil “Trinch!”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2022 Muscadet “Le Clos de la Butte”
Eric Chevalier France | Loire
2019 Saumur Blanc “L’Échelier”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2022 Sancerre
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2020 Saumur-Champigny “Franc de Pied”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2023 Cheverny
Domaine du Salvard France | Loire
2020 Chinon “Les Petites Roches”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2022 Bourgueil Rosé “La Ritournelle”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2020 Vouvray “La Dilettante”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2021 Saumur Champigny “Terres Chaudes”
Domaine des Roches Neuves France | Loire
2020 Vin de France Rosé Grolleau/Cabernet Franc “Les Arceaux”
Grange Saint-Sauveur France | Loire
2018 Chinon Blanc “Clos de la Plante Martin”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2022 Bourgueil “Trinch!”
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Kermit once said...
Kermit once said...
I want you to realize once and for all: Even the winemaker does not know what aging is going to do to a new vintage; Robert Parker does not know; I do not know. We all make educated (hopefully) guesses about what the future will bring, but guesses they are. And one of the pleasures of a wine cellar is the opportunity it provides for you to witness the evolution of your various selections. Living wines have ups and downs just as people do, periods of glory and dog days, too. If wine did not remind me of real life, I would not care about it so much.
Inspiring Thirst, page 171