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2019 Savennières
Château d’EpiréWhile increasingly warm vintages, such as 2019 in the Loire Valley, threaten to upset a wine’s traditional balance and typicity, we have not seen that with Château d’Épiré’s Savennières. Rather than make things overripe and blowsy, as one might fear, the sunny conditions have instead intensified the trademark character of Chenin Blanc from these schist-laden vineyards overlooking the Loire. A discreet nose of fresh walnuts prefaces this white wine flavored more of fractured stone than of any fruit or flower. The finish is bone-dry and utterly mouthwatering, as with any self-respecting Savennières.
—Anthony Lynch
Wine Type: | white |
Vintage: | 2019 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Chenin Blanc |
Appellation: | Savennières |
Country: | France |
Region: | Loire |
Producer: | Château d'Épiré |
Winemaker: | Luc Bizard |
Vineyard: | Planted in 1965-2013 (average 35 years old), 8.5 ha |
Soil: | Schist |
Aging: | Juice rests for 24 hours before being racked into stainless steel cuves for fermentation to begin |
Farming: | Lutte Raisonnée |
Alcohol: | 14.5% |
More from this Producer or Region
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About The Producer
Château d'Épiré
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.
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2018 Chinon Blanc “Clos de la Plante Martin”
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2020 Vin de France Rouge Cabernet Franc “Huguette”
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2022 Reuilly Pinot Noir
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1989 Vouvray “Bois Guyon”
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2020 Vin de France Rosé Grolleau/Cabernet Franc “Les Arceaux”
Grange Saint-Sauveur France | Loire
2019 Chinon “Clos du Chêne Vert”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2018 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine “Gorges”
Domaine Michel Brégeon France | Loire
2023 Cheverny
Domaine du Salvard France | Loire
2022 Vouvray “Les Fondraux”
Champalou France | Loire
2019 Bourgueil “Clos Sénéchal”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2020 Saumur Champigny “La Marginale”
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2022 Val de Loire Sauvignon Blanc “Unique”
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Kermit once said...
Kermit once said...
If you're looking for value, look where no one else is looking.
Inspiring Thirst, page 211