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2024 Val de Loire Sauvignon Blanc “Unique”
Domaine du Salvard
Artichoke season may have peaked, but take heart! On the central California coast, artichokes are harvested and trucked across the U.S. almost year-round, not just in the spring. And that’s lucky for us, because these delicious green thistles make for such satisfying summer grub: steamed or grilled and dipped in garlicky aïoli; sucking the soft flesh from each petal, then scooping out the feathery choke before devouring the tender heart; all washed down with refreshing gulps of Salvard’s zesty, citrus-blossom-scented Unique. Pure, perennial pleasure.
—Madison H. Brown
Wine Type: | white |
Vintage: | 2024 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Sauvignon Blanc |
Appellation: | Val de Loire IGP |
Country: | France |
Region: | Loire |
Producer: | Domaine du Salvard |
Winemaker: | Emmanuel & Thierry Delaille |
Vineyard: | 22 years, 8 ha |
Soil: | Clay, Sand |
Farming: | Lutte Raisonnée |
Alcohol: | 12.5% |
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About The Producer
Domaine du Salvard
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.
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2023 Saumur Mousseux “Bulles de Roche”
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2023 Menetou-Salon Blanc “Le Prieuré”
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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