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2021 Savennières
Château d’Épiré
At the same time that it evokes honey, Meyer lemon, and stone fruit, this Chenin Blanc is brilliantly chiseled and dry, underscoring how Savennières is home to some of the greatest terroirs for this grape variety, thanks to its soils of schist, sandstone, and blue slate and its proximity to the moderating Loire River. You can’t go wrong opening it alongside grilled shrimp or pork dumplings.
—Tom Wolf
| Wine Type: | white |
| Vintage: | 2021 |
| Bottle Size: | 750mL |
| Blend: | Chenin Blanc |
| Appellation: | Savennières |
| Country: | France |
| Region: | Loire |
| Winemaker: | Paul 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: | 13.5% |
More from this Producer or Region
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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
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2020 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Clisson “La Molette”
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2023 Sancerre “Racines”
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2020 Saumur Blanc “Clos Romans”
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2020 Bourgueil “Les Perrières”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2020 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Clisson “La Molette”
Domaine Michel Brégeon France | Loire
2021 Chinon “Les Varennes du Grand Clos”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2023 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie
Domaine Michel Brégeon France | Loire
2023 Bourgueil “Cuvée Alouettes”
Domaine de la Chanteleuserie France | Loire
2024 Vin de France Brut Nature “Elle est pas bulle la vie?”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2021 Saumur Champigny “La Marginale”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2024 Bourgueil Rosé
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2021 Bourgueil “Clos Sénéchal”
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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