Chotard’s Les Cris is named for the small limestone rocks that stud the vineyard, which sits on a subsoil of rich Kimmeridgian marl—great dirt for Sauvignon Blanc! Simon Chotard always tries to include some botrytized grapes in Les Cris—grapes touched by the same “noble rot” that produces Sauternes—which contribute a subtle honeyed character that, when combined with the grassy citrus notes and a delicious minerality of classic Sancerre, creates an irresistible tart-sweet tension.

Céline Champalou’s Vouvray is always a joy to drink. The wine seems so pure, as if it bubbled up out of the limestone into a cool, limpid pool tended by nymphs and satyrs who pour it into the mouths of weary souls. That’s what I feel, anyway, when I grab a bottle from the fridge.

Vintage 2021 was challenging for Cabernet Franc, but I’ve heard more than one winemaker say they absolutely love the classic wines that resulted. When I tasted Clos Sénéchal, it was easy to see why—the wine is a stunner, with a velvety texture and a core of ripe fruit, along with an earthy wildness. It is compact and packs a punch, like a featherweight boxer, and should cellar well.

You’re immediately hit with generous red fruit aromas and that classic Cabernet Franc green-pepper note. In the glass, the wine is wonderfully loose-knit, the tannins gentle. Incredibly open and enjoyable now.

Thierry Germain’s Clos de l’Echelier bottling almost never happened. After putting it up for sale in 2012, the local Saumurois owner of the Clos de l’Echelier vineyard did not initially want to sell it to Germain, who grew up outside of the Loire, in a Bordeaux wine family. Thierry, however, was no carpetbagger and he convincingly communicated his extraordinary devotion to his adopted region. He told the owner how he had toiled in Saumur for two decades already and how he now farmed biodynamically and organically, with the utmost respect for the vines. He expounded on his aim to help bring the Loire Valley to its deserved place alongside the great wine regions of the world. Finally, he told the owner one other thing that might have sealed the deal.
     Years before, Thierry and his wife had driven past the clos, which dates back 300 years, and had fallen in love with it immediately. It is called the Clos de l’Echelier—the ladder enclosure—because of the way the vineyard slopes, making the stakes look like a ladder from afar, and because it is surrounded by an old stone wall. Thierry believes strongly in “le bon sens paysan”—farmer’s wisdom—and he argues that hundreds of years ago, farmers identified the best vineyards and encircled them to mark the high quality. Another special feature of the site was the abundance of old cherry and oak trees in and around the clos, which Thierry says boosts the biodiversity and health of the vineyard. “[The trees’ presence] is the only element that gives light to the soil. Without light, there is no life.” After seeing it, he told his wife that one day he would buy this magical vineyard for her. Moved, the owner ultimately sold it to Thierry.
     The result of Thierry’s purchase is extraordinary. In general, his reds are fresh, ethereal, and expand the possibilities of Cabernet Franc, without abandoning or overriding the variety’s integrity. They appeal to both Cabernet Franc lovers and those who claim not to like the grape. The Clos de l’Echelier might be his best example of this. Year after year, this cuvée from 40-year-old vines planted in clay and limestone is Thierry’s most mineral rouge, whose chalky finish leaves your palate cleansed and salivating.

Chenin Blanc from Savennières is such a different beast from Vouvray. Here, at the western end of the Loire Valley, limestone gives way to more schist, resulting in a cooler, more restrained vibe, with less stone fruit and more crisp pear. The finish is nutty, dry, and a bit craggy, much like the rock-strewn vineyards overlooking the Loire that are its source.