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2018 Anjou Rouge “Clos de la Cerisaie”
Château d’Épiré
One of the last growers to produce Cabernet Franc in the Savennières appellation, Paul Bizard, who recently took the reins from his father, Luc, is as proud as he is protective of the domaine’s rare hectare of rouge. He sent us a picture of thirty beehives he installed in the vineyard in 2018 and announced that his next project is to replant cherry trees, the namesake of the clos. As for the wine, it’s a bottle “without pretension, but joy-enhancing,” which pretty much says it all.
—Emily Spillmann
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2018 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Cabernet Franc |
Appellation: | Savennières |
Country: | France |
Region: | Loire |
Producer: | Château d'Épiré |
Winemaker: | Luc Bizard |
Vineyard: | Planted in 1973, 1976, 2016, 1.5 ha |
Soil: | Schist |
Aging: | Wine ages in 30 hectoliter stainless steel tanks until spring |
Farming: | Lutte Raisonnée |
Alcohol: | 12.5% |
More from this Producer or Region

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2023 Savennières
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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 Kimmeridgian 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
2016 Jasnières “Chant de Vigne”
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2021 Saumur Champigny “La Marginale”
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2020 Saumur Blanc “Clos Romans”
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2020 Chinon “Clos du Chêne Vert”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2024 Val de Loire Sauvignon Blanc “Unique”
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2022 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine “Réserve”
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2021 Chinon Blanc “Les Charmes”
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2016 Chinon “Les Petites Roches” MAGNUM
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2022 Chinon Blanc
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2023 Saumur Champigny “Cuvée Domaine”
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2022 Quincy “Vieilles Vignes”
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2023 Bourgueil “Trinch!”
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2016 Jasnières “Chant de Vigne”
Christine de Mianville France | Loire
2021 Saumur Champigny “La Marginale”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2020 Saumur Blanc “Clos Romans”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2020 Chinon “Clos du Chêne Vert”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2024 Val de Loire Sauvignon Blanc “Unique”
Domaine du Salvard France | Loire
2022 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine “Réserve”
Domaine Michel Brégeon France | Loire
2021 Chinon Blanc “Les Charmes”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2016 Chinon “Les Petites Roches” MAGNUM
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2022 Chinon Blanc
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2023 Saumur Champigny “Cuvée Domaine”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2022 Quincy “Vieilles Vignes”
Domaine Trotereau France | Loire
2023 Bourgueil “Trinch!”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
Kermit once said...

Kermit once said...
Let the brett nerds retire into protective bubbles, and whenever they thirst for wine it can be passed in to them through a sterile filter. Those of us on the outside can continue to enjoy complex, natural, living wines.
Inspiring Thirst, page 236