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2020 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: | 2020 |
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
2023 Reuilly “Les Pierres Plates”
France | Loire
Consistently one of the Loire’s finest Sauvignon Blancs
2022 Sancerre Rosé “Le Colombier”
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Sancerre Rosé is made from Pinot Noir grown in Kimmeridgian limestone soil, and the Neveu family’s interpretation is fine, floral, crisp, and bone-dry.
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 Reuilly Pinot Noir
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Gently perfumed and full of fresh berries with the bright, stony finish typical of wines from Reuilly
2019 Vouvray “Bois Guyon”
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For this Vouvray, Paul has opted for a demi-sec style utterly unique in its combination of honeyed richness and flinty verve. This bottling is hard to resist on its own, but you might also try serving it with a simple cheese platter.
2022 Saumur Champigny “Cuvée Domaine”
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This cuvée delivers trademark elegance and notes of blackberries, forest, and graphite.
2021 Sancerre Rouge
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Chotard has crafted a delicious, complex, and elegant rouge that gives many village Burgundies a run for their money.
2021 Bourgeuil “Cuvée Beauvais”
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Smooth and seductive on the palate, Cuvée Beauvais offers a resurgence of silky fruit and florals—like blackberries and roses, without the thorns.
2020 Chinon “La Croix Boissée”
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This is the grandest bottling of Cabernet Franc from one of Chinon’s most outstanding producers.
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
2021 Chinon “Les Grézeaux”
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2019 Saumur Blanc “L’Insolite”
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2021 Bourgueil “La Dilettante”
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2022 Chinon “Les Granges”
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2022 Jasnières
Pascal Janvier France | Loire
2022 Anjou Rouge “Clos de la Cerisaie”
Château d'Epiré France | Loire
2022 Saumur Blanc “L’Insolite”
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2022 Bourgueil Clairet “Avis de Vin Fort”
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2019 Vouvray “Le Portail”
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2020 Vin de France Rosé Grolleau/Cabernet Franc “Les Arceaux”
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2023 Cheverny
Domaine du Salvard France | Loire
2020 Saumur-Champigny “Les Mémoires”
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2021 Chinon “Les Grézeaux”
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2019 Saumur Blanc “L’Insolite”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2021 Bourgueil “La Dilettante”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2022 Chinon “Les Granges”
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2022 Jasnières
Pascal Janvier France | Loire
2022 Anjou Rouge “Clos de la Cerisaie”
Château d'Epiré France | Loire
2022 Saumur Blanc “L’Insolite”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2022 Bourgueil Clairet “Avis de Vin Fort”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2019 Vouvray “Le Portail”
Champalou France | Loire
2020 Vin de France Rosé Grolleau/Cabernet Franc “Les Arceaux”
Grange Saint-Sauveur France | Loire
2023 Cheverny
Domaine du Salvard France | Loire
2020 Saumur-Champigny “Les Mémoires”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
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