Tasting Notes: This beautiful, unusually concentrated Menetou-Salon comes from 30-year-old vines grown on sloping parcels of soft, porous Kimmeridgian limestone chalk and calcareous rocky marl. ... The grapes are hand-harvested and vinified exclusively in thermoregulated stainless steel tanks. In a good large glass, the wine has a limpid, shimmering, yellow-green color, with flashes of platinum at the edge. Aromas of kaffir lime, grapefruit oil, lemon curd, and white flowers move in and out of the foreground, sometimes alternating with suggestions of white peaches, Italian parsley, walnut shells, and grated ginger as the nose evolves in the glass. On the palate, the wine is creamy, sapid, and concentrated, with a spicy kernel of white nectarines, bergamot, Seckel pear, and lemongrass, all seasoned with palpable saline minerality that persists through the long, elegant finish. Drink now for the wine’s electrifying energy and primary fruit, or tuck away in a cool cellar for five years or more. Read More
-
The estate was established in 1970, when Jean-Bernard Moindrot took control of vineyards his grandfather had established years earlier to supplement the income from his cereal mill. In 1999, Jean-Bernard’s son, Valentin Moindrot, took the reins of what had grown to be a fifteen-hectare vineyard, including these eleven hectares of Sauvignon Blanc, and four of Pinot Noir. The vines have always been farmed without the use of chemical pesticides or herbicides, and a cover crop of grass and alfalfa is grown between the rows, to encourage deeply rooted vines, as well as to control erosion of the slopes. The estate produces about 9000 cases annually, with 80% of the production sold to private customers locally, and to restaurants throughout the Loire Valley and beyond in France.
-
The Loire River runs 635 miles from the Cévennes Mountains in southeastern France to the Atlantic Coast and flows through (or near) over 60 different appellations. During its long history, the hillsides along the banks provided well-drained soils on which to grow grapes, and the river itself provided a transportation network to outside markets. Menetou-Salon has always existed in the shadow of its more famous neighbor, Sancerre. Economics seemed to have played a key role in suppressing the market for the region's wine - the vineyards are further away from the Loire River where commerce has always been livelier. The wines are broadly similar to Sancerre's, but the land is less calcareous and the wines show an earthy character that is distinct among the Sauvignon of the upper Loire.
-
The Sauvignon Blanc grape originated in France, and this vigorous vine gets its name from the French word “sauvage,” meaning “wild.” Depending on the climate and soil type, Sauvignon Blanc wines vary in terms of aromatics and flavor profile. In general, maritime and cooler climate areas, such as the Loire Valley, seem to be particularly well suited to Sauvignon Blanc. General characteristics of wines produced from this variety include citrus fruit (grapefruit and lime), and grassy or herbal aromatics, with a high acidity.
-
