Domaine de la Crechette, "La Jacqu'rie" 2020

From vines planted in a water table literally astride the Loire river, Charles Bouly organically farms 8.5 hectares of vines composed of Cabernets Franc & Sauvignon, Chenin Blanc, Grolleau, & Pineau d'Aunis. Loire through and through. It was a recent adventure for Charles on this plot -- having purchased the vines in 2019, they are only a few vintages in yet the wines show a kind of old-school charm. No real pyrotechnics to the wines, they may here and there wear a little residual sugar (as was long the fashion in the Loire) & concentration of fruit owing to the hyper-richness of their soils. (again, planted in a water table), but the wines never feel soppy or out of balance. There is an achievement here of point of view & distinctiveness in the broad tableau of Loire Wines. Working in some biodynamic treatments, farming is currently organic & the cellar practices, while conceptually are about adapting to each vintage's character, are zero/zero.

Loire, France. A rosé of 100% Cab Sauv from 30-year-old vines rooted in black schist. The grapes are hand-harvested and slowly pressed overnight. Fermentation with wild yeasts and bottled unfined, unfiltered, no SO2.