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2021 Anjou Rouge “Clos de la Cerisaie”

Château d’Épiré
Discount Eligible $25.00
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Château d’Epiré is a true guardian of Savennières history: for centuries, the property has been the source of profound, age-worthy Chenin Blanc that evokes the local schist soils with utter transparency. But the Anjou region is also Cabernet Franc territory, and as we well know, after every great white a great red must follow. It is only natural, then, that the Bizard family—who has owned Epiré since the 17th century—should make a bit of rouge, too.
     Cabernet Franc in this terroir shares certain traits with white Savennières, as one might expect. It is a lively, brisk wine, showcasing pristine red fruit and a hint of herbs over a firm foundation of stony acidity. Unfined and unfiltered, the 2021 satisfies with a velvety fullness and mouth-watering finish.

Anthony Lynch


Technical Information
Wine Type: red
Vintage: 2021
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: 13%

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About The Region

Loire

map of 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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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

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