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2019 Vin de France “Chenin Blanc”
Pascal JanvierFrost has been a vicious foe of vignerons across the Loire Valley in recent years. But arguably no AOC and no vintage have borne the brunt more than Jasnières in April 2019. This northernmost appellation is colder than much of the region and its relatively small Loir—no “e”—River doesn’t have as much of a temperature-moderating effect as the Loire River to the south does. Pascal Janvier, who routinely crafts exquisite Chenin Blancs in Jasnières (JAH-nee-air), was able to salvage very little Chenin that year—the bitter cold wiped out almost all of his white-wine grapes. In order to survive and make any blanc, he had to source grapes from nearby AOCs, such as Vouvray and Coteaux du Vendomois; hence, this cuvée bears the “Vin de France” label. Even though Pascal’s loss of his Chenin Blanc in Jasnières in 2019 was tragic, he nevertheless turned out a wonderful white wine. This bottling bears his trademark notes of green apple, citrus, and flint. Pascal’s pairing recommendation? “Charcuterie,” says the butcher-turned-vigneron.
—Tom Wolf
Wine Type: | white |
Vintage: | 2019 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Chenin Blanc |
Country: | France |
Region: | Loire |
Producer: | Pascal Janvier |
Winemaker: | Pascal Janvier |
Soil: | Limestone |
Aging: | Another racking takes place after fermentation, then the wines age on fine lees in stainless steel cuve for a few more months before bottling. |
Alcohol: | 13.5% |
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About The Producer
Pascal Janvier
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.
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2020 Saumur Champigny “Clos de l’Échelier”
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2019 Sancerre Rouge “Champs d’Alligny”
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2022 Jasnières “Cuvée du Silex”
Pascal Janvier France | Loire
2020 Chinon “Cuvée Terroir”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2020 Sancerre “Hameau de Reigny”
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2022 Cheverny
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2020 Chinon “Le Clos Guillot”
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2022 Val de Loire Rouge Grolleau
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Vintage Chart Mentality
Vintage Chart Mentality
Trust the great winemakers, trust the great vineyards. Your wine merchant might even be trustworthy. In the long run, that vintage strip may be the least important guide to quality on your bottle of wine.—Kermit Lynch