Notify me
2019 Savennières
Château d’EpiréWhile increasingly warm vintages, such as 2019 in the Loire Valley, threaten to upset a wine’s traditional balance and typicity, we have not seen that with Château d’Épiré’s Savennières. Rather than make things overripe and blowsy, as one might fear, the sunny conditions have instead intensified the trademark character of Chenin Blanc from these schist-laden vineyards overlooking the Loire. A discreet nose of fresh walnuts prefaces this white wine flavored more of fractured stone than of any fruit or flower. The finish is bone-dry and utterly mouthwatering, as with any self-respecting Savennières.
—Anthony Lynch
Wine Type: | white |
Vintage: | 2019 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Chenin Blanc |
Appellation: | Savennières |
Country: | France |
Region: | Loire |
Producer: | Château d'Épiré |
Winemaker: | Luc Bizard |
Vineyard: | Planted in 1965-2013 (average 35 years old), 8.5 ha |
Soil: | Schist |
Aging: | Juice rests for 24 hours before being racked into stainless steel cuves for fermentation to begin |
Farming: | Lutte Raisonnée |
Alcohol: | 14.5% |
More from this Producer or Region
2022 Anjou Rouge “Clos de la Cerisaie”
France | Loire
It is a lively, brisk wine, showcasing pristine red fruit and a hint of herbs over a firm foundation of stony acidity.
2022 Savennières “Cuvée Spéciale”
France | Loire
Powerful, cellar-worthy dry Chenin aged in chestnut, oak, and acacia.
2021 Vin de France Blanche
France | Loire
This skin-contact wine is redolent of blood orange and hyssop—a perfect apéritif for olives and anchovies.
2020 Saumur-Champigny “Les Mémoires”
France | Loire
Sourced from 110+ year-old vines, this is hands-down one of the best Cab Francs being made in the Loire Valley today.
2018 Vouvray “La Moelleuse”
France | Loire
This is the Champalous’ late-harvest wine, gently sweet yet retaining the mouthwatering acidity that Chenin from the great sites of the Loire can provide.
2020 Chinon “Cuvée Terroir”
France | Loire
The perfect combination of tart red fruit, herbaceousness, and graphite earthiness.
2022 Savennières
France | Loire
Savennières is home to some of the greatest terroirs for this grape variety thanks to its soils of schist, sandstone, and blue slate and its proximity to the moderating Loire River.
2021 Bourgueil “Franc de Pied”
France | Loire
Serve it with a slight chill, and you’ll have a satisfyingly fresh red with medium fruit and a light dusting of herbs and tannin.
2019 Chinon “Clos du Chêne Vert”
France | Loire
Chinons from Joguet are known for their firm minerality, but this one is quite charming as well, with plummy black fruit, myrtle, and notes of warm licorice.
2022 Sancerre Rosé “Le Colombier”
France | Loire
Sancerre Rosé is made from Pinot Noir grown in Kimmeridgian limestone soil, and the Neveu family’s interpretation is fine, floral, crisp, and bone-dry.
About The Producer
Château d'Épiré
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 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.
More from Loire or France
2022 Chardonnay
Eric Chevalier France | Loire
2021 Bourgueil “Cuvée Alouettes”
Domaine de la Chanteleuserie France | Loire
2016 Chinon “Les Petites Roches” MAGNUM
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2021 Sancerre “Racines”
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2022 Val de Loire Rouge Grolleau
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2021 Sancerre “Cuvée Marcel Henri”
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2022 Saumur Blanc “L’Insolite”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2022 Chinon “Les Granges”
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2018 Saumur Blanc “L’Échelier”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
1989 Vouvray “Bois Guyon”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2021 Saumur Mousseux “Bulles de Roche”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2020 Saumur Champigny “Clos de l’Échelier”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2022 Chardonnay
Eric Chevalier France | Loire
2021 Bourgueil “Cuvée Alouettes”
Domaine de la Chanteleuserie France | Loire
2016 Chinon “Les Petites Roches” MAGNUM
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2021 Sancerre “Racines”
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2022 Val de Loire Rouge Grolleau
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2021 Sancerre “Cuvée Marcel Henri”
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2022 Saumur Blanc “L’Insolite”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2022 Chinon “Les Granges”
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2018 Saumur Blanc “L’Échelier”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
1989 Vouvray “Bois Guyon”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2021 Saumur Mousseux “Bulles de Roche”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2020 Saumur Champigny “Clos de l’Échelier”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
Kermit once said...
Kermit once said...
Great winemakers, great terroirs, there is never any hurry. And I no longer buy into this idea of “peak” maturity. Great winemakers, great terroirs, their wines offer different pleasures at different ages.
Inspiring Thirst, page 312