Notify me
2020 Jasnières
Pascal JanvierWith about 160 acres planted, Jasnières represents one of the Loire Valley’s smallest appellations. And yet it is home to one of its most distinctive expressions of Chenin Blanc, as this cool, stony terroir of clay, limestone, and flint yields wines unlike anything one might find in other Chenin AOCs such as Vouvray, Savennières, or Anjou. Pascal Janvier is a small grower in Jasnières intent on showing off the typicity and uniqueness of the area’s wines, and his 2020s do not disappoint. Racy, slightly honeyed, exotically perfumed, and loaded with minerality, this wine is an excellent representation of how Chenin reacts to the local conditions. The aroma is always fascinating—guava, flowers, citrus, clove, and gunflint are often cited; what do you pick out? This white’s versatility makes it a great choice for the gourmet adventurer, as simple dishes like fresh goat cheeses and buttery fish preparations work just as well as many Southeast Asian and Central American dishes.
—Anthony Lynch
Wine Type: | white |
Vintage: | 2020 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Chenin Blanc |
Appellation: | Jasnières |
Country: | France |
Region: | Loire |
Producer: | Pascal Janvier |
Winemaker: | Pascal Janvier |
Vineyard: | 40 years, 6 ha |
Soil: | Clay, Limestone |
Farming: | Lutte Raisonnée |
Alcohol: | 14% |
More from this Producer or Region
2022 Sancerre
France | Loire
An intense exotic nose lures you in before the minerality channels the lightning energy of this pure Sauvignon Blanc.
2022 Coteaux du Loir Blanc
France | Loire
Exotically perfumed with hints of guava, musk, and clove, it finishes dry and quite flinty.
2022 Vin de France Rouge “Le Martray”
France | Loire
The new vintage shows great freshness and brightness, making me think of tart berries picked in the forest just a touch below full ripeness.
2022 Vin de France Brut Nature “Elle est pas bulle, la vie?”
France | Loire
Delicious and honest naturally sparkling Chenin, bottled with no dosage and no sulfur.
2022 Jasnières
France | Loire
Racy, slightly honeyed, exotically perfumed, and loaded with minerality, this wine is an excellent representation of how Chenin reacts to the local conditions.
2022 Coteaux du Loir Rouge “Cuvée du Rosier”
France | Loire
This red is 100% Pineau d’Aunis, an indigenous red grape we hold dear to our collective hearts because of its mystifying aromatics and bright, juicy texture.
2022 Jasnières “Cuvée du Silex”
France | Loire
This Chenin Blanc has a tart sweetness, or perhaps a sweet tartness—with neither overbearing—that epitomizes good balance and will have you greedily reaching for your glass.
2016 Chinon “Les Petites Roches” MAGNUM
France | Loire
Given light treatment in the cellar, this wine shows off Cabernet in its most delicate, charming form.
2022 Chinon Rosé
France | Loire
Matthieu Baudry captures both youthful fruit and energizing mineral textures with this rosé.
2022 Jasnières “Cuvée Sainte Narcisse”
France | Loire
It might be the most unusual and most delicious top-quality sweet wine you have ever tried: a pure Chenin Blanc from a special selection of late-harvest grapes in the appellation of Jasnière.
About The Producer
Pascal Janvier
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 Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil “Irène”
Domaine de la Chanteleuserie France | Loire
2022 Bourgueil “Trinch!”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2021 Sancerre Rouge
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2019 Chinon “Clos du Chêne Vert”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2020 Bourgueil “Nuits d’Ivresse”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2021 Sancerre “Les Coutones”
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2022 Quincy “Vieilles Vignes”
Domaine Trotereau France | Loire
2022 Jasnières
Pascal Janvier France | Loire
2022 Chinon Rosé
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2018 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine “Gorges”
Domaine Michel Brégeon France | Loire
2022 Cheverny
Domaine du Salvard France | Loire
2020 Sancerre Rouge “Le Chant de l’Archet”
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2021 Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil “Irène”
Domaine de la Chanteleuserie France | Loire
2022 Bourgueil “Trinch!”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2021 Sancerre Rouge
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2019 Chinon “Clos du Chêne Vert”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2020 Bourgueil “Nuits d’Ivresse”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2021 Sancerre “Les Coutones”
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2022 Quincy “Vieilles Vignes”
Domaine Trotereau France | Loire
2022 Jasnières
Pascal Janvier France | Loire
2022 Chinon Rosé
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2018 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine “Gorges”
Domaine Michel Brégeon France | Loire
2022 Cheverny
Domaine du Salvard France | Loire
2020 Sancerre Rouge “Le Chant de l’Archet”
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
Where the newsletter started
Where the newsletter started
Every three or four months I would send my clients a cheaply made list of my inventory, but it began to dawn on me that business did not pick up afterwards. It occurred to me that my clientele might not know what Château Grillet is, either. One month in 1974 I had an especially esoteric collection of wines arriving, so I decided to put a short explanation about each wine into my price list, to try and let my clients know what to expect when they uncorked a bottle. The day after I mailed that brochure, people showed up at the shop, and that is how these little propaganda pieces for fine wine were born.—Kermit Lynch