Chenin, oh Chenin...
2022
Christine de Mianville Jasnières Dyane
(France, Loire Valley, Jasnières)
$62 (reg 80)
North
of the town of Tours is the appellation
of Jasnière. Jasnières is one of the
smallest and most distinctive AOCs in the
Loire Valley, sitting on the Loir river (a
tributary of the Loire, not the Loire itself)
in the Sarthe département. It's the most
northerly and coldest appellation in the
greater Loire region, and it produces
exclusively dry-to-off-dry white wine from
Chenin Blanc.
There are only about 23 producers in the
appellation, production is tiny,
and a cult-like status can be found among
Chenin enthusiasts.
Enter Christine de Mianville.
Christine de Mianville is a Jasnières
specialist who handcrafts tiny quantities of
profound, textured whites in the Loire’s
northernmost outpost for Chenin Blanc. She
meticulously farms her single hectare of land
organically with the help of her beloved
donkeys, Bonnie and Icare, treating her grapes
as one would treat precious grand cru fruit
from France’s most prestigious sites. Her
wines ferment spontaneously to full dryness, a
method that makes it possible to bottle
unfiltered. The cuvée Dyane captures the
pristine fresh fruit Chenin displays from this
silex-laden terroir, mirroring the sensation
of biting into crisp slices of white peach,
nectarine, and guava. Give it a moment to
unwind in a decanter before indulging in this
spectacular expression of dry Chenin Blanc.
As
mentioned above Christine has one hectare of
land, and someone asked us how many cases
could one produce from a vineyard that size?
The answer is under 400 cases, and that's
divided currently between 4 different wines.
Tiny indeed! We will keep an eye out for her
other three; in the meantime enjoy her Dyane.
Giuseppe
Quintarelli: White & Red
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2024
Giuseppe Quintarelli Bianco Secco
(Italy, Veneto, Veneto IGT)
$68 - 750ml
$160 - 1500ml
A
blend of Garganega, Trebbiano Toscano,
Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Saorin (a rare
white grape variety from Italy’s Veneto
region), the 2024 Giuseppe Quintarelli Bianco
is a magnificent and refined white blend that
perfectly captures the volcanic minerality and
depth of Valpolicella's terroir, delivering
both freshness and complexity.
The
nose is captivating and layered, with aromas
of kiwi, apricot, and white flowers. On the
palate, it is medium-bodied, taut, and
textural, with a concentrated core of savory
fruit cut by vibrant, high acidity that
creates a sense of tension and balance. The
finish is exceptionally long, wonderfully
fresh, and punctuated by a distinct
saline-mineral flourish. This is a deeply
magnificent.
2018
Giuseppe Quintarelli Valpolicella Classico
Superiore
(Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella)
$142
A wine that is
dark and alluring; dried roses, violets,
crushed stone, clove and blood orange. Silken
textures throughout with poise and finesse.
Ripe wildberry fruit emerge, lavender, rose
petals, spice, density! The word ethereal
comes to mind. This is one of those
world-class wines you'll be thinking about
long after Summer ends.
Switching
Gears
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2022
Vaeni Naoussa Coop. Xinomavro
(Greece, Macedonia, Naoussa)
$18
When
we think of great Co-ops in the wine world
Terlano in Alto Adige and Produttori del
Barbaresco come immediately to mind. Begin
today Vaeni Naoussa Coop will be in the mix
too.
When
we tasted this red from the Xinomavro varietal
we fell in love with the silky texture, the
bright red berry fruit, the light spice and
the overall balance and finish of the wine. It
struck a chord that we thought about for a few
days.
Our
notes read, "very underpriced for the
quality", and, "lamb, tri-tip, Moussaka,
pizza, red sauce...all would be worthy
pairings."
A
delightful wine whether you're in Greece or
your own backyard.
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